5 Best Ice Cream Shops in San Antonio, TX

San Antonio, Texas, is renowned for its rich history, vibrant culture, and mouth-watering cuisine. Nothing beats a scoop of creamy, delicious ice cream to satisfy your sweet tooth. From the classic flavors of chocolate or vanilla to innovative concoctions such as goat cheese, thyme, and honey, San Antonio boasts some of the best ice cream shops in the Lone Star State. Whether you’re a resident or a visitor, exploring the city’s ice cream scene is a must.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at some of the best ice cream shops in San Antonio so that you can jump into your pre-loved car from Red McCombs Toyota, and indulge in a sweet treat that’ll keep you coming back for more.

Image  by Jason Yoder is licensed with Unsplash License

Lick Honest Ice Creams

Lick Honest Ice Creams is a locally owned and operated ice cream shop that’s been serving unique and delicious flavors since 2011. Depending on the season, you can find unusual hand-crafted flavors such as Lady Bird Lavender Crisp, Carrot Cake, and Garden Lemon. Besides these seasonal varieties, Lick Honest Ice Creams offers a wide range of everyday flavors, including these tasty options:

• Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough.
• Fresh Mint & Chocolate Chunk.
• Roasted Beets & Fresh Mint.
• Coffee With Cream.
• Caramel Salt Lick.
• Hill Country Honey & Vanilla Bean.
• Dark Chocolate, Olive Oil & Sea Salt.
• Texas Sheet Cake.
• Goat Cheese, Thyme & Honey.

The team here makes the ice creams by hand from locally sourced, organic ingredients with absolutely no artificial flavors, colors, high fructose corn syrup, or preservatives. Every ingredient is traceable from farm to spoon, making it a fabulous pit stop for even the most discernable appetites. The milk and cream come from single-herd, family-owned farms with grass-fed cows, and all sauces are made in-house by hand. What’s more, Lick Honest Ice Creams is committed to sustainability by only using compostable cups, spoons, and napkins.

• Location: 312 Pearl Parkway, Suite 2101, San Antonio.
• Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday.
• Location: 639 Hemisfair Blvd., San Antonio.
• Hours: Noon to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
• Location: 17635 LaCantera Parkway, San Antonio.
• Hours: Noon to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and noon to 11 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

Paleteria San Antonio

If you’re in the mood for something a little different for your sweet treat, Paleteria San Antonio is the place to go. This shop specializes in frozen Mexican-style popsicles made by a husband-and-wife team in San Antonio. They use real ingredients and follow responsible practices to make wholesome milk- and water-based treats for all ages. The flavors frequently change throughout each season, so there’s always a new and exciting menu to try. You can look forward to flavors such as the following:

• Coconut.
• Strawberry Lime.
• Fruity Pebbles.
• Pistachio.
• Strawberry Pineapple Mango.
• Cantaloupe.
• Watermelon.
• Chocolate.
• Bubblegum.
• Verry Berry.

And the best part? Paleteria offers a mouth-watering array of toppings to add to make your treat even sweeter. Take your pick of chocolate-dipped gummy bears, gummy worms, fruity pebbles, sprinkles, and more.

• Location: 510 S. Alamo St., Suite 104, San Antonio.
• Hours: Noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Closed on Monday.

South Alamode Panini & Gelato Company

South Alamode Panini & Gelato Company offers a little taste of authentic Italy in San Antonio, with the offerings made by owner Josh who lived and studied as a gelato apprentice in Italy. This colorful artisanal gelato shop serves up arguably some of the best gelato in South Town. With just a few tables inside and a big swing outside, it provides an intimate spot to grab your favorite frozen dessert. It offers a rotating selection of flavors, such as the following:

• Stracciatella.
• Pistachio.
• Honey Lavender.
• Italian Cream and Chocolate.
• Bailey’s Irish Cream.
• Blueberry.
• Amaretto and Chocolate.
• Mexican Vanilla.
• Dark Chocolate With Red Wine.

The cafe makes each tub of gelato fresh daily with ingredients imported from Italy, the home of gelato. The best part is that they offer unique seasonal flavors that are continuously changing depending on what new recipe they’re trying. Their scoop sizes are extremely generous, and you can pick two flavors with the small size, so be adventurous.

• Location: 1420 S. Alamo St., Suite 102, San Antonio.
• Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday, and 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Amy’s Ice Creams

Amy’s Ice Creams is a popular ice cream store that originated in Austin, Texas, but has since expanded to San Antonio. It offers a wide range of classic and creative flavors, even catering for vegans, and its signature Mexican Vanilla flavor is an absolute must. They also have a rotating selection of fun flavors that fit the vibrant and colorful interior, such as the Java Jolt with graham crackers, Kit Kat pieces, and Java ice cream. Other flavors include:

• Mexican Vanilla.
• Cold Press Vanilla.
• Belgian Chocolate.
• Oreo Cream Cake.
• Banana Cream Pie.
• Peach Cobbler.
• Cherry Lime Cheesecake.
• Chocolate Orange Chip.
• Guinness.
• Peanut Butter & Honey Sandwich.

What makes Amy’s Ice Cream such a delightful spot to visit is the positive, upbeat attitude of the people who work there. They’re always keen to entertain customers with tricks such as tossing the ice cream up in the air and then catching it in the cup before serving it to you. After trying all the delicious flavors, there’s a free water dispenser to help clear your palate.

• Location: 255 E. Basse Road, Suite 430, San Antonio.
• Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and  11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday.

Justin’s Ice Cream Company

As you can tell from the regular queues outside, you know that Justin’s Ice Cream Company is a must-visit location when you’re in San Antonio. This locally owned ice cream parlor offers a constantly evolving menu of flavors to keep you coming back for more. In a cup or packed in a waffle cone, enjoy mouth-watering flavors such as the following:

• Mexican Raspberry.
• Strawberry Swirl.
• English Toffee.
• Cookies & Cream.
• Cookie Monster.
• Stracciatella.
• Rocky Road.
• Fiesta.
• Mexican Brownie.
• Oaxacan Chocolate.
• Cinnamon.

And that’s not all. Alongside these decadent ice creams, you can get amazing flavors of gelato or sorbet. Stop for a frozen margarita at this shop along the riverwalk level, perfect for cooling down during the scorching summer weather.

• Location: Riverwalk Level, 245 E. Commerce St., San Antonio
• Hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

And there you have it. We’ve listed the five best places to get ice cream in San Antonio. So, why not jump in your ride from Red McCombs Toyota and enjoy? Have we missed your favorite ice cream parlor? Let us know and we’ll be sure to add it to the list. To make sure you get there without any trouble, don’t forget to let us service your vehicle.