Swirling soft serve, frozen cakes, creamy cones, sweet sorbet and even dessert tacos. The Ottawa region has a variety of delicious ice cream shops so that you can try every flavour under the sun this summer. Grab your keys or your handlebars, and hit the road toward sweet treats.
From the classics in a cone to whimsical icy creations, you can cool off at so many tasty spots. Here are eleven ice cream shops around Ottawa that are worth a drive.
Carp Custom Creamery
Address: 3763 Carp Rd., Carp, ON & 49 Moore St., Carleton Place, ON
Soak up the sun with a scoop or two of handcrafted ice cream from a bright yellow house. In addition to a cup or cone of their signature flavours like butter tart (with big chunks!), blueberry lemon or sticky toffee pudding, you can bring home a 1-litre tub, an ice cream cake and even get a pup cup for the pooch. The shop often carries seasonal and unique treats also, like dessert tacos. Bring your frozen treat on a stroll through Carp Farmers’ Market or along the river’s edge in Carleton Place. The tubs are also available at the Cheshire Cat, a few kilometres south on Carp Road.
La Cigale
Address: 14 Chem. Scott, Chelsea, QC
Sweeten up your day with artisanal ice cream or sorbet in the quaint Quebec town of Chelsea, about 20 minutes from Ottawa. Their waffles cones are made fresh daily during the summer and you may smell them in the morning as you stroll by. You can walk along a forested trail in Gatineau Park before your treat or relax on the garden patio.
Marble Slab Creamery
Address: 773 Bank St., Ottawa, ON & 3722 Innes Rd., Ottawa, ON
You can personalize frozen slab-style ice cream by choosing the ice cream flavour, mixings and cone. There are vegan and dairy ice cream options to choose from in over 50 flavours. Plus, you can create a sundae or banana split or bring home a frozen cake.
When you visit, make sure to show your CAA Membership to save 15% on all regular-priced treats in-store.
Wakefield MaBoule
Address: 761 Chem. Riverside, Wakefield, QC
This seasonal ice cream parlour has a garden patio and is nestled on the edge of the Gatineau River. It is the perfect spot to cool down with one of their sweet treats (hard and soft ice cream, vegan sorbet, milkshakes and sundaes) next to a sparkling water view. You can spot the iconic red Wakefield bridge in the distance. They also offer chocolate-dipped cones in a variety of flavours.
The Beachconers Microcreamery
Address: 273 Britannia Rd., Ottawa, ON
This colourful micro-creamery scoops various rotating flavours, including options like Britannia Brownie, Maple Eh?, and Blueberry Lavender. You can soak up the sunshine with your cup or cone in one of the rainbow Muskoka chairs or walk down to the beach and enjoy the river view. The ice cream shop is attached to a café where you’ll find more goodies like coffee and scones.
Pasticceria Gelateria Italiana
Address: 200 Preston St., Ottawa, ON
This Italian pastry shop offers several treats, including breakfast pastries, cakes, cookies, Italian specialties, and gelato. You’ll find flavours such as pistachio, Nutella, espresso, and fruit sorbet. Whether you enjoy the gelato inside this quaint bistro or take it on a walk around Ottawa’s Little Italy neighbourhood, you’ll get to enjoy a taste of Italy.
The Merry Dairy
Address: 102 Fairmont Ave., Ottawa, ON
You’ll find a number of dairy, vegan and soy-free ice cream options at this quaint neighbourhood spot. Beyond scoops and pints, they also serve up ice cream sandwiches and cakes. You can sit on a patio table to enjoy your treat or check the online schedule of where their dairy truck will be. You can grab frozen treats wherever the truck is around the city or even rent it for an event.
Haven’s Creamery
Address: 755 Bank St., Ottawa, ON
Treat yourself to handcrafted ice cream in the bustling Glebe neighbourhood, in some unique flavour options like Fruit Loop Cereal Milk, along with the classics. Enjoy the small batch treats while admiring a mural by a local artist and take a photo of your cone by the painted wings.
Jo-Jo’s Creameria
Address: 1573 Stittsville Main St., Stittsville, ON & 5556 Manotick Main St., Manotick, ON
It’s like eating rainbow artwork when you get a treat from this pink ice cream truck. The frozen desserts are served in tasty themes and even the cones are colourful, offered in different flavours. You can enjoy a small-town atmosphere with your treat at either spot or walk by the water from the Manotick location.
Moo Shu Ice Cream & Kitchen
Address: 477 Bank St., Ottawa, ON
This modern ice cream shop handcrafts frozen goodness in a variety of Asian-inspired flavours. The flavours are a mix of longstanding options, such as vegan chocolate, and ones that rotate, like strawberry pocky. Scoops are always available in cups or cones and warm, fluffy waffle cones on select days. You’ll often find a range of snacks on the menu, too and packaged frozen treats like the ice cream dipped bars. It’s so good that even President Biden made a stop here during his 2023 visit.
Brett’s Ice Cream
Address: 1001 Beaverbrook Rd., Kanata, ON
If soft-serve creations are what you are after, you’ll want to visit this ice cream window hidden beside an auto repair shop. Grab a classic chocolate-vanilla swirl or choose from their list of flavour bursts and ‘razzles’ mixings for a sweet creation of your dreams. They also offer sundaes and milkshakes as well as a full coffee menu. There are surrounding neighbourhood streets and parks to stroll through.
Before you hit the road, bring your CAA Membership
From just $30 a year, CAA Members save wherever they go. You can save when dining out at locations like Marble Slab Creamery or fill up at Shell and save 3 cents a litre on fuel. You can view the list of 126,000 partner locations worldwide online.