The 10 Best Ice Cream Parlours in Hamilton for 2018
- Robert
- 20 Jul 2018
The summer weather’s here and we love cooling off with a sweet treat!
There’s plenty of great spots to grab ice cream in Hamilton, but we’ve narrowed them down to what we believe are the absolute best in the city.
Here’s our 2018 list for Hamilton’s 10 best ice cream parlours.
The Hearty Hooligan
Starting off our list is The Hearty Hooligan. Known for carrying all vegan products, this Ottawa Street North store serves up some seriously good vegan ice cream.
All of their ice cream is coconut milk based and made locally by Rudy’s. The flavours available at The Hearty Hooligan are always changing; the ice cream they serve depends on which ingredients are in season. At the time of writing, strawberries are in season and as a result their beautifully pink strawberry ice cream is available.
The Hearty Hooligan always carries both chocolate and vanilla ice cream. Whether you’re vegan or not, you can’t deny how great their ice cream tastes.
The Purple Pony
Looking to feel childhood nostalgia? The Purple Pony’s classic cones will make you feel like a kid again.
Located on Wilson Street Easter in Ancaster, The Purple Pony specializes in serving classic ice cream cones. The majority of their products come from Hewitt’s and Kawartha Dairy; both of which use real cream when creating their ice cream. They also serve goat’s milk ice cream, giving customers an all natural, sweetened-with-honey alternative.
The Purple Pony carries over 30 different flavours of ice cream. With all those flavours to choose from, you’re bound to find your favourite flavour.
Henry Brown’s
Henry Brown’s is the place to go for bold, imaginative flavour combinations. Located inside the Hamilton Farmer’s Market, Henry Brown’s is the place to try something new and deliciously innovative.
As a small batch ice creamery, Henry Brown’s prides themselves in only using high quality, natural ingredients. They use local ingredients whenever possible, and their ice cream contains no gums, gelatin, artificial emulsifiers, stabilizers, additives, or texturizers. Each and every ingredient they use could easily be bought at your local market or found in your own kitchen.
Henry Brown’s flavours are always changing. Their variety of options will allow you to either choose something familiar (like wild raspberry or rainbow sprinkles) or step outside of your comfort zone. Whatever you try, it’s going to be great.
Hutch’s on the Beach
No matter how long you’ve lived in Hamilton, you’ve definitely heard of Hutch’s. The restaurant and ice cream parlour is a summertime staple for many Hamiltonians — their ice cream is always worth the wait in line.
Hutch’s serves Nestle ice cream and always has a wide variety of flavours. Whether you prefer the classics (vanilla, chocolate, strawberry) or flavours with a little more pizazz (tiger tail, s’mores, mint chip) there’s always something for everyone.
The retro ambiance inside Hutch’s makes for a unique classic diner experience but because they’re located right on the Waterfront Trail, if you fancy eating your cone outdoors you can do so walking along the shoreline. Now there’s a good view!
Panini & Ice Cream
While this restaurant serves up some seriously awesome paninis, the real reason people hit up Panini & Ice Cream is for their ice cream. Whether you’re looking for a single scoop or a monstrosity of deliciousness, this place has got you covered.
The most popular item on their menu is the half&half. Every half&half is made up of one half milkshake, one half ice cream, and a boatload of tasty toppings. The ice cream used in both the milkshake portion and scoop portion comes from Hewitt’s Dairy.
A tasty example is their Cookie Monster: chocolate chip cookie dough base loaded up with mini chocolate chip cookies and drizzled with caramel sauce. These giant ice cream extravaganzas are not for the faint of heart.
Located on Main Street East, Panini & Ice Cream will certainly satisfy your sweet tooth.
Sprinkles on Top
Sprinkles on Top is the cutest ice cream parlour in the city. Located on King Street East in Stoney Creek, the parlour is full of delicious ice cream, classic candy, and vintage delights.
Sprinkles on Top proudly serves ice cream from Kawartha Dairy. For a small fee, you can turn your ice cream into a sundae — whether you want nuts, sprinkles, whipped cream or a flavoured drizzle, the staff are always happy to take your dessert to the next level.
If the shop’s atmosphere is making you nostalgic, they also serve Rootbeer floats.
Rush Sugar Bar Inc.
Rush Sugar Bar Inc. are the new kids on the block. Located on James Street South, their desserts are a little sweet, a little naughty but definitely big on flavour.
They serve both chocolate and vanilla soft serve, but don’t let those classic flavours fool you. If your ice cream needs something a bit extra, simply add a Flavour Burst. The shop has a wide variety of boosts to choose from, so you can get flavours such as strawberry or caramel swirled straight into your ice cream.
Looking for something a little more decadent? Rush also serves loaded waffles, sundaes, ice cream sandwiches and even dessert nachos. Whether you’re out with family, friends or going on a date, Rush Sugar Bar Inc. has plenty of desserts that aim to please.
Chocolat on James
You know your dessert has to be good when it’s served out of a chocolate shop. Located on James Street North, Chocolat on James puts an artisanal flair on soft serve ice cream.
Each ice cream dessert begins with either chocolate, vanilla, or swirl soft serve. The ice cream is then drizzled with irresistibly delicious chocolate and coated in an array of curated toppings. Whether you prefer salty or sweet, your perfect flavour profile will be available.
You can get your ice cream served in a cone, specialty cone, cup or edible bowl. The top halves of their specialty cones are dipped in chocolate before layering on toppings such as Oreo crumbs or mini M&M’s. Their edible bowls have been crafted out of brownies, cookies, crepe batter, or made like a waffle cone.
The dessert is always rich, but you’ll always leave feeling satisfied.
Big Scoops
If you’re looking for the most ice cream your dollar can bring you, Big Scoops is the place to go. Don’t let this parlour’s size make you think it doesn’t live up to the name. That image banner above is a “small” size. A SMALL!
Big Scoops has quickly become a neighbourhood favourite since opening in 2013. The parlour is not only home to a rotating menu from Hewitt’s Dairy, but each and every staff member is super friendly. The environment is always welcoming, making it the perfect place to stop off and grab a sweet treat as you walk along James Street South.
Biggies Ice Cream
Landing the coveted top spot on our list is Biggies Ice Cream. This Upper Sherman favourite is the premiere spot to get ice cream on the Hamilton Mountain.
Exclusively serving Hewitt’s ice cream, Biggies is known for their massive portions and great prices. Their small is more like a medium or even large — the small gets you two large scoops and the ability to have more than one flavour. If you hear somebody order a large, there’s a good chance they’ve never been to Biggies before.
How did Biggies Ice Cream top our list? It’s simple. They have great flavours, great prices, large portions and a strong community atmosphere. Biggies has become a Hamilton Mountain staple and the go-to place to have an evening treat within the region. With a constant line up out the door, you know it’s got to be good.
Looking to explore more LOCAL ice cream parlours? Then be sure to explore our search page!
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What changes would you make to our list? Let us know in the comments!
Hutch’s on the Beach photo courtesy of @itserynhart. Chocolat on James photo courtesy of @jessicaglzc. Biggies Ice Cream photo courtesy of @pheaub.
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