Ice Cream, Ice Cream, We All Scream For Ice Cream!

With summer just around the corner and the weather warming up, it's almost time for everybody's favorite summer-time treat (unless you're like me and love cuddling on the couch and eating a pint of Halo Top year-round). So whether you opt for a cone or a dish, chocolate or vanilla, soft-serve or hard-serve, dairy or dairy free, etc., this all inclusive list will give you the run-down of where to go in Philly to get your frozen fix.

1. Franklin Fountain 116 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19106

Franklin Fountain, an old-fashioned, Victorian style ice cream parlor in Old City, will take you back in time (and set your wallet back a bit). But be warned- it's such a blast from the past that they're cash only! You'll also most likely be waiting at the back of a line, since this tiny shop (which doesn't have any indoor seating) is almost always packed. But that's okay, since there are plenty of tables outside, allowing you to sit under the lights and catch a glimpse of the Delaware River and New Jersey (ew). If you are in the area when Spruce Street Harbor Park is open, however, then you can stop at one of their food trucks, like my boyfriend and I did, and eat your ice cream on a hammock! We got rocky road and butter pecan in waffle cones; unfortunately, the trucks do not have quite as many flavors as the shop, nor do they have sundaes or shakes, but they do accept debit and credit card!

2. Alice Pizza 235 S 15th St, Philadelphia, PA 19102

Alice doesn't just have some of the best pizza and pasta in the city; they also have top-knotch gelato! This casual, relatively new Italian restaurant, literally across the street from my boyfriend's apartment, is our go-to for dinner and dessert. In fact, Alice is an Italian chain; their original shop is in Italy, and they brought those same recipes to Philadelphia, which explains why everything tastes so authentic and delicious! You only need to order a small, since it's so rich, and they give you a bang for your buck. Not to mention, all of the flavors look so pretty! If I remember correctly, he ordered cannoli and I ordered tiramisu, but I do remember us both agreeing that mine was better.

3. Ben & Jerry's 1726 Sansom St, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Welcome to "Chilladelphia," home of Ben & Jerry's. While BJ's isn't actually from Philadelphia, we do have one of their scoop shops in Center City. There, you can try some of their classic flavors like Phish Food, Half Baked or Cherry Garcia, try some of their limited edition flavors, and/or take a whole pint to go. We know you really want to, so go ahead. We won't judge. They also have very good vegan alternatives, like this flavor I am modeling here. Who said you can't have ice cream without the cream?

4. La Bella Dolce Italia 628 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19147

I can't believe how many times I had walked by this gelato/crepe/sandwich/everything shop on South Street without noticing it before my friend recommended it. Although I was a little skeptical at first since I had never heard of it, this Italian mom and pop shop has the best gelato in Philly, hands down. This underrated restaurant just goes to show that sometimes the best isn't the most popular. Not only is the food super cheap, but look how much they give you! My friends and I had gelato for dinner. The owner is also incredibly sweet and makes you feel like family, and this authenticity resonates through the food. If I could have one last meal before I died, it would definitely be this stracciatella.

5. Weckerly's Ice Cream 9 W Girard Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19123

I always want to get a milkshake at Joe's Steaks and Shakes, but how can I when Weckerly's is right next door? This ice cream shop in Fishtown definitely takes the cake for cutest ice cream parlor in the city, but the cherry on top is the rotating menu of unique flavors- like this peanut butter and jelly ice cream sandwich with bread flavored ice cream and grape jam between two peanut butter cookies. Although their ice cream is definitely on the expensive side, this isn't some boring "vanilla" ice cream shop. Weckerly's is for the adventurous, daring foodie who doesn't mind spending a little more for something you can't get every day.

6. Kuriimii 1023 Cherry St, Philadelphia, PA 19107

Chinatown has always got some unusual dessert options up its sleeve, and Kariimii is no exception. Not only does this shop have some interesting flavors you wouldn't even see at Weckerly's, it also has unorthodox cones and toppings, and you can customize your own concoction. I got the charcoal vanilla soft-serve in a charcoal cone with fruity pebbles. To be honest, I got this more for the aesthetic than the flavor; it just kind of tasted like vanilla ice cream. And TMI (don't keep reading if you're squeamish)- the food coloring made my poop black for a week, which scared the sh*t (no pun intended) out of me the first time; I didn't know this was a common side effect until I looked it up. I know I said "gotta do it for the gram," but I'm not so sure I'd go through that again, even for the gram.

7. Mister Softee Ice Cream Truck multiple locations

Who remembers hearing a faint melody grow closer and closer, jumping to their feet and begging their parents for money, and running towards the sound as fast as they can? I sure remember my fair share of chasing the ice cream truck down the street with bare feet, waving my couple dollars in the air as if I was hailing a taxi, which is why I get so excited when I see the ice cream truck pop up on Temple's campus or in Rittenhouse Square Park. My childhood order was always a vanilla soft-serve with rainbow sprinkles in a cake cone; some things never change. Judging by how my ice cream is tipping over, however, I probably had about 5 seconds to snap this picture before my ice cream would have melted.

8. Sweet Charlie's multiple locations

Rolled ice cream is a moderately new trend; when I tried explaining it to my boyfriend, he didn't understand, so I had to show him myself. Is Sweet Charlie's a little overrated and overpriced? Definitely, but you've gotta admit that seeing them roll out the ice cream is pretty cool. We went in December during one of those crazy 70 degree winter nights. I'm partly concerned because of global warming, but I'm also partly happy that I could sit on a bench in Rittenhouse Square eating ice cream in December and pretend it was just Christmas in July. In the spirit of the holidays, I got chocolate peppermint, my favorite yuletide flavor.

9. Scoop DeVille Ice Cream 1109 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19107

Scoop De Ville was the first ice cream shop I went to when I moved to the city. Ironically, I didn't get ice cream my first time; instead, I got their edible cookie dough. I came back for ice cream when my boyfriend and I forgot to bring cash to Franklin Fountain. We were really in the mood for a banana split, so we ubered to Scoop De Ville. Luckily, Scoop De Ville takes card, offers a variety of sundae options, and is much cheaper! This might not be the prettiest sundae, but it was gone in a minute and definitely satisfied my sweet tooth.

10. Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream Shop 242 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19147

Like Ben & Jerry's, I'm sure you've all purchased a pint of Haagen-Dazs at your local grocery store and finished the entire thing in one sitting. But it's even better when you go to the shop on South Street and order it fresh! Every year, Haagen-Dazs celebrates free cone day, during which they give out one free cone to every customer. Of course, I had to partake in the celebration, so I went and waited my turn in the queue, which ended more than a block away from the shop. When I finally reached the front, which was a lot faster than I expected, it was the best day ever! Although my scoop of ice cream was a little small, I can't really complain since it was free and fantastic.