Newport’s 2025 ice-cream scene is buzzing: seven scoop shops—ranging from century-old candy makers to brand-new “dessert labs”—are packed into barely two square miles of harborfront, Broadway, and Brick Market Place. Together they dish more than 200 hand-crafted flavors, vegan and dairy-free lines, Instagram-ready waffle-stick sundaes, and downright outrageous milkshakes. Use the guide below to plot an indulgent self-guided tasting tour.
1. Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shop (Thames Street and Bannister’s Wharf
Where: 359 Thames St.
Fun, familiar, and community-oriented scoop shop with classic and unique flavors.
Newport’s Ben & Jerry’s franchise offers a wide array of their popular and shop-exclusive flavors.
Menu Highlights:
- Ice Cream: Classics like Cherry Garcia, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Half Baked, and local favorites or limited-time offerings like “Churray for Churros!”
- Non-Dairy: Oat-based non-dairy pints and scoopable options.
- Other: Milkshakes, sundaes, the legendary Vermonster™.
- Don’t Miss: Trying a scoop of a shop-exclusive flavor or indulging in a classic Ben & Jerry’s combination.
- Hours: Daily 12–9:30 p.m.
2. Sprinkles Ice Cream & Gelato Shoppe
Where: 9 Bowen’s Wharf
Bright, family-friendly shop with a prime waterfront location. Family-run since 2005, Sprinkles offers a delightful selection of ice cream.
Menu Highlights:
- Ice Cream: Features Gifford’s Ice Cream, a New England-based brand known for its creamy texture and diverse flavors. Crowd-pleasers include Cookie Monster (blue vanilla with cookie dough and Oreos), Moose Tracks (vanilla with peanut butter cups and fudge swirls), Everything Fudge, as well as sugar-free and non-dairy options (often available in pints).
- Other Treats: Milkshakes, sundaes.
- Don’t Miss: Grabbing a scoop of one of Gifford’s classic flavors and enjoying it while watching the boats in Bowen’s Wharf.
- Hours: Daily 9 a.m.–10 p.m. Sun-Thu and 9 a.m.–11 p.m. Fri-Sat.
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3. Cold Fusion Gelato
Where: 389 Thames St.
Artisanal gelato shop with a focus on traditional Italian methods. This brand prides itself on its traditional Italian gelato and sorbet, made in small batches with high-quality ingredients.
Menu Highlights:
- Gelato: Approximately 34 rotating artisanal flavors, including Dark Chocolate Sea Salt, Amarena Cherry Chip, Pistachio, Hazelnut, and seasonal fruit options.
- Sorbet: Dairy-free options like Passion Fruit, Lemon, Mango, and Raspberry.
- Other: Espresso, affogato.
- Don’t Miss: Trying one of their rich dark chocolate gelatos or a refreshing seasonal sorbet.
- Hours: Open April-November, typically noon till late (check their social media for daily closing times).
4. Newport Sticks & Cones: Waffles & Ice-Cream Parlor
Where: 8 Fair St. (entrance on Memorial Blvd.)
Novelty and fun, perfect for a unique dessert experience. Newport Sticks & Cones offers a customizable and Instagrammable treat: waffles on a stick!
Menu Highlights:
- Ice Cream/Gelato: Rotating selection of over a dozen flavors, including vegan options like coconut-based gelato. The shop states they are “Newport’s 1st & only Waffle-on-a- Stick!”
- Waffle Sticks: Fresh Belgian waffles dipped in your choice of chocolate (milk, dark, white), then coated with toppings like sprinkles, crushed Oreos, mini chocolate chips, nuts, and more.
- Don’t Miss: Creating your own unique waffle-on-a-stick masterpiece!
- Hours: Weekends through spring, switching to daily noon-10 p.m. once school’s out (typically mid-June).
5. Kilwins Newport
Where: 262 Thames St.
Classic candy and ice cream shop with the aroma of fresh waffle cones. Kilwins has been a beloved spot for both chocolates and ice cream in Newport for years. Watch as copper-kettle fudge cools on marble tables and the staff roll their signature fresh waffle cones.
Menu Highlights:
- Ice Cream: Over 40 “Original Recipe” flavors including Sea-Salt Caramel, Mackinac Island Fudge, Mint Chocolate Chip, Toasted Coconut, and Rum Raisin.
- Other Treats: Fudge (various flavors like Double Dark Chocolate Sea Salt), caramel apples, chocolates, and freshly made waffle cones.
- Don’t Miss: The Sea-Salt Caramel in a freshly made waffle cone for the quintessential Kilwins experience.
- Hours: Daily 11 a.m.–10 p.m. (to 11 p.m. on summer weekends).
6. Seaside Scoops
Where: 225 Goddard Row, Brick Market Place
Bright, cheerful, and locally focused with small-batch, in-house churned ice cream.
This charming blue-and-white shop takes pride in its small-batch ice cream made on-site.
Menu Highlights:
- Ice Cream: Indulgent flavors like Sea-Salt Caramel Truffle, White Chocolate Raspberry, Cold Brew Coffee, Cookies & Cream, and seasonal fruit sorbets. They often feature unique and creative flavor combinations.
- Other: Pup cups for dogs ($2).
- Don’t Miss: Trying one of their rich and creamy small-batch creations.
- Hours: Open until 10 p.m. on summer weekends (check for weekday hours)
7. Get The Scoop
Where: 4 Broadway & (new 2025 outpost) 489 Thames St.
Friendly, local scoop shop with a focus on premium, in-house churned ice cream.
Get The Scoop prides itself on its premium ice cream made fresh daily at both of its convenient locations.
Menu Highlights:
- Ice Cream: A variety of classic and creative flavors, such as Toasted Coconut, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Strawberry, Coffee Oreo, and often seasonal fruit flavors. They also offer oat-milk based non-dairy options.
- Other: Milkshakes, ice cream sandwiches.
- Don’t Miss: Sampling one of their freshly churned daily specials or a scoop of their popular Chocolate Peanut Butter.
- Hours: 1–9 p.m. Sun-Thu and 12–10 p.m. Fri-Sat at both locations.
Practical Tips for 2025 Cones
- Peak-season gridlock: Park at the Gateway Center or Mary St. lot and walk Thames and Brick Market.
- Dietary notes: Cold Fusion’s sorbets, Get The Scoop’s oat-milk pints, and Newport Sticks & Cones’ vegan gelati cover plant-based cravings.
- Seasonality: Most parlors reopen in April, with reduced hours after Columbus Day; check social feeds for off-season updates.
Newport’s ice-cream trail proves you don’t need to leave Aquidneck Island for world-class scoops—just lace up comfy shoes (or hop on a rented bike) and follow this guide from Broadway to the bricked wharves.
