The 9 Best Ice Cream Shops in Calgary That’ll Have You Choosing a New Favorite Flavor Each Time You Visit
When I was a kid, I became close to one of my best friends through our shared love for ice cream. I still remember it vividly: she said she loved chocolate, while I preferred caramel.
Years later, most of our hangouts still involve ice cream in some way, shape, or form. We’re basically regulars at some of Calgary’s most well-known ice cream spots.
If you’re wondering what shops we frequent the most, you’re in luck. This guide lists all the spots that every ice cream-loving Calgarian should know about.
1. Village Ice Cream
– Media credit: villageicecream
Address: 431 10 Ave SE
Contact details: +1 403 261 7950
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Sunday – 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM
Must-order: Two Hills Earl Grey
Village Ice Cream has been a local favorite since it opened in 2012.
When you look at their menu, you’ll notice they only have 10 “always” flavors, while the rest are seasonals. They keep it limited since they prefer making all their ice creams fresh daily.
Their bestseller, the Two Hills Earl Grey ice cream, actually used to be a seasonal flavor, but was promoted to a permanent spot after people started asking for it to return. We totally understand; it’s hard to imagine living without a scoop of it!
We enjoy its strong milk tea flavor, which is mixed with a hint of honey and vanilla. It’s even better with one of their crunchy waffle cones.
| Pro tip: Village Ice Cream offers some pretty creative seasonal flavors, such as Peach Tea and Raspberry Limeade. You can ask them for ‘Kids Scoop’ servings to get an idea of what each flavor tastes like. |
2. Made By Marcus (17th Ave)
– Media credit: madebymarcus
Address: 1013 17 Ave SW #121
Contact details: +1 403 452 1692
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Sunday – 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM
Must-order: Sea Salt & Goat Milk Caramel
Made By Marcus is not afraid to get crazy with their ice cream flavors. In fact, they release new ones every month.
It’s not just all sweet and sour flavor profiles, too; they also dabble in bitter, salty, and even umami tastes.
Our favorite is pretty close to tasting savory. Their Sea Salt & Goat Milk Caramel ice cream has a subtle briny flavor, but it’s balanced well by the richness of the goat milk and the sweetness of the caramel.
For those who prefer something more fruity, go for the Lemon Curd Blueberry. It’s one of their very first flavors, and it’s still a crowd favorite.
Remember to add a toasted marshmallow on top of your order for an extra dollar. Not only is it yummy, but it looks great in pictures, too.
| Pro tip: Made By Marcus offers delivery services for those who don’t feel like leaving the house. You can order a pint of their signature flavors online, like Chocolate Lava Cake and Cinnamon Snickerdoodle, and it’ll be delivered right to your doorstep. |
3. Amato Gelato (Kensington)
– Media credit: amatogelatocafe
Address: 7-2104 Kensington Rd NW
Contact details: +1 403 270 9733
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Sunday – 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM
Must-order: Tiramisu Gelato
Back then, no one in Calgary really paid any attention to gelato. But in 2003, something shifted when Amato Gelato came into the scene.
Nowadays, one of the hardest decisions that locals have to face is which to choose among Amato’s 72 flavors.
Since gelato originated in Italy, it makes a lot of sense that one of the shop’s best flavors is also distinctly Italian. Their Tiramisu ice cream tastes exactly like the dessert, except in gelato form. It’s creamy, with a subtle coffee and cocoa flavor.
But if you’re craving something more filling, you can order their Bomboloni Gelato Panino. It’s a fluffy donut stuffed with your pick of gelato flavor.
| Pro tip: On warmer days, you can enjoy your Amato Gelato order on their beautiful patio. It’s got a lot of plants and is pet-friendly too! |
4. Sweet Tooth Ice Cream
– Media credit: sweettoothyyc
Address: 206 Centre St S
Contact details: +1 587 832 0128
Operating Hours:
- Sunday to Thursday – 1:00 PM to 10:00 PM
- Friday – 12:00 PM to 10:30 PM
- Saturday – 1:00 PM to 10:30 PM
Must-order: Morning Espresso
Sweet Tooth Ice Cream offers one of the more creative ways to enjoy the dessert. They serve artisan rolled ice cream that doesn’t melt as fast as the regular kind.
It’s quite fun watching them prepare and roll the ice cream behind the counter. You get to see all the high-quality ingredients that they use.
The best thing about them, though, is that all their flavors are customizable. You can ask them to accommodate any allergies or dietary preferences, such as if you’re vegan, gluten-free, or dairy-free.
Coffee lovers like us are guaranteed to love their Morning Espresso ice cream. It has a strong espresso flavor, and you’ll definitely feel more awake after eating.
| Pro tip: Sweet Tooth Ice Cream has a special menu for athletes and gym rats. Just let them know, and they can add some protein or whey into your rolled ice cream. |
5. XO Ice Cream & Waffles
– Media credit: xoicecream
Address: 100 Auburn Meadows Dr SE #808, Auburn Bay
Contact details: +1 403 835 8226
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Thursday – 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM
- Friday to Saturday – 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM
Must-order: Hazelnut Crunch
XO Ice Cream & Waffles has some of the nicest staff we’ve ever met. It might be the one shop where the people are just as sweet as what they serve.
Their ice cream portions are already huge, by the way. But if you ask them for additional toppings, mix-ins, or sauce, they’ll happily give you lots more.
However, our go-to order of Hazelnut Crunch is already good on its own. Besides being rich and sweet, it also has lots of crunchy hazelnut bits that are satisfying to chew on.
We always end up ordering it with one of their waffle cones, too. It’s just hard to resist since you’ll smell the cones from the moment you enter the shop.
| Pro tip: XO Ice cream & Waffles is just a small ice cream shop with no seating available inside. However, there are a few benches nearby where you can rest and enjoy your ice cream. |
6. Righteous Gelato
– Media credit: righteousgelato
Address: 221 19 St SE #110
Contact details: +1 403 452 3150
Operating Hours:
- Thursday to Sunday – 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM
- Monday to Wednesday – Closed
Must-order: Dark Chocolate Gelato
The owner of Righteous Gelato began selling small batches of his ice cream in grocery stores back in 2013. Fast forward to today, and they have an impressive gelato factory and a coffee bar.
Customers can join a 90-minute tour of this factory and learn all about the company’s history. They’ll even get the chance to create their own gelato and take home other flavors as freebies.
One of the highlights of this tour is seeing them work with premium ingredients. They avoid preservatives, so they only add natural sweeteners like fruits or pure sugar cane.
If you ask us, their best flavor is Dark Chocolate. It strikes the perfect balance between sweet and bitter that it’s hard not to eat a whole tub in one sitting.
| Pro tip: If you have any unique ice cream flavor ideas, you can go ahead and tell Righteous Gelato all about them. They’ve brought fan flavor ideas to life before. |
7. Lukes Drug Mart
– Media credit: lukesdrugmart
Address: 112 4 St NE
Contact details: +1 403 266 4142
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Friday – 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM
- Saturday – 7:30 AM to 9:00 PM
- Sunday – 7:30 AM to 8:00 PM
Must-order: Soft Serve Ice Cream
With a name like Lukes Drug Mart, you wouldn’t expect to find one of the best ice creams in Calgary here.
This family-run business has been around for more than 7 decades, and it’s considered one of the city’s oldest pharmacies. But trust us, no one leaves Lukes without a soft serve.
We don’t know how they do it, but their soft-serve has this silky, smooth texture that we can’t get enough of. It’s also very exciting that they introduce new special flavors every month.
It feels like an adventure at this point since we don’t know what flavor we’ll have when we get there. But historically, they haven’t disappointed us with flavors like Strawberry Cheesecake, Creme Brulee, Sticky Toffee Pudding, and Banana Cream Pie.
| Pro tip: Lukes Drug Mart doesn’t just fill prescriptions and sell ice cream. It’s also a cultural hub that sells vinyl records, products from local artists, plants, and artsy greeting cards. |
8. Abbey’s Creations (Montgomery)
– Media credit: abbeys.bowness
Address: 4703 Bowness Rd NW
Contact details: +1 403 454 072
Operating Hours:
- Tuesday to Sunday – 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM
- Monday – 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Must-order: Ube Queso
Entering Abbey’s Creations is what we imagine stepping into a kid’s daydream is like. It’s bright, vibrant, and colorful. Plus, everything looks absolutely delicious.
Expect your mouth to water even before you reach the counter. From afar, you’ll already be able to see the wide range of fancy cones, toppings, and mix-ins to choose from.
They’re also known for their exotic flavors. From their trendy Dubai-flavored ice cream to salted egg, your tastebuds are in for something new.
But for those who prefer something simpler, their tropical flavors are the most popular. Their Ube Queso, in particular, has a ton of fans. It’s not too sweet, very creamy, and a little bit savory because of the cheese.
| Pro tip: Abbey’s Creations offers a lot of unique flavors that you won’t find anywhere else. Just ask their staff and they’ll be happy to give you as many taste tests as you’d like to help you decide. |
9. My Favorite Ice Cream Shoppe
– Media credit: twoaeats
Address: 2048 42 Ave SW
Contact details: +1 403 287 3838
Operating Hours:
- Sunday to Thursday – 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM
- Friday to Saturday – 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM
Must-order: Blueberry Cheesecake
Once you get the chance to eat at My Favorite Ice Cream Shoppe, their name won’t seem like an exaggeration anymore.
If you need more convincing, they’ve actually been recognized as one of the Best Ice Cream Places in Calgary by Fast Forward Weekly and the Consumer Choice Awards.
Based on all of this, you might expect something grand and impressive. Instead, it’s actually an old-school ice cream parlor that doesn’t really have any gimmicks. The fanciest thing you’ll see is a piano that any of their customers are welcome to play.
After asking around, we learned that most of the regulars used to go here a lot when they were kids. Now, they’re bringing their own children for ice cream.
We weren’t surprised to hear that their cheesecake flavors have always been the most delicious. We always gravitate to their Blueberry Cheesecake ice cream, which is creamy and has a tangy burst of blueberry.
| Pro tip: Even though My Favorite Ice Cream Shoppe provides outside seating, the best place to enjoy your ice cream is only a short walk away. There’s a park right across the street with comfortable benches and nice surroundings. |