Tampa Bay's Best Ice Cream Parlor: Who Makes Sweetest Frozen Treat?

TAMPA BAY, FL — While ice cream may be a seasonal treat in the North, in Florida's year-round mild climate, it's a year-round staple, and the choices in Tampa Bay are abundant.

As National Ice Cream Day approaches on Sunday, July 16, Patch is asking readers who makes the best ice cream in Tampa Bay.

We're including traditional soft-serve and scooped ice cream as well as ice cream alternatives such as the frozen Italian desserts gelato and Italian ice; frozen custard; kulfi, the traditional Indian ice cream; the frozen fruit purées sherbert and sorbet; frozen yogurt; rolled ice cream popular in Thailand; Philadelphia ice cream made without eggs; Taiwan's version of ice cream called snow cream; the Turkish treat dondurma; the Japanese version of the ice cream sandwich known as mochi; liquor-infused ice cream; and ice cream made with liquid nitrogen.

The United States celebrates National Ice Cream Day every third Sunday in July, thanks to President Ronald Reagan, who had a notorious sweet tooth and wanted to commemorate the treat enjoyed by more than 90 percent of Americans.

Therefore, he declared National Ice Cream Day in 1984.

According to National Today, Americans lead the world when it comes to eating all versions of this frozen treat. Ice cream lovers in the United States eat an average of 23 gallons a year per person.

Ahead of National Ice Cream Day, Trips To Discover, the go-to travel resource for more than 1.6 million monthly readers, led by a team of skilled international travelers, announced its choices for the 15 Best Ice Cream Shops in Florida for 2023, and five Tampa Bay ice cream shops made the cut.

They include:

Hudson Beach Ice Cream Parlor

Hudson Beach Ice Cream Parlor, 6930 Clark St., Hudson, is a family-owned business with more than 40 flavors to choose from, along with sherbet and Italian ice, sugar-free and low-fat options. Within walking distance of Hudson Beach, the parlor has indoor and outdoor waterfront seating.

The Candy Kitchen

A landmark on Madeira Beach, The Candy Kitchen, 13711 Gulf Blvd., opened in 1950 and remains a family-owned business with an emphasis on offering an old-fashioned experience from the homemade ice cream to the fudge and array of nostalgic candies and glass-bottle sodas. Popular choices include the Big Mouth with vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two homemade brownies, dipped in chocolate and finished with nuts or sprinkles.

Strachan's Ice Cream & Desserts

Inspired by a lifelong love of old-fashioned homemade ice cream, Strachan’s Ice Cream & Desserts, 310 Main St. in Dunedin, is one of four locations. The ice cream parlor takes guests back in time with nostalgic checkerboard-tiled floors and parlor-style stools along with flavors like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, Red Velvet Cake and vanilla custard.

Sea Maids Creamery

Sea Maids Creamery, 4230 N Florida Ave. in Tampa, serves ice cream treats like the Beach Bum with coconut ice cream, almonds, caramel swirl, and chocolate chunks; the Cookie Monster; Death by Peanut Butter; and the Crystal Goddess with pink Fruity Pebbles ice cream and candied sugar crystals. There are also vegan flavors like Divine Dark Chocolate and Pink Champagne Party, and gluten-free options.

Super Scoops

A small, family-owned and operated ice cream shop at 11025 Gulf Blvd., Treasure Island, Super Scoops was voted the No. 3 Ice Cream Shop in the United States by TripAdvisor. The shop offers a variety of regular and soft-serve flavors like Georgia Peach, Creamsicle and Salted Caramel as well as Italian ice, thick milkshakes, brownie sundaes and delicious banana splits.

Sound off in the comments section below. Or you can email your favorite ice cream parlor to dann.white@patch.com.