The Best Ice Cream in Northern Ontario: Where to Go This Summer

A Northern Ontario summer road trip isn't complete without a good cone, and an even better view. From Sudbury to Kenora, small-town shops and waterfront trucks are scooping up soft serve, gelato, sundaes, and vegan ice cream worth pulling over for. Whether you're strolling a boardwalk or heading into the bush, these are the best places to cool off.

Scoop Shops and Sweet Stops in The Seven—Northeastern Ontario

Ice cream lovers, take note: Northeastern Ontario’s long summer days are best enjoyed with something cold in hand. Across The Seven, from Sudbury to Manitoulin and North Bay to Cochrane, small-town scoop shops and ice cream trucks are serving up cones, sundaes, and sorbet to rival anything in the south. Here’s where to go when the craving hits.

In Sudbury, Flurple’s on Kathleen Street is a bright and playful walk-up window serving fully vegan soft-serve, shakes, and loaded cookie dough sundaes. Everything here is plant-based and dairy-free—and yes, they have sprinkles! Over on Durham Street, Huckleberries Chocolatiers offers a more classic experience: rich scoops of Kawartha Dairy, old-school sundaes, floats, and house-made chocolate-dipped cones, with a side of boutique chocolates and truffles. A few blocks away, Regency Bakery Gelato Bar serves Italian-style gelato by the scoop.

North Bay has no shortage of ice cream culture. Grab a cone at Dock Shoppe Ice Cream Parlour, perfectly placed on Memorial Drive by the marina, which is ideal for sunset strolls along the Lake Nipissing boardwalk. For generations, locals have been lining up at The Green Store on Trout Lake Road, where a big patio and over two dozen flavours make it a go-to on summer nights. Want to mix it up? EverCool Ice Cream is North Bay’s roaming ice cream truck, regularly posted up at the farmers’ market or city parks. For a roadside stop with a view, drive west toward Jocko Point where Moose Crossing Ice Cream dishes out dozens of flavours from a highway-side truck, with picnic tables, a gift shop, and trails nearby.

On Manitoulin Island, head to 3 Cows & a Cone in Little Current. This locally beloved shack near the marina stocks over 30 flavours of Farquhar’s Ice Cream, made in Northern Ontario. Enjoy your scoop on a bench overlooking the water or checking out the North Channel view from McLean's Mountain Look-Out.

Sweet spots abound in Timmins with Kiddie’s Korner at 180 Joseph Street serving 26 soft‑serve flavours and 12 hard-ice-cream options, including chocolate-dipped or sprinkle cones, alongside subs and snacks. This beloved corner store is a local legend.

Pine Dairy Bar, established in 1952 at 141 Pine Street South, is a retro diner serving eight ice cream flavours alongside soft serve, milkshakes, banana splits, and sundaes. Their ice cream cakes are available by order and keep their nostalgic charm alive.

Ice Cream and Gelato in Algoma Country

Sault Ste. Marie is home to Holy Cow Ice Cream Parlour, a longtime favourite with huge portions, creative flavours, and in-house waffle cones. It’s a quick walk to the boardwalk and riverfront green spaces. Nearby in the Canal District, The Gelato Mill serves local Elliott's Ice Cream small-batch ice cream and sandwiches, ideal for a casual stroll through the historic area.

If you’re heading north along Highway 17, stop at Voyageur’s Lodge in Batchawana Bay. Their general store serves premium soft-serve cones and milkshakes just steps from the Lake Superior shoreline. A scoop here is a perfect pairing with a dip or a paddle in the bay.

Where to Cool Off with a Cone in Thunder Bay and Kakabeka Falls

In Thunder Bay, start with Merla-Mae, a retro drive-in that’s been serving soft-serve since the '50s. It's a quick drive to the Marina or Hillcrest Park. Over on Algoma Street, Prime Gelato offers small-batch flavours like local berry, maple, and even beer-inspired options.

West of town, TJ’s Ice Cream Shoppe on Arthur Street dishes out over 20 hard ice cream flavours. You’re close to several parks and trails here—or you can keep heading west to Kakabeka Falls, where The Shake Shoppe across from the falls serves sundaes, cones, and milkshakes right near the “Niagara of the North.” Walk the loop trail afterward and catch mist on your face.

Kenora, Sioux Narrows, and the Best Lakeside Ice Cream in Sunset Country

In Kenora, the go-to spot is the Dairy Queen by the Harbourfront. Grab a soft-serve swirl and stroll the lakeside trail, or head to Nibbler’s Nook in the downtown core for scooped ice cream and frozen yogurt, best enjoyed in McLeod Park under the watchful eye of Husky the Muskie.

For something dairy-free, Skup LOTW serves vegan gelato and plant-based soft serve with Lake of the Woods in full view. It's a popular stop for locals and visitors heading out on the water.

South of Kenora in Sioux Narrows-Nestor Falls, seasonal takeout spots and camp store freezers offer a good variety of cones to go, and restaurants The Lazy Loon and The Log Tavern have soft serve and ice cream desserts. Bring yours down to the beach or paddle dock and soak in the stillness of the lake.

Northern Ontario + Ice Cream = A Perfect Summer Combo

Northern Ontario’s ice cream culture is simple: real flavours, good people, and beautiful places to enjoy it with a view! Whether you're grabbing a vegan cone in Sudbury, soft-serve on Lake Superior, or unwrapping a fudge bar on the docks in Kenora, there's no wrong time for a treat, and no better place to have one!

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