10 Savory Ice Creams to Sample This Summer

Local produce plays a big part in the farm fresh flavors at Lick Honest Ice Creams. Try earthy roasted beets with crisp fresh mint paired with a scoop of Pure Luck goat cheese, thyme and Good Flow Honey.

Crispy Brussels sprout leaves might seem like an odd ice cream topping, but they are a fitting crunchy complement to the smooth and savory extra virgin olive oil gelato at MAD Social.

Ice cream here uses Big Heart Tea Company‘s Cup of Sunshine dust, a turmeric and ginger tea powder, to make golden milk gelato. Find it in gelato pop form at Porano Pasta or sandwiched between gooey lemongrass cookies and rimmed with Fruity Pebbles cereal at Pastaria.

First you’ll taste the funky bite of gorgonzola cheese, followed by a sweet crunch from candied pecans in this popular flavor at Lick Ice Cream. There’s a little heat on the finish too, from a splash of cayenne pepper.

This summer, Lu Lu Ice Cream is exploring spicy combinations like lemon wasabi and chocolate jalapeño. Basil, made with herbs from a local greenhouse, and Slumdog Millionaire, featuring Vermont Peanut Butter and West Indian curry, are two savory perennial favorites.

Salt & Straw creates distinctive limited-edition ice cream flavors from “rescued food,” drawing attention to how 40% of our food supply in the United States goes into the trash. Try the spent brewer’s malts and candied bacon s’mores made with the grains that beer brewers usually throw away. This chunky ice cream has crunchy dark chocolate studded with candied bacon bits and spent grain praline throughout.

At Oddfellows, celery sorbet is swirled with a ribbon of smooth peanut butter and studded with rehydrated burnt cinnamon black raisins to mimic a favorite childhood snack – Ants on a Log.

Earthy toasted sesame soft serve ice cream at China Live is topped with rice powder, mango shave ice, and yogurt-flavored boba for a fun and not-too-sweet treat. Look for other Asian flavors including taro shaved ice, miso soft serve, and adzuki bean soft serve.

Sweet corn and tomatoes are the backbone behind bold summer flavors at Ultimate Ice Cream Company. Bloody Mary sorbet is made with smoked tomatoes from local Imladris Farm and fresh cracked pepper and candied bacon add a salty accent to sweet corn ice cream. Blue cheese swirled with housemade caramel is another year-round savory favorite.

Flavors change daily at Mason’s Creamery, where everything is made in microbatches, but you’ll always find a savory option or two like waffle batter ice cream with fried chicken skins, caramelized onion, or even Spam. Vegetarians can try vanilla swirled with sriracha sauce.