Why do we suddenly decide dessert is constantly on the menu come summer? Hard to say, but I’m just not going to question it. Fortunately for us, Central Park and the surrounding areas are packed with some of Denver’s best ice cream shops. These are some of our favorites, listed in no particular order.
This North End oasis really doesn’t miss. There are perfect pizza slices, coffee with Glissade beans, delicious sandwiches, and delicious ice cream! Pop in for a scoop after hitting Splash Landing pool (5 minutes away) or the Beeler Park Plaza splash pad/waterway (across the street), or you can also check out their selection of high-end ice cream sandwiches in the freezer section of their adjacent gourmet grocery store, Pearl Market.
This Eastbridge spot formerly known as Constellation, now officially renamed Little Man, is the perfect easy walk-up place to get a cone. Check out their flavor unique to their Central Park location, Turbulence, toasted marshmallow ice cream with caramel swirl, caramel truffles, and chocolate-covered pretzels. Grab a seat at the nearby outdoor tables (there’s no indoor seating) or stroll around the shopping area while you enjoy your scoop. This one has to win the award for most interesting design!
When you’re craving soft serve, head over to this colorful, cheerful Park Hill spot, another branch of Little Man. They offer inventive toppings and a rotating list of flavors (in addition to always having chocolate and vanilla) as well as chicken and French fries. A lawn area out front gives kids a place to burn a little energy after they finish their cones. Looking to make a night of it? Start at Ester’s for dinner and drinks, then just pop outside for dessert at Dang.
Another Park Hill gem, Em’s is known for their organic ingredients and super-inventive flavors—three recent ones in rotation include roasted banana, ginger, and burnt brown sugar. They make everything themselves, even their chocolate chips.
We at Central Park Scoop hired their ice cream truck for an event this summer and it was a hit! Everything is homemade and local at this South Park Hill store. The shop offers a rotating selection of flavors, and some regular ones including coffee toffee, strawberry, mint chocolate chip, and of course, chocolate and vanilla. They also serve beer, wine, and snacks. It’s situated on a great block full of brick buildings, big trees and cute shops. It’s the perfect spot to get a cone, sit outside and hang on a summer evening.
Park Hill is clearly ice cream central, as there’s yet another fantastic creamery in the neighborhood. Nuggs has whimsical flavors like Brotherfinger (the Nuggs owners are brothers; the ice cream is packed with Butterfingers), Mountain Squeeze Key Lime with graham cracker swirl, and Heartbreak Cream with brownie and cookie dough chunks. They also have fun, playful art throughout the space. (My daughter loves the Nuggets art…you’ll spot it if you stop in.)
The Stanley Marketplace location is perfect after an empanada at Maria or just an afternoon cool-down. The fun flavors are elevated—for instance, their cookies and cream flavor contains three different kinds of homemade cookies (sugar, chocolate chip, and chocolate wafer.) Wander out to the outdoor seating area or LuBird’s Light playground, both just outside the shop. (plus this new enhanced outdoor space is opening too – it’s awesome! Get the kids sugared up then let them run wild out here for a while.)
This shop has many locations, one of which is at Central Park’s E 29th Avenue Town Center. While many of the flavors skew more sophisticated—like Basil with Blackberry Swirl or Earl Grey & Shortbread—the shop also excels at kid-friendly basics like Tahitian vanilla and milk chocolate flavors.
There you have it, eight of our local favorites for ice cream in and around Central Park!
