Summertime calls for some scoops of bliss, and in Cape Town, the ice cream options are endless.
We’ve scoured the city’s streets – from chilled suburbs to busy beachfronts to share some of Cape Town’s best ice cream spots to enjoy this summer. These include:
Serendipity
Tucked away in bustling Belvedere Square, Serendipity is a charming local creamery that offers a bold, vibrant and uniquely decadent menu. Indulge in a selection of artisanal ice creams, authentic Italian gelato, and sumptuous sorbets in a quaint, family-friendly setting. Every day, their in-store master gelato makers churn the freshest ingredients into extraordinary creations. Try their Boeber, Baklava or Signature S’more-flavored ice creams when you visit. Serendipity also has dairy-free, gluten-free and nut-free sorbet options.
Location: Shop 3, Belvedere Square, Belvedere Rd, Claremont
Price: From R30
Contact: Visit serendip.co.za/
Ice Dream
Scooping since 1993, Ice Dream is a hot spot in Hout Bay during the summer season. This authentic, family-run Italian gelateria has been delighting patrons with delicious “old-school” gelato ice cream and sorbets for almost three decades. Everything is made in-store, with only the freshest ingredients finding their way into each mouth-watering morsel. Savour Stracciatella or tantalising sorbetti in flavours like lemon, sour cherry, raspberry, litchi, and pink grapefruit, to name a few. Occasionally, unique flavours sneak onto the menu. Vegan and banting gelato options are also available at Ice Dream.
Location: 1 Homeleigh Centre, Main Road, Hout Bay
Price: From R25
Contact: Call +27 21 790 2496 or email icedreamgelateria@gmail.com
Milk Beach
Take your taste buds on a frosted journey with Milk Beach, a local gem in the heart of Cape Town’s surfing suburb, Muizenberg. Sweet-tooth enthusiasts can swing by for smiles, laughter and guilt-free sugary goodness. Indulge in golden brown Belgian waffles, decadent shakes, and cotton candy cones with unicorn poop creations. Vegan options are also available
Location: 54 Beach Rd, Muizenberg
Price: From R39
Contact: Email info@milkbeach.co.za
Ditto Ice Cream & Waffle House
The first completely vegan ice cream parlour in Cape Town, Ditto, is a 100% plant-based establishment. This attraction uses oat milk and chunks of fresh ingredients to craft their delicious original flavors. Try their tantalizing Passionella, Marvellous Mango, and Very Vanilla. Or indulge in their signature Dreamy Cookies and Creamy, Hunkin Chunkin Chocolate, Peanut Butter Bomb, or their Flavour of the Month. Alternatively, build your own decadent waffle with dollops of delicious ice cream, and crown your chef-d’oeuvre with a choice of 20 toppings. Part of the Ditto experience is the element of surprise, as they rotate their 30 flavours every two weeks, ensuring each visit is fresh, fun, and completely new.
Location: 119 Kloof St, Gardens
Price: From R36. This is a cash-free facility; only card payments are accepted)
Contact: Call +27 67 807 4170
Venezia Ice Cream
Venezia is a little retro-style ice cream parlour tucked away in Sea Point. Known as one of the Mother City’s oldest Italian ice cream dens, Venezia has a variety of delicious creamy buttery gelato for your enjoyment. Using their unique artisanal process, and mostly South African ingredients, you can enjoy affordable Italian indulgences throughout the summer holidays. Think honey and hazelnut, black cherry nougat, toffee fudge and more.
Location: 92 Main Rd, Sea Point
Price: From R35
Contact: Call +27 81 707 4493
Kristen’s Kick-Ass Ice Cream
On a mission to make everyone’s day just a bit brighter, a bit sweeter and a bit more awesome, Kristen’s Kick-Ass Ice Cream is a small batch churnery with a large fanbase. Located in various locations across the city, visitors can experience over 40 ice cream flavours based on what’s in season, from brownies, cookies and cream to almond brittle and peppermint bark. Kristen’s Kick-Ass Ice Cream is handmade in small batches using local dairy and the highest quality, handpicked, sustainable ingredients sourced in Africa. While most of their ice creams are made with milk, cream, and sugar, they also offer sugar-free options (using xylitol), as well as delectable vegan flavours.
Locations:
– Noordhoek Farm Village, Village Lane, Noordhoek
– Constantia Uitsig Heritage Village, Spaanchemat River Road, Constantia
– 6 Cardiff Castle, Main St, Newlands
Price: From R22
Contact: Call +27 79 265 5108 (Noordhoek), +27 79 654 9027 (Constantia), and +27 81 481 6715 (Newlands)
Ice Cream Vanni Plain
Embark on a flavourful journey through the vibrant areas of Mitchells Plain with Ice Cream Vanni Plain, a proudly Cape Town ice cream company based in Strandfontein. Westridge, Portland, Rocklands and Beacon Valley aren’t just popular local areas – they’re also the delectable names of some of Vanni Plain’s gourmet ice creams. With each scoop, Vanni Plain pays homage to its roots, celebrating one of the Mother City’s beloved areas.
Location: Wajid’s Chicken Tikka and Takeaway at Admirals Dr, Strandfontein
Price: From R20
Contact: Call 064 421 8961
Unframed at Time Out Market Cape Town
The Unframed team of ice cream makers is on a ‘mission to bring a little more happiness into the world.’ Their new ice cream location at the Time Out Market Cape Town offers ice cream enthusiasts the same beloved treats in a fine dining market setting. Some of the flavours to try include white chocolate with lemon-infused olive oil, beetroot chocolate ginger, and Medjool dates with orange blossom. Vegan options are also available.
Locations:
Woodstock Quarter: 187 Sir Lowry Road
Time Out Market Cape Town: The Old Power Station, Dock Rd, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront
Kloof St Gardens: 45C Kloof Street
Allora Franschhoek: 34 Huguenot Rd, Franschhoek
Spier Farm: Annandale Rd, Stellenbosch
Delaire Graff: Helshoogte Rd, Stellenbosch
Price: From R40
Contact: Visit www.unframedicecream.com
