Locally based and women-owned, these sweet shops are proving they’re the cream of the crop.
By Courtney Runn, Photos by Courtney Runn
Today is the last day of National Ice Cream Month, but that doesn’t mean the celebration has to stop. Each Sunday this month, we featured a female-owned ice-cream shop in our Sunday Sundae series. From authentic Italian gelato to vegan soft serve, we found something for everyone. Keep the party going with these frozen treats!
Thai Fresh
Who: Jam Sanitchat
Where: Thai Fresh
The ice cream: Blueberry and coconut ash with a snickerdoodle cookie. Sanitchat serves up coconut-based ice cream perfect for vegans and non-vegans alike. Look out for her new ice-cream shop, Gati, to open in the fall.
Sweet Ritual
Who: Amelia Raley and Valerie Ward
Where: Sweet Ritual
The ice cream: House-made soft serve in a blue-corn-chip waffle cone with salted-caramel sauce and glitter. With flavors like Mermaid Tears and Unicorn Poop, Sweet Ritual is a magical place. Raley and Ward believe everyone should enjoy ice cream, regardless of dietary restrictions, so they make vegan ice cream with local and organic ingredients.
Dolce Neve Gelato
Who: Francesca Silvestrini
Where: Dolce Neve Gelato
The ice cream: Peach sorbet and crescenza cheese with figs, topped with pistachio crumble. Originally from Italy, Silvestrini makes authentic Italian gelato and granita with her brother and husband. They’ve expanded their business to Houston and are hoping to open their second Austin location soon.
Spun Ice Cream
Who: Ashley Cheng
Where: Spun Ice Cream
The ice cream: Sweet cream with confetti and “smickers.” Cheng and her sister use liquid nitrogen to flash freeze their ice cream, producing a creamier texture without the extra calories of heavy cream. Buy their homemade toppings online to recreate the magic at home.
Keep the ice-cream celebration going! There are so many more incredible female-owned ice-cream shops in Austin. Did you we miss your favorite place? Let us know where we should go next!
