Did somebody say… ice cream? We’ve got the inside scoop on some of the best places in Scotland for this well-deserved treat. As you would expect there are plenty of Scottish seaside towns on the list, but also a handful of farms where you can meet the coos too! The good thing is you’re never too far from a delicious ice cream in Scotland.
Whatever your favourite flavour, we can all look forward to an ice cream this summer on a big Scottish adventure. Leave a comment below if you have a recommendation!
1. Luca’s Ice Cream, Musselburgh, East Lothian
Famous for its racecourse and golf courses, Musselburgh is also home to Luca’s Ice Cream who have been in business for over 100 years. Whether you’re spending the day at Musselburgh Races or visiting fab attractions like Musselburgh Harbour or Pinkie House Castle, make sure to stop in for your favourite ice cream, or try new flavours including toffee fudgy wudgy.
Find out more about Musselburgh
2. Giacopazzi’s, Eyemouth, Scottish Borders
Eyemouth is a historic fishing town with beautiful coastal scenery – a great place to take a break by the Scottish seaside. For ice cream, stop in at Giacopazzi’s, a family enterprise that has been operating in Eyemouth since 1898. Things to do before or after your ice cream include a beach walk or stroll to the harbour where you’ll find Gunsgreen House. This popular attraction and museum was once at the heart of the illicit smuggling trade of wine, spirits, tea and tobacco.
3. The Ice Cream Shop, Cullen, Moray
Recognise the name? The pretty town of Cullen in Moray is the birthplace of the hearty Scottish dish Cullen skink. But if it’s ice cream you’re looking for then pay a visit to The Ice Cream Shop. Here you’ll be able to fill up on a range of different flavours as well as traditional boiled sweets in jars. Enjoy a lovely walk on Cullen Beach, where there are plenty of coastal trails to follow.
4. Aunt Betty’s, Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire
Just a short two-mile hike away from one of Scotland’s most dramatic attractions, Dunnottar Castle, Stonehaven is a lovely harbour town to visit. For ice cream, stop in at Aunt Betty’s where you can try some wonderful things, including a bubblegum fudge sundae – yum. For a savoury treat you could also try fish and chips at The Bay. All this should set you up well for a walk to Dunnottar up the coast – or a nap!
Find out more about Stonehaven
5. Gelato Ullapool, Ullapool, Highlands
Ullapool has all the charm you would expect from a northern fishing town, and a few things you might not expect. There is a wealth of varied walks in the area including mountains, rocky coasts and long inland footpaths with a number of the finest summits in the north west Highlands nearby. Epic natural sights like the Falls of Measach and Corrieshalloch Gorge are within easy reach too. For your ice cream fix, take a trip to Gelato Ullapool.
6. Alanda’s Gelato, North Berwick, East Lothian
Enjoy the best of the Scottish seaside in picturesque North Berwick. Just a short train ride from Edinburgh, this bustling town has beaches, golf courses, shops and attractions to keep the whole family entertained. Holding the title for Royal Highland Show Scottish Ice Cream Champions 2021, family run Alanda’s Gelato is the perfect place to grab an ice cream. Don’t miss the Scottish Seabird Centre by the harbour – a top family attraction.
Find out more about North Berwick
7. Stewart Tower Dairy, Stanley, Perthshire
Our search for incredible ice cream goes inland now to Perthshire. Stewart Tower Dairy, just north of Perth, makes specialist Italian gelato-style ice cream with their herd of Holstein Friesian cows acting as the backbone of the operation. On your trip to this pastoral part of Scotland, the spellbinding landscapes will leave you feeling awestruck. Popular attractions in the area include Scone Palace, once the crowning place of Scottish kings, and Perth Museum & Art Gallery.
8. Jannettas Gelateria, St Andrews, Fife
Jannettas Gelateria, St Andrews
St Andrews needs no introduction – this historic university town doubles up as the Home of Golf and is a fine place to experience Scottish hospitality. Award-winning Jannettas Gelateria is our top tip for ice cream in the town, a family run enterprise with over 50 flavours to choose from. If you’re a golfer, you’ll love the R&A World Golf Museum and there’s nothing like a family walk along St Andrews beach.
Find out more about St Andrews
9. Nardini’s, Largs, Ayrshire & Arran
Nardini Ice Cream, Largs
Nestled on the Firth of Clyde, Largs is a charming Scottish seaside resort, complete with a Victorian promenade and a choice of ice cream parlours and shops. Check out Nardini’s, which has been around since 1935 in a distinctive art deco building. As well as tasting the ice cream you can see how it is made in the onsite factory – proper Willy Wonka stuff. While in Largs don’t miss Kelburn Castle & Country Park. This 13th century castle might take you by surprise – the outer walls have been painted in bright and bold eye-catching designs by Brazilian graffiti artists.
10. Crolla’s Gelateria, Leith, Edinburgh
Leith is a famously cool part of Edinburgh, and if you’re looking to keep cool with an ice cream take a walk down to the shore and visit Crolla’s Gelateria. With over 80 delicious flavours to choose from you really will be spoilt for choice. Leith is full of things to do for visitors such as the Royal Yacht Britannia, a walk up the iconic Calton Hill or a spot of shopping at the new look St James Quarter.
11. Orkney Ice Cream, Kirkwall, Orkney
Orkney may be famous for its standing stones and Neolithic monuments but it’s also an amazing place for ice cream. Orkney Ice Cream is renowned for its amazing taste and you’ll find it throughout the islands and beyond. Orkney’s capital, Kirkwall, is the perfect place to try this local delicacy – just pop into Sinclair’s Ice Cream Parlour. You’ll find fudge on sale here too. What’s more, you’re only a short walk away from St Magnus’ Cathedral, one of Orkney’s best sights.
Explore Sinclair’s Ice Cream Parlour
12. Portsoy Ice Cream, Portsoy, Aberdeenshire
Some call Aberdeenshire ‘castle country’, but for the purposes of this article we’re renaming it ‘ice cream country’. This time we’re in Portsoy, where the attractive uphill town centre has fascinating streets winding down to a remarkable harbour. Portsoy Ice Cream is a family run business in the town with a great reputation – from salted caramel to raspberry & Drambuie sorbet, they have an ice cream for everyone. Day trips in the area include whisky distilleries like Glenglassaugh and the family-friendly Macduff Aquarium.
13. Visocchi’s, Broughty Ferry, Dundee
Four miles east of Dundee, Broughty Ferry is a fun suburb of the city with a good selection of pubs and restaurants. You can also pick up an ice cream at local favourite Visocchi’s. Along with nearby Dundee’s many attractions, Broughty Ferry has some of its own too – among them Broughty Castle and Museum, and Monikie Country Park which has guided walks, self-led trails, barbecue hire and an adventure play park.
Find out more about Broughty Ferry
14. Cream O’Galloway, Gatehouse of Fleet, Dumfries & Galloway
Get set for an action-packed day in Dumfries & Galloway at Cream O’ Galloway. This place proves that you don’t need to be by the seaside to have an incredible ice cream experience. A deliciously good fun place to visit, this working farm and attraction has crazy golf, ice cream making workshops, cheese making courses and farm tours where you can meet the coos! With miles of beautiful walks and nature trails, you’ll definitely deserve a scoop of ice cream or two at the end of a fun-filled day.
Find out more about Dumfries & Galloway
15. The Milk Barn, Falkirk
Falkirk and the surrounding area is bursting with brilliant contrasts. The area is home to some outstanding attractions, including The Kelpies, The Helix, The Falkirk Wheel, Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway, The Antonine Wall, and The John Muir Way to name but a few. Ice cream aficionados will enjoy a trip to The Milk Barn, where Alistair the farmer milks the cows in the morning and carries the milk to his wife Suzannah who creates the luxurious product. That’s how it works!
Is there ever a bad time for ice cream? It’s one of those moments on a family holiday we all look forward to. Find out more about food & drink in Scotland and search for the perfect family holiday. Stay cool this year with some Scottish ice cream.
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