As we move from the season of ice and snow and cold into the season of sun and swimming and ice cream, we’ve put together a list of some of the most creative and innovative ice cream shops in the Midwest – united by their pursuit of creating the most delicious frozen treats to be found.  Each shop is pushing the boundaries of ice cream making and the results are nothing short of mouthwatering.

Without further ado, the Midwest’s hottest… errr… coldest Ice Cream joints:

 

Ices Plain and Fancy | St Louis

2256 S 39th Street, Saint Louis, MO

Part ice cream making and part theatrical performance, the flash churning of Nitro Ice creams at Ices plain and fancy gets your tasty treat down to a cool -321 degrees before a silky smooth treat emerges from the nitro cloud. With flavors ranging from the traditional to the zany, the lineup of cocktail ice cream is particularly intriguing. With the frozen treat retaining the alcohol content of a traditional cocktail these can be quite dangerous on a sunny summer day.

 

 

Milkjam Creamery | Minneapolis

2743 Lyndale Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN

This new Minneapolis creamery is a force to be reckoned with as customers get a taste of their lineup of inventive ice cream treats. The availability of vegan and gluten free options makes this the perfect option for ice cream seekers with dietary restrictions. For the thrill seeker of the group, we suggest trying out the jam bun, an ice cream sandwich on a Glam Doll donut.

 

 

Izzy’s Ice Cream | St. Paul

2034 Marshall Avenue, Saint Paul, MN

Based in St. Paul, Minnesota this icecream shop will give you flavor overload. They make over 150 different flavors of ice cream with a rotation of 32 flavors in their St. Paul shop. It’s safe to say that Izzy is the only place in the country that you will be able to find the flavor “Scandinavian Rhapsody,” a salted black licorice ice cream with lemon heads. If that’s not your style, don’t worry, we bet one of the other 31 flavors will strike your fancy.

 

 

Black Dog | Chicago

1955 W Belmont Avenue, Chicago, IL

Chef and owner Jessica Oloroso left her position as a pastry chef at an acclaimed Chicago restaurant to focus on what she loved most, Gelato and Ice cream and we’re glad she did! Gelato. Made fresh daily with simple and seasonal ingredients with mouthwatering flavors like Mexican Hot Chocolate and Cucumber Rosewater Sorbet on rotation there’s a tasty treat for everyone.

 

 

Purple Door Ice Cream | Milwaukee

205 South 2nd Street, Milwaukee, WI

Purple Door Ice Cream Has made a commitment to local ingredients, environmental and social responsibility and making delicious handcrafted ice cream. Made with milk from Wisconsin cows and a rotating list of seasonal flavors, Purple door really connects to its Midwestern roots. Sweet corn, fresh raspberry and butternut squash headline their seasonal fare.

 

 

Wylie Palooza | Indianapolis

5535 E Washington Street, Indianapolis, IN

Wyliepalooza Ice Cream exemplifies the fun and wacky side of the ice cream business. With flavors named Yippee Skippee, Kitty Kitty Bang Bang and This $&@! Just Got Serious its safe to say that Wyliepalooza is not a straight-laced ice cream shop. For those Ice cream eaters that need a little something extra to keep them going Wyliepalooza offers a line of caffeinated ice creams so you can forgo the coffee and go straight for ice cream.

 

 

Glacé Artisan Ice Cream | Kansas City

4960 Main Street, Kansas City, MO

Founded by Kansas City chocolatier Christopher Elbow, Glacé Ice Cream focuses on using fresh ingredients to infuse the most flavor possible into their line of ice creams. Using milk from Missouri cows and local fruit and herbs whenever possible, Glacé has created some wonderful flavor combinations such as Earl Grey Tea & Apricot, and Spanish Saffron & Pistachio.

 

 

Vicecream | Detroit

Detroit, MI

Coming soon to the city of Detroit will be an ice cream truck like no other. Chef Matt Tulpa of Pop Up Salt & Saffron and master food truck operator Omar Anani of Twisted Mitten will be launching an ice cream Airstream. This ice cream trailer will be parked at area restaurants throughout the summer serving delicious frozen treats. Sneak peeks at potential flavors for the truck have featured avocado-brown sugar ice cream and goat cheese ice cream with honey, thyme, & salted peanut. We’re guessing bomb pops won’t be on the menu.

 

 

Images compliments of Ices Plain and Fancy, Milkjam Creamery, Izzy’s Ice Cream, Black Dog, Purple Door Ice Cream, Wylie Palooza, Glace Artisan Ice Cream and Vicecream