These 9 Underrated Ice Cream Brands Deserve Your Attention

It's a real treat to find an ice cream shop that makes your mouth water so much that you spring for a double — or maybe even a triple — scoop every time you visit. It's another blessing to find your favorite pints at a grocery store so that you can share them at home with family and friends. While brands like Edy's and Breyer's have a time and place, several underrated ice cream brands deserve your attention.

As someone who worked in a boutique ice cream parlor in Brooklyn out of a genuine love of this frozen dessert, and someone who has traveled to all 50 states sampling different flavors, my taste has evolved from more mainstream brands to the unique ones you may not have heard about. Many of my favorites, and the ones included on this list, are artisanal and made in small batches, sourced with a few simple ingredients, or are impressively dense — earning the "premium" or "super-premium" distinction. Some brands stick to timeless classics like chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla, while others experiment with seemingly wild combinations like miso peanut butter brownie. The exclusive regional reach of many brands makes them underrated as well, as they cannot cater to nationwide audiences. However, no brand on this list is hyperlocal, and each can be found in multiple cities. More information on methodology is provided at the end of this article.

If you ever wonder if milk quality influences ice cream quality, just pick up a pint of ice cream from Straus Family Creamery and prepare to be spellbound. This organic creamery has been churning out dairy products like kefir and sour cream for over three decades. In fact, it is the same dairy that provides butter to Ancient Organics for one of my favorite jars of ghee. With innovative sustainability measures in place and plans to become carbon neutral by 2030, you won't have trouble believing that this creamery is based in the Bay Area. Even so, you can find pints and quarts of this ice cream in select grocery stores across the country.

This is a super-premium ice cream that contains 15% butterfat and, by definition, a low amount of air. As a result, this ice cream is dense and, well, creamy. Only a few ingredients are required for its base: egg yolks, sugar, cream, and milk. Straus Family Creamery sticks mostly to traditional flavors, such as mint chip, vanilla bean, cookie dough, and strawberry. Don't let that deter you; I once had the vanilla bean ice cream alongside a homemade berry crumble, and I still couldn't decide which dessert I liked better. Nevertheless, you can still venture out on a limb with a few more unique flavors like lemon cookie and maple cream. And if you are craving a cup of joe at night, try the coffee ice cream, which incorporates decaffeinated coffee and Dutch cocoa.

McConnell's Fine Ice Creams is another brand that proves Californians know how to make good ice cream (which is a relief, considering they eat more ice cream than any other state in America). In fact, this ice cream contains at least 18% butterfat, which is quite a rare feat. Not to mention, high-quality ingredients like Guittard chocolate and R.R. Lochhead vanilla are often included. With over 75 years of experience in the dairy and ice cream industries, this brand has rightfully earned its position as a staple not only in its hometown of Santa Barbara, California, but also across the Golden State.

McConnell's Fine Ice Creams offers no dearth of classic or exclusive flavors. If you are in Southern California, you will be sorely tempted by the flavors that have arisen from the brand's recent partnership with See's Candies. Yes, that's right: Collaborations like chocolate with polar bear paws and vanilla with California brittle are up for grabs. Meanwhile, the brand's organic lineup includes flavors like hazelnut latte and matcha, while its dairy-free products include flavors like coffee cookie crumble and passion fruit lemon swirl. I can personally vouch for the fact that the dairy-free flavors are not disappointingly thin or icy, like they often tend to be with other brands. 

If you live outside of California, head to Whole Foods to shop for flavors like chocolate chocolate chocolate (yes, that's a real flavor) or sweet cream caramel brownie. Count your many blessings while you do so; Whole Foods only started carrying it nationwide in April 2025.

Folks who live on the West Coast should add a few cartons of Umpqua ice cream to their grocery cart ASAP. This Oregon-based dairy sells the works — everything from butter to sour cream — as well as some fantastic ice cream. Umpqua is one of the oldest brands on this list, having been established nearly a century ago in 1931. In fact, if you have licked a soft serve cone from Dairy Queen in Alaska, Idaho, Washington, or Oregon, there's a good chance that you have already tasted Umpqua ice cream. The two brands have been in partnership for over 40 years.

The scoopable ice cream is likewise delicious, with several flavors having won awards over the years. The vanilla and chocolate ice creams have repeatedly turned heads, but flavors like caramel cold brew, classic lemon bar, and butter toffee crunch have also attracted attention. Beaver Tracks and Duck Tracks are unique products that celebrate football season. At its scoop shop, you might find flavors not otherwise available, including cotton candy, almond mocha fudge, and bubble gum. Finally, if you are looking for an ice cream with no-added-sugar or reduced-fat, check out the strawberry cheesecake and vanilla flavors.

Whether you're team little spoon or team big spoon, you might end up with a crooked spoon after trying this Washington-based brand. I'm kidding — sort of. Crooked Spoon ice cream is unbelievably dense because it is composed of a whopping 23% butterfat. Through innovative machinery, the company has figured out a way to not inject any air whatsoever into its ice cream. Thus, the rim of each carton boldly describes its contents as "full-strength" ice cream. To make Crooked Spoon even more distinct, this ice cream stretches and pulls, similar to some cheeses. To ensure that you don't encounter any spoon casualties with this brand, as well as to achieve the ideal mouthfeel, temper your ice cream before digging in. While you could get away with letting a carton soften slightly on the counter for 10 to 15 minutes, it is better to temper it in the refrigerator for 20 to 25 minutes. 

Now let's get to the tough part: Choosing a flavor. Basic flavors like vanilla bean and dark chocolate are not to be underestimated because, again, their textures will make them stand miles apart from other brands' versions of the same flavor. Fruitier flavors like lemon raspberry, blueberry, and orange cream are present in the lineup, too, as are classic favorites like butter pecan, salted caramel (my favorite so far), and mint chip. During the holidays, don't miss the opportunity to try the eggnog, gingerbread, or peppermint stick ice creams. Of course, even though Crooked Spoon is available in select states and grocery stores nationwide, product availability varies.

Braum's, a respected purveyor of dairy products like A2 milk, cottage cheese, dips, sour cream, and yogurt, is a strong contender in the premium ice cream market. This small chain has locations in the Southern and Midwest parts of the country, but no shop is further than 330 miles from the company-owned farm that supplies all of its milk.

Each time you enter a Braum's location for ice cream, you also have the opportunity to order from the grill, which offers items like hamburgers and breakfast burritos, as well as browse the grocery section (this is your chance to stock up on items like fresh meats and coffee). But let's be honest — if you are reading this article, the ice cream is the main event for you. After all, a double scoop cone is what is depicted on Braum's logo.

Braum's has released over 100 ice cream flavors, and the selection is different at each outpost. You might find the Bordeaux cherry amaretto flavor or pecan praline and cream. Maybe a scoop of English toffee is calling your name, or, if it's in season, the celebrated eggnog ice cream. Also available are allulose-sweetened flavors without any added sugar, such as butterscotch and peanut cluster fudge. If you can't decide, check out this ranking of Braum's flavors for guidance.

Though it was born in Pennsylvania around the time of the Great Depression, Turkey Hill only started to ramp up its ice cream and frozen yogurt business toward the end of the 20th century. Today, Turkey Hill ice cream is beloved not only by those living in Pennsylvania, but also by folks around the country. Indeed, you can find cartons of Turkey Hill in grocery stores nationwide, including Harris Teeter, Walmart, Food Lion, Key Food, Acme, and more.

The appeal of this ice cream brand is largely in its fantastic range of flavors. Classics like French vanilla and chocolate chip cookie dough are available, but so are more regional favorites like tin roof sundae, which contains fudge and chocolate-coated peanuts. Turkey Hill organizes its ice cream into several categories, including late night ice cream (premium ice cream to indulge cravings), simply natural ice cream (fewer ingredients and more cream), no-sugar-added ice cream (which is also fat-free), and Trio'politan ice cream (which lets you taste three flavors at once).

This last category, which is a play on Neapolitan ice cream, is a great solution to the problem of not being able to taste test ice cream in a grocery store. I highly recommend purchasing the triple-vanilla Trio'politan, which allows you to taste the differences between three vanilla ice creams without having to buy them separately. Another cool Trio'politan flavor is the banana split, which marries the flavors of strawberry, chocolate with walnuts, and banana swirled with fudge.

The Bruster's franchise, which was started in 1989, now has scoop shops in nearly two dozen states. And yet, the brand still makes all its ice cream in-house so that you can count on the fact that each scoop will be fresh and boast a superb texture. Bruster's employs slow kettle processing to achieve the signature texture of its products and uses milk from its dairy in Pennsylvania. Not only can you grab a scoop of hard ice cream, but also satisfy your cravings for ice cream sundaes, splits, cakes, shakes, and more at this popular franchise. Having lived most of my life on the East Coast, I have had easy access to Bruster's, so believe me when I tell you how great it is.

The brand has more than 150 flavors, and offerings vary by location. You might find the likes of butter pecan, coffee, white raspberry truffle, cherry vanilla, and birthday cake. Bruster's even offers Rajbhog, an ice cream flavor that I often see while living in India. It includes saffron and kesaria thandai (a refreshing, spiced Indian beverage), as well as three types of nuts: pistachios, cashews, and almonds. Or you might fall for seasonal flavors, like Hallowscream, which features Reese's peanut butter cups and a fudge ripple swirled through vanilla ice cream.

Even vegans will be pleased with oat milk-based flavors like the non-dairy banana peanut butter ripple. In fact, Bruster's is one of the best ice cream chains for vegans nationwide. Once you have found your favorite flavor, you can opt to receive an alert whenever it hits your local scoop shop.

You might be tempted to overlook Favorite Day, one of Target's in-house brands. But don't for a moment think that its ice cream lineup is cheap in quality or lacking in flavor. Many Favorite Day flavors are highly ranked by customers online, especially the banana pudding and mint cookies 'n cream flavors. Favorite Day even offers a handful of reduced-fat ice cream varieties in flavors like cookie dough, chocolate peanut butter, and s'mores if that's more your speed.

Of course, one of the best parts about Favorite Day ice cream is that it is relatively affordable compared to many of the brands on this list. That means if you like to enjoy a bowl of ice cream every night or you have a large family, you could be saving some serious bucks. If you have kids, try serving them the sea monster blue cookie ice cream; it's sure to be a hit with its bright blue hue and chunks of cookie dough. I'm not saying that Favorite Day ice creams boast the simplest ingredients, but they can be perfectly satisfactory if you don't want to empty your wallet in the frozen aisle.

While these ice creams are certainly delicious enough to be eaten straight from the carton, there's no need to eat them solely on their own, either. The seasonal pumpkin cheesecake ice cream might be destined for your holiday dessert table, where it can function as a splendid topping for a brownie. Or maybe you'll drop one scoop into a decadent pumpkin spice affogato.

An eccentric brand with creative — some might say eccentric — flavors, OddFellows has grown from a single shop in Brooklyn to a nationally recognized ice cream company. OddFellows prides itself on being able to speak to different communities through culturally relevant flavors like miso cherry and miso peanut butter brownie. Vegans aren't overlooked, either, with flavors like coconut pandan and coconut mango sticky rice just begging to be tasted.

The ice cream at OddFellows is delicious in its own right and is made with intentionally sourced ingredients: The milk and cream come from Pennsylvania farms just a few hours away from its shop. However, it is the quality of the flavorings that truly makes this brand stand out from the rest. That's because acclaimed pastry chef Sam Mason has his hand in every release, whether it's the so-called "coffee soil" in the coffee crunch ice cream or the pieces of chocolate cake in the Brooklyn Blackout ice cream. As a former NYC resident, I can attest to the fact that OddFellows' ice cream is unparalleled when it comes to add-ins and textures.

Around 600 flavors are in OddFellows' repertoire, and its menu frequently changes.  The fact that even the wildest flavors hit home explains why OddFellows has become one of the most unique ice cream shops in the U.S. If you don't live near one of the scoop shops scattered across the United States (or the one in South Korea), try a grocery store like Whole Foods or even Walmart.

I chose to highlight great ice cream brands — including those that offer artisanal, high-quality, or must-try flavors — that often fly under the radar and may not be available to purchase at the average grocery store. However, they are not hyperlocal, which precludes brands like Seattle-based Molly Moon's Homemade Ice Cream from making the list. 

I curated this list based on personal experience eating ice cream across the country, as well as popular consensus regarding each brand. While I have tasted most of the ice creams featured, I also used online reviews and conversations with fellow ice cream enthusiasts to ensure that each brand is top-notch and worthy of your spoon. Having eaten so much ice cream in both a personal and professional capacity has helped me discern nuances in texture and flavor, and I have frequently provided my experiences to help paint a better picture of the brands.