Ellis HartSearching for the perfect sweet treat to cool down? You’re not alone.
Finding a top-tier ice cream store takes a bit of tasting. So I spent time exploring the city’s cobblestone streets and bustling avenues to find the creamiest scoops available. Expect to find everything from classic vanilla bean to wild, southern-inspired concoctions.
And if you still haven’t satisfied your sweet tooth after a cold treat, check out the top cake shops in the area, too.
How Much Does Ice Cream Cost in Nashville?
In Nashville, you can generally expect to spend between $4.00 and $10.00 per person for a standard frozen treat.
| Serving Type | Price Range |
| Single Scoops | $4.00 – $7.50 |
| Double Scoops & Sundaes | $7.50 – $11.05 |
| Kids’ Scoops | $1.75 – $4.95 |
| Ice Cream Flights | $6.50 – $9.10 |
| Pints to Go | $12.00 – $14.50 |
1. Mike’s Ice Cream
Website: https://mikesicecream.com
Address: 129 2nd Ave N, Nashville, TN 37201
Contact: (615) 742-6453
Hours:
Regular Business Hours:
(Labor Day – Memorial Day)
Sunday – Thursday: 8:00 am – 11:00 pm
Friday – Saturday: 8:00 am – Midnight
Summer Business Hours:
(Memorial Day – Labor Day)
8:00 am – Midnight
7-days a week
Wandering downtown always stirs up a serious sugar craving. Fortunately, Mike’s Ice Cream delivers authentic, homemade Southern-inspired sweet treats right in the heart of the action. They feature a massive rotating menu with over thirty traditional and inventive flavor options.
You can easily pair your cold dessert with a rich drink from their full gourmet coffee and espresso bar. They even mix in premium ingredients like dark chocolate-covered espresso beans and homemade cornbread.
The nostalgic parlor atmosphere feels incredibly charming, complete with old-fashioned fountain sodas. Finding this spot after checking out the best restaurants in Downtown Nashville makes for a perfect evening.
Just know that wait times can get pretty long during peak afternoon hours or weekends. The heavily trafficked location means you will likely stand in line for a bit.
This place is amazing. Great service. Great effort into our order. Attention to detail. And the ice cream is of course amazing. They also have some snacks if you’re hungry for a bit more than ice cream.
Special shoutout to Tessa for the great service.
Silas Mähner | Google Review
We make it a point to come to Mike’s for their specialty drinks every time we are in Nashville. Service is wonderful and the treats are always 11/10. We will continue to patronize this place and support the local businesses and the people that keep this place awesome! Thank You Mike’s Ice Cream & Coffee Bar 🫶 …
Lindsi Wilson | Google Review
2. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams
Website: https://jenis.com/blogs/scoop-shops/nashville-tn
Address: 5054 Broadway Place, Nashville, TN 37203
Contact: 615-252-7512
Hours: Sunday – Thursday: 11:00 am – Midnight, Friday – Saturday: 11:00 am – 1:00 am
Craving something entirely unique usually leads me straight to this popular spot. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams crafts imaginative, artisanal frozen desserts emphasizing whole, carefully sourced ingredients without any synthetic flavorings. I actually grabbed a scoop of their Brown Butter Almond Brittle last week, and the crunchy texture blew my mind.
They provide incredibly accommodating options with an extensive variety of strictly dairy-free and gluten-free choices. You can also join their rewards program to earn a free birthday treat. They even offer convenient single-serving party packs that work perfectly for large gatherings.
Exploring their unique seasonal recipes is always a fun adventure. However, these sought-after seasonal flavors often sell out quickly because of intense customer demand. You might miss out on a limited release if you wait too long to visit.
The taste was too good. The only high calorie I did not regret eating. They were rushing a bit, due to the long queue so I couldn’t try all lot of flavours that I wanted to. Must visit treat specially in the summers! Not so expensive as we got 3 scoops with waffle cone for $10. Dark chocolate, milk chocolate and gooey butter cake was a gooood combination!
Paridhi | Google Review
Hand down one of my top 3 fave ice cream spots. They always have great flavors! I got to 3 try the goat cheese and bloom. Both 5/5!
Excellent service and it was a chill Tuesday with no lines but they seemed equipped to handle large crowds.
Kalia A. | Google Review
3. Van Leeuwen Ice Cream
Website: https://vanleeuwenicecream.com/scoop-shops/
Address: 335 11TH AVENUE S, NASHVILLE, TN 37203
Contact: (718) 701-1630
Hours: Monday – Thursday: 11:00 am – 10:30 pm, Friday – Sunday: 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Van Leeuwen Ice Cream delivers rich, authentic French-style frozen desserts alongside an extensive menu of scratch-made vegan options. They craft their French-style bases using double the standard amount of egg yolks for unparalleled creaminess.
You will find minimal, simple ingredients here, like fresh milk, cream, cane sugar, and egg yolks without artificial stabilizers. They easily elevate the entire experience by offering fresh baked cookies, custom sandwiches, and milkshakes. S
However, be aware that the uniquely rich, double-yolk base makes these desserts significantly heavier than standard options. This incredibly dense texture might not suit every single palate. Plan on sharing a scoop if you prefer lighter treats.
10/10 ice cream was creamy and flavorful. Tons of options and the sweetest employees. If you stop in make sure to say hi to Tamia! She was patient with me tasting until I settled for brown sugar brownie something 🤦🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️😩 and my husband some PB something honeycomb. …
LaurenAnn21 | Google Review
This is an old ice cream shop that closed down and now turned into Van Leeuwen brand. We tried earl grey and blue jasmine flavor, both are very fragrant and we like them. Very nice atmosphere with a bunch of seats too!
Phyu Naing | Google Review
4. Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream
Website: https://handelsicecream.com/store/nashville-yards/
Address: 909 Exchange Lane Nashville, Tennessee 37203
Contact: 629-702-2096
Hours: Monday – Wednesday, Sunday: 12:00 pm – 9:00 pm, Thursday – Saturday: 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Sometimes you just need a massive scoop of classic comfort. Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream serves freshly made-in-house frozen treats daily, strictly honoring decades-old proprietary recipes. I visited recently and couldn’t believe the famously generous scoop sizes they handed over the counter.
They fully commit to making every single batch fresh daily right inside the store. They rely on classic, time-tested preparation methods that have been perfected over decades. You get access to a huge menu that caters to both traditional and adventurous tastes alike.
That said, navigating this spot does require a little bit of patience upfront. The sheer volume of flavor choices on the extensive menu can occasionally overwhelm first-time visitors. Take a minute to read the board before stepping up to order.
Top notch ice cream. I tried as many places as i could while in town and this was easily the best. If i’m ever back in nashville this will be my first stop out of the airport. It was sad that the rest of my group didn’t get to try this top notch sweet treat slinging facility as they were more focused on the boozing. You know what they say you always lose with mr booze, but nothing can beat a sweat treat.
Garrett P | Google Review
Absolutely the best ice cream I’ve ever had. There were over 40 yummy flavors to choose from each with ingredients outlined in their menu. The ice cream was fresh, delicious, generous helpings, and friendly staff. Handel’s Ice Cream is a must for anyone who enjoys this frozen dessert.
Crystal Liacos | Google Review
5. Mattheessen’s
Website: https://mattskeywest.com
Address: 123 2nd Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37201
Contact: [email protected], (305) 923-5418, +16159153560
Hours: Sunday – Thursday: 9:00 am – 12:00 am, Friday – Saturday: 9:00 am – 1:00 am
Late-night sugar cravings require a dessert destination that stays open past midnight. Mattheessen’s maintains exceptionally late hours every day of the week to satisfy those midnight sweet tooth attacks.
They pair classic frozen scoops with gigantic, fresh-baked half-pound cookies and creamy homemade fudge.
Their menu is straightforward and focused entirely on executing classic, comforting sweets perfectly. They also feature carefully crafted, homemade fudge to round out their decadent dessert offerings.
However, keep your dietary expectations in check before walking through the doors. They focus strictly on heavy, indulgent sweet items, lacking any lighter or savory options to balance the menu. Come here only when you want a serious sugar overload.
Ice cream was very good and portions were big. Cookies looked amazing, but what put this place over the top was the incredible staff. Hard to believe how engaging and fun they were in the middle of such a touristy area. 180 degree difference from ice cream place next door.
kevin costello | Google Review
First time visiting this gem with my family while we were bar hopping in the downtown streets and OMG. We were walking and the smell stopped us in our tracks so yea, we had to turn around and go in lol. We had the chocolate cookie and a sugar cookie with sprinkles topped with cake batter ice cream. So good, and warm🙌🏽 They have a huge selection of ice cream. Loved that they had extra seating upstairs too. I’ll be back next time I’m in the area!
Ashley E | Google Review
