In the sweltering Memphis heat, nothing cools you down like an ice-cold frozen treat. From snow cones to milkshakes to popsicles, there’s a little something for everyone on this list. So grab a friend, and head to one of these Memphis spots to cool off.
11 Memphis Spots for Sweet Frozen Treats
Dipsticle Artisan Gelato Cafe
694 N Germantown Pkwy Ste 60, Cordova, TN 38018 • (901) 614-9622
Hours: Tuesday through Thursday, 3:15 p.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Monday, closed
This artisan gelato cafe is exactly the place you want to be on a hot Memphis day. Dipsticle‘s eclectic flavors and A+ presentation — pictured below — will make your mouth water for days. SB TIP: They offer catering services, too! Pool party, anyone?
Area 51 Ice Cream
100 E Commerce St, Hernando, MS 38632 • (662) 298-3028
Hours: Monday through Thursday, noon to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, noon to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Area 51 Ice Cream‘s unique blend of flavors attracts customers from all over town. They focus on fresh ingredients and unique flavor combinations. Stop by for a cold treat that’s out of this world (see what we did there?).
Grab yourself a sweet scoop at Area 51. Image: @crosstownconcourse via Instagram
Jerry’s Snow Cones
1657 Wells Station Road, Memphis, TN 38108 • (901) 249-8718
1601 Bonnie Lane, Cordova, TN 38016 • (901) 249-8718
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Jerry’s Snow Cones is a Memphis institution. For decades, Memphians have been trekking to their out-of-the-way location on Wells Station in the Berclair neighborhood for frosty treats. You could go traditional and order a classic snow cone — they offer dozens of flavor options. But we recommend their World Famous Snow Cone Supreme. Jerry’s claims to have invented this yummy treat that is the best of all worlds — a snow cone topped with creamy soft-serve ice cream. In honor of their 50th anniversary, Jerry’s opened a second location in Cordova, so now you have two locations to choose from. SB TIP: Don’t be intimidated by the lines. They move quickly, and a Jerry’s Snow Cone Supreme is worth the wait!
La Michoacana
4091 Summer Ave., Memphis, TN 38122 • (901) 555-1234
6635 Winchester Road, Memphis, TN 38115 • (901) 590-1902
2733 Getwell Road, Memphis, TN 38118
830 N. Germantown Pkwy., Memphis, TN 38018
Hours: Open daily, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Paletas are Mexican popsicles — but you don’t have to travel to Mexico to get one! La Michoacana is a family-owned authentic Mexican ice cream parlor that offers a wide variety of homemade paletas and ice creams. Made with fresh ingredients and fruits, these popsicles are nothing like most of the rock-hard, artificially sweetened popsicles you’ll find at the grocery store. Flavors like cookies and cream are popular with the kids, but we recommend trying some of their more unique flavors. The pine nut paleta is creamy, light, and just slightly sweet, while the mango-chili paleta is refreshing and will wake up your taste buds.
Margie’s 901
125 South Main, Memphis, TN 38103 • (901) 522-1912
Hours: Open daily from noon to 8 p.m.
Here’s the scoop: Margie’s 901 ice cream is made fresh daily. They pride themselves on being the “Best Ice Cream Memphis has to offer,” and they may be correct. Peruse flavor options that run the gamut — from the standards (vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry) to more exotic options like carrot cake, amaretto, and purple bubblegum. Plus, they have countless toppings to customize your creation — mini marshmallows, gummy bears, nuts, fruit, candy bars, and more. It’s a veritable ice cream smorgasbord!
MemPops
1243 Ridgeway Road, Memphis, TN 38119 • (901) 421-5985
1350 Concourse Ave., Ste. 133, Memphis, TN 38104 • (901) 425-2724
3670 Houston Levee Road, Ste. 106, Collierville, TN 38017 • (901) 316-5405
Check Twitter and Facebook for daily food truck location.
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 8 p.m.
Cold and refreshing, MemPops is a refreshing treat on a hot summer day. Owner Chris Taylor’s handcrafted popsicles are a beloved local favorite. Their pop flavors are constantly changing based on local and seasonal availability. Strawberry is their biggest seller, but don’t miss the creative seasonal flavors of the summer. “Watermelon basil, blueberry lemon maple, roasted peach, blackberry lemon rose and avocado lime are all fan favorites,” says Chris. MemPops has three locations: one in East Memphis, one in Midtown at Crosstown Concourse, and one in Collierville. With multiple food trucks on their roster, MemPops can also be found at events all around town.
Miccos Snocones & Shakes
9077 Poplar Avenue #103 Germantown, TN 38138 • (901) 601-7218
Hours: Monday through Thursday, noon to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, noon to 10 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 9 p.m.
At Miccos Snocones & Shakes, the Michelotti family serves up frozen treats that are worth every calorie. Located in the heart of Collierville just down the street from several schools, Miccos quickly became a favorite for kids of all ages after opening its doors in 2016. The business started off as an authentic New Orleans-style sno-cone shop, but their crazy, over-the-top milkshakes have become the top sellers. “Our Freakshakes are milkshakes gone insane,” explains co-owner Tim Michelotti. “It’s like a milkshake, ice cream scoop, and sundae all in one.” Their most popular “Freakshake” is the Cookie Monster. It’s an Oreo milkshake with a homemade chocolate chip sandwich cookie and tons of cookies on top. Oh, my!
Milk Dessert Bar
1789 Kirby Pkwy., Ste. 10, Memphis, TN 38138 • (901) 730-0893
Hours: Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.; Monday and Tuesday; closed
Milk Dessert Bar in East Memphis serves up cookies, cakes, edible cookie dough, and some pretty amazing milkshakes. Their shakes are out-of-this-world fun, with flavors like Unicorn, Circus, and Galactic. “They are all dressed up big and pretty with lots of candy,” says owner Sharon Cohn. The Unicorn Colossal Milkshake is a concoction of vanilla ice cream mixed with pink milk and topped with whipped cream, sprinkles, rainbow ribbons, rock candy, a candy bracelet, cotton candy, and a unicorn horn. Every little girl’s dream dessert! SB TIP: All shakes come in a mini version, which is the perfect size for kids!
Sugar Ghost
2613 Broad Avenue, Memphis, TN, TN 38112 • (901) 246-9874
Hours: Friday through Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. until the shop opens — stay tuned!
You can currently visit the Sugar Ghost food truck, parked outside its future brick-and-mortar location on Broad Avenue. It’s expected to open this month, so stay tuned! Until then, you can still get your full Sugar Ghost fix. They specialize in vegan treats, ice cream bars, and the ever-popular bubble tea. This hot spot (or should we say cool-down spot) is a refreshing place to stop after a day under the Memphis sun.
Waffle Cream
999 Cooper St Suite 103, Memphis, TN 38104 • (901) 846-8058
Hours: Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 8 p.m.; Sunday through Tuesday, closed
A waffle and ice cream combo? Sign us up. Waffle Cream is unmatched for its selection of flavored waffles and ice cream — hard to resist for even the most discerning visitor. Fun names like “Going Back to Cali” and “Easy Like Sunday Morning” make the menu entertaining to read, and the flavor combinations are intriguing — and amazing! It’s a must-try local spot for sweet tooth satisfaction.
Quintessential Sweets
2811 Bartlett Blvd, Bartlett, TN 38134 • (901) 361-3449
Hours: Monday through Saturday, noon to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m. to 10 p.m.
From flavored snow to ice cream pie, Quintessential Sweets has all the bases covered. As a Memphis favorite and definite tourist attraction, this spot sees some heavy foot traffic on a hot summer day. We suggest the ‘Gooey Butter Bar’ signature sweet, which combines a butter cookie crust, pecans, a baked flakey bar, and of course, soft-serve ice cream.
Now, cure your Delta heat-induced “vapors” with an icy, sweet Memphis treat — bon appétit, and goodbye, heat!
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