Ice cream is a tasty topic that takes a licking, and thankfully there’s way more than 31 flavours in this town. Whatever the weather, we’ve got our list of the best ice cream and gelato in Vancouver. Sure, we’ve been down this road before, but this time we’re saving the frozen yogurt for another day, and scooping up the real deal.

Bella Gelateria

Photo: Bella Gelateria/Facebook

Don’t be surprised if there’s a line out the door at Bella Gelateria; this globally-lauded artisanal gelato is handmade in small batches in a range of flavours that are worth waiting for. What’s being scooped reflects the best of what’s in season, so there’s always something different to try.

Coal Harbour Location
Address: 1001 W Cordova Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-569-1010
Website: www.bellagelateria.com

Yaletown Location
Address: 1089 Marinaside Crescent, Vancouver

Rain or Shine

Photo: Rain or Shine/Facebook

When it comes to ice cream in Vancouver, Rain or Shine is the cream of the crop. Serving up made-from-scratch mainstay flavours like London Fog, Salted Caramel, and working in seasonal delights such as Spiced Honey Hazelnut, the only forecast that matters at Rain or Shine is “deliciousness ahead.” Hit them up on Taco Tuesday for–what else?–ice cream tacos!

Address: 1926 W 4th Ave
Phone: 604-428-7246
Website: rainorshineicecream.com

 

Earnest Ice Cream

Photo: Earnest Ice Cream/Facebook

Earnest is serious about ice cream, and they have taken the art of the scoop to the next level in Vancouver. Small batches of thoughtfully crafted flavours sate the sweet tooths of savvy scoop connoisseurs, and can be purchased in their iconic returnable and reusable glass jars. Catch the buzz at their scoop shop with menu items made with locally-roasted Matchstick coffee, too.

Address: 3992 Fraser St
Phone: 604-428-0697
Website: earnesticecream.com

 

La Casa Gelato

Papaya and Biscotti in a waffle cone at La Casa Gelato (Photo: Lindsay William-Ross/VancityBuzz)

It’s entirely possible you may find yourself in here with C+C Music Factory’s “Everybody Dance Now” pumping on the speakers, and as you begin to tour the awe-striking cases of flavours from the expected (coffee) to the creative (caramel candy apple) to the straight up nutso (corn), begin to wonder if you are out for gelato or high as a motherlovin’ kite. Honestly, in either scenario, La Casa Gelato is a pretty fantastic place to be.

Address: 1033 Venables St
Phone: 604-251-3211
Website: www.lacasagelato.com

 

Gelateria Dolce Amore

Rum Raisin is one of the seasonal offerings at Gelateria Dolce Amore (Photo: Gelateria Dolce Amore/Facebook)

Gelateria Dolce Amore is sweetly sustaining the Italian heritage of Commercial Drive thanks to their old world-style gelato and sorbetto (and cakes and pies). They keep their selection a bit more limited than their competitors, but devotees don’t mind when they’re getting generous scoops of rich, creamy gelato goodness.

Address: 1588 Commercial Drive
Phone: 604-258-0006
Website: gelateriadolceamore.com

 

Yaletown Gelato

Photo by Raymond O. via Yelp

An ideal stop for a post-meal amble through the area, Yaletown Gelato offers a cozy neighborhood vibe in an Italian cafe-style joint. Though you won’t find the inventive or outlandish flavours here as you might at some other gelato shops, customers have been quietly enjoying the rich gelato, as well as the espresso drinks and panini, at this quaint shop for a few years.

Address: 1208 Homer St
Phone: 604-689-8531
Website: Yaletown Gelato on Yelp

 

Famoso Neapolitan Pizza

Photo by Famoso Commercial Drive/Facebook

Yes, it’s a pizza place, but this small Canadian chain happens to also serve killer small-batch handcrafted gelato that draws raves from those in the know. If you’re sitting down to dessert, their vanilla bean gelato comes in their much-loved dish, the Dolce & Banana.

Address: 1380 Commercial Drive
Phone: 604-251-2292
Website: www.famoso.ca

 

Feature image: Gelato via Shutterstock