July is National Ice Cream Month – officially. As in, presidential-proclamation official. In 1984, then-President Ronald Reagan signed Proclamation 5219 to rally the country around the popular sweet (and savory) treat. There’s even a National Ice Cream Day, the third Sunday of each July.
We here at Mirror Indy celebrate ice cream all summer long, so we got the scoop on the best flavors to try around Indy. Six local food influencers even weighed in on their favorite classics and creative mashups.
Vegan Lemon Oreo
Where: Liftoff Creamery, 111 E. 16th St. #105
Why: You might be skeptical about vegan ice cream, but one spoonful will wash away your fears. It’s zippy and zingy, and it’s got “milk & cookies” written all over it.
Scooperman
Where to find it: BRICS, 901 E. 64th St.
Why you should try it: This isn’t your average Neapolitan ice cream. Swirling together tart black cherry, a Smurflike, almost cotton candy blue moon, and vanilla, Scooperman lives up to BRICS’ reputation of being one of Indy’s most kid-friendly ice cream joints.
Graham Slam
Where: Scoopz — The Amp at 16 Tech, 1220 Waterway Blvd.
Why: Summer signals s’mores time for lots of people, but if you’re the type that can’t get enough of that graham cracker crunch, this is the flavor for you. Amp up that toasted, almost nutty caramel flavor by indulging in what Scoopz fans know to be the trade secret: ice cream nachos!
Owner Meredith Kong scoops ice cream June 24, 2024, at Lick in the Garage Food Hall. Credit: Alayna Wilkening/Mirror Indy 
Lick owner Meredith Kong scoops ice cream. Credit: Alayna Wilkening/Mirror Indy 
Rosewater pistachio brittle ice cream. Credit: Alayna Wilkening/Mirror Indy 
Lick’s chocolate cherry amaretto ice cream. Credit: Alayna Wilkening/Mirror Indy
Rosewater Pistachio Brittle
Where: LICK Ice Cream, Garage Food Fall (Bottleworks District, 824 Massachusetts Ave.)
Why: I’ve tried Persian ice creams in L.A., old Italian spinoffs in New York, and India’s gold standard: Amul mango ice cream. Little did I know innovative flavors sat much closer to home in the form of a subtle rosewater pistachio brittle that even my mother can’t get enough of. It’s salty-sweet, but its floral undertones are what keep you coming back.
Strawberry PB&J
Where: Circles Ice Cream, 607 Fulton St.
Why: We’ve said it once, and we’ll say it again: Ice cream is all about nostalgia. Circles has found a way to meld two favorite flavors that take you back, satisfying the taste buds of people of all ages. If you can’t make it to their storefront, they sell their pints all over town!
Banana Pudding
Where: Gordon’s Milkshake Bar, 865 Massachusetts Ave.
Why: Their banana pudding scoop screams of soul, but with a rotating menu, if you miss it, don’t fret. You can’t go wrong with any of their creations — in a milkshake, tumbling into a sundae, or teetering atop a golden-brown funnel cake just in time for the Indiana State Fair.
Seasonal Pistachio
Where: Canal Creamery, 6349 Guilford Ave.
Why: Canal Creamery might be the new kid on the block, but it’s quickly become a favorite. Two words: Baklava sundae. Now that’s sadly not a flavor, it’s a creation, so for those there for purely an ice cream experience, start off with their seasonal pistachio.
Strawberry Rhubarb
Where: Nicey Treat, 833 E. Westfield Blvd.
Why: Nicey’s got a motto — actually, they’ve got a bunch of ’em, and if you make it to the core of your popsicle, you can unveil the “writing on the wall,” so to speak. But one thing’s for sure: They know how to keep Hoosiers hydrated. Strawberry rhubarb is the best of what summer has to offer, but you can’t go wrong by spicing it up with their mojito, infused with fresh mint.
Of course, if you’re craving ice cream, cookie butter is always a hit.
Six Indy influencers on their favorite ice cream flavors
We asked some of the city’s most passionate foodies to tell us about their favorite flavor this summer — here’s what they had to say:
Favorite flavor: For nontraditional “ice cream,” I love banana cream with dark chocolate and streusel from Nicey Treat. But my favorite scoop? The vegan chocolate marshmallow from Lick.
Favorite flavor: I can’t get enough of the Ferrero Rocher at Paradise MX in Indianapolis!
Favorite flavor: Circles Ice Cream releases their strawberry PB&J flavor every summer, and I always stock up with several pints! I typically buy from their grab and go freezer inside the Turchetti’s Market in Fountain Square.
Favorite flavor: I like Danny’ Mexican Ice Cream in Avon! My favorite flavor is the butter pecan.
Favorite flavor: I love the Graham Central Station at The Scoop in Zionsville! It’s perfect for when s’mores season is approaching.
Favorite flavor: I’m a milkshake guy, so it’s either the Chocolatier, a double chocolate milkshake, or a classic cookie dough milkshake at Gordon’s Milkshake Bar. I also love the cookies & cream milkshake at Flamme Burger!
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