Best Ice Cream in London, Ontario: 8 Local Spots to Try
London has an unusually good selection of independent scoop shops, from small-batch ice cream and Sicilian-style creations to old-school soft serve and elaborate sundaes. For travelers searching for the best ice cream in London, Ontario, the right choice depends on what you want: Haven’s Creamery for handcrafted local ice cream, Merla Mae for nostalgia and soft serve, District for small-batch flavours, or Roli Poli for something completely different.
Here are eight London ice cream shops worth knowing about, including downtown favourites, longtime local institutions and stops that fit naturally into a day of sightseeing around the city.
1. Haven’s Creamery
Haven’s Creamery belongs near the top of any London ice cream list. The local creamery specializes in handcrafted, small-batch ice cream and has become known for flavours such as London Fog and Death by Chocolate. Fresh waffle cones add to the experience when you walk into the shop.
Haven’s also comes up frequently when London residents discuss their favourite local ice cream. It is a strong choice for travelers who want a locally made scoop rather than a large chain or standard soft-serve counter.
Best for: Small-batch ice cream, creative flavours and fresh waffle cones.
We’ve covered the shop in more detail in our guide to Haven’s Creamery in London, Ontario.
Haven’s Creamery
226 Piccadilly Street
London, ON N6A 1S4
Phone: (519) 204-1222
Website: www.havensicecream.com
2. District Ice Cream
District Ice Cream makes its ice cream in London in small batches. Its lineup combines signature flavours with rotating seasonal choices, along with dairy-free and other dietary options.
There is more than a straightforward cone on offer. Depending on the current menu, you may find sundaes, ice cream sandwiches, floats, pints and seasonal creations.
The Thames Street location beside Ivey Park is another advantage for visitors. Museum London, the Forks of the Thames and the Thames Valley Parkway are nearby, making District easy to add to an afternoon exploring London’s riverfront and downtown.
Best for: Small-batch ice cream, seasonal flavours and a downtown dessert stop.
District Ice Cream
Unit 103, 320 Thames Street
London, ON N6G 0E1
Phone: (519) 850-2222
Website: www.districticecream.ca
3. Merla Mae Ice Cream
Merla Mae is as much a London tradition as it is an ice cream shop. The Adelaide Street location has been serving Londoners for generations, with a menu centered on soft-serve cones, sundaes, milkshakes and ice cream cakes.
The experience leans deliberately nostalgic. This is the place to choose when you want a classic soft-serve cone or substantial sundae rather than an understated scoop of artisan ice cream.
Merla Mae is particularly fun for families and anyone who appreciates an old-fashioned ice cream shop. Its long history in London also makes it an interesting stop for visitors who want to try somewhere with strong local roots.
Best for: Soft serve, sundaes, milkshakes and classic ice cream shop atmosphere.
Merla Mae Ice Cream
1080 Adelaide Street North
London, ON N5Y 2N1
Phone: (519) 438-2253
Website: www.merlamae.com
4. Roli Poli Ice Cream
Roli Poli offers one of the more distinctive ice cream experiences in London. It opened in 2017 as the city’s first rolled ice cream shop, preparing the dessert on a freezing surface and scraping it into tightly curled rolls before adding toppings.
The business has expanded beyond rolled ice cream and also serves handcrafted small-batch hard ice cream. Vegan and dairy-free selections may also be available.
Its Richmond Street location makes Roli Poli particularly convenient after dinner or while spending an evening around Richmond Row and central London.
Best for: Rolled ice cream, creative combinations and a fun dessert experience.
Roli Poli Ice Cream
484 Richmond Street
London, ON N6A 3E6
Phone: (519) 438-6633
Website: Roli Poli Ice Cream on Facebook
5. London Ice Cream Company
Few choices are more appropriately named for this list. London Ice Cream Company has been making ice cream locally since the 1990s and produces more than 120 flavours.
Well-known selections include Moose Tracks, Peanut Butter Mudpuddle, Happy Birthday and Acadian Vanilla. The company also produces plant-based frozen desserts alongside its traditional dairy ice cream.
This is a particularly good choice for travelers who care less about elaborate presentation and more about finding a large selection of traditional flavours from a company with longstanding London roots.
Best for: A huge flavour selection and locally made traditional ice cream.
London Ice Cream Company
3397 White Oak Road
London, ON
Phone: (519) 645-6045
Website: www.londonicecream.ca
6. Buttercreme
Buttercreme takes a more experimental approach to ice cream. The Ann Street shop specializes in super-premium Sicilian-style ice cream made in small batches, with flavours inspired by everything from childhood desserts to international foods.
The shop also puts considerable emphasis on dietary options. Its selections can include dairy, plant-based and gluten-free ice creams, making it one of the more interesting stops for groups with different preferences.
Buttercreme is a good counterpoint to London’s more traditional ice cream shops. Go here when the flavour itself is the reason for the trip and you want to try something less conventional.
Best for: Creative flavours, small batches and plant-based options.
Buttercreme
Unit 107, 140 Ann Street
London, ON N6A 1R2
Phone: (226) 377-1838
Website: www.buttercreme.ca
7. Morningstar’s Kitchen & Creamery
Morningstar’s Kitchen & Creamery brings handcrafted ice cream, gelato and sorbet to Covent Garden Market in downtown London. Its frozen desserts are made in small batches, and the menu extends beyond cones to milkshakes and oversized ice cream sandwiches.
The location is a major advantage for travelers. Covent Garden Market is worth visiting on its own for its restaurants, specialty food vendors and local merchants, so an ice cream stop can be part of a longer downtown outing instead of requiring a separate drive across the city.
Morningstar’s is particularly convenient if you are exploring the market, Budweiser Gardens or other attractions in central London.
Best for: Homemade ice cream, gelato and sorbet during a visit to Covent Garden Market.
Morningstar’s Kitchen & Creamery
Covent Garden Market
130 King Street
London, ON N6A 1C5
Phone: (226) 376-3936
Website: thebowls.ca
8. Shaw’s Ice Cream at 100 Kellogg Lane
Shaw’s has been an Ontario ice cream name since 1948. Its original dairy bar is located south of London near St. Thomas, but travelers can also get a Shaw’s cone without leaving the city at its scoop shop inside 100 Kellogg Lane.
The menu covers classic ice cream shop territory, including cones, sundaes, milkshakes, floats and banana splits. The location is an important part of the appeal.
100 Kellogg Lane has become one of London’s major entertainment destinations, with restaurants, family attractions and other activities under one roof. Shaw’s is therefore particularly convenient for families already spending part of the day at the complex.
Best for: Families, classic flavours and visitors spending time at 100 Kellogg Lane.
Shaw’s Ice Cream at 100 Kellogg Lane
100 Kellogg Lane
London, ON N5W 0B4
Phone: (226) 377-7800
Website: www.shawsicecream.com/london-location/
Which London Ice Cream Shop Should You Choose?
There isn’t one shop that is best for everyone. For handcrafted local ice cream, start with Haven’s Creamery or District Ice Cream. Choose Merla Mae when a towering sundae or soft-serve cone sounds better than artisan flavours. Roli Poli is one of the city’s more distinctive dessert experiences, while Buttercreme is worth seeking out for less conventional flavours.
Location can make the decision easier. District, Haven’s, Roli Poli, Buttercreme and Morningstar’s can fit naturally into time spent exploring central London. Shaw’s works particularly well with a visit to 100 Kellogg Lane, while Merla Mae is worth the trip when the ice cream shop itself is part of the experience.
Best Ice Cream for Families
Families have several particularly easy choices. Merla Mae offers the classic ice cream parlour experience, with soft serve, colourful sundaes and milkshakes that tend to appeal across age groups. Roli Poli adds some entertainment because kids can watch the ice cream being prepared and rolled.
Shaw’s at 100 Kellogg Lane may be the easiest choice when ice cream is only one part of the day’s activities. Families can spend time at the entertainment complex and finish the visit with a cone without driving to another part of London.
Best Ice Cream in Downtown London
Visitors staying downtown or exploring central London have several good options within a relatively compact area.
District Ice Cream sits beside Ivey Park and near the Thames Valley Parkway. Morningstar’s is inside Covent Garden Market. Roli Poli is on Richmond Street, while Haven’s Creamery and Buttercreme are also convenient to central London.
That concentration makes it easy to pair dessert with dinner, shopping or sightseeing instead of making ice cream a separate excursion.
Ice Cream Near Best Western Plus Stoneridge Inn
Best Western Plus Stoneridge Inn & Conference Centre is located at 6675 Burtwistle Lane on the south side of London, close to Highway 401. Most of the independent shops on this list are closer to central London, so the best approach is usually to combine an ice cream stop with sightseeing, shopping, dinner or an evening downtown.
Guests heading into central London can pair ice cream with places such as Covent Garden Market, Richmond Row, Museum London or the Thames Valley Parkway. Travelers spending time at 100 Kellogg Lane can simply include Shaw’s in the same outing.
The hotel’s location near Highway 401 also makes London’s ice cream shops easy additions to a larger day exploring the city rather than requiring an itinerary built entirely around downtown.
When to Go for Ice Cream in London
Warm summer evenings naturally bring the biggest crowds, particularly on weekends. Some London shops operate year-round, while hours, seasonal menus and individual flavours can change throughout the year.
Check the shop’s current hours before making a special trip, especially outside summer. Seasonal flavours are part of the appeal at several of these businesses, so the best choice in July may be completely different from what you find during an autumn or winter visit.
Where Should You Start?
For a first taste of London’s ice cream scene, Haven’s Creamery, District Ice Cream and Merla Mae provide three very different starting points.
Haven’s delivers the handcrafted local creamery experience, District emphasizes small-batch flavours in a convenient riverside location, and Merla Mae represents the classic London ice cream tradition. Add Roli Poli when you want something more interactive, Buttercreme for adventurous flavours, Morningstar’s while exploring Covent Garden Market, or Shaw’s during a day at 100 Kellogg Lane.
London has enough variety that choosing the city’s best ice cream may ultimately require more than one cone.