Emily in France 🇫🇷 The 5 Best Ice Creams in Paris

Beat the heat with a sweet treat

It’s hot in Paris, and seeing it’s a city fairly devoid of air conditioning, that means I’ve got one thing on the brain… ice cream. I’ve resurfaced my list of the best ice creams in Paris, adding a few new faves, to help you beat the heat.

Paris is home to no shortage of spots peddling gelato, crème glacée, sorbet, and more. There are a few storied stalwarts, like Berthillon, first established on the Ile Saint-Louis in 1954, or Amorino, the French gelato chain leaning hard into Italian-esque branding and pretty flower-like scoops. And there are popular newcomers like JJ Hings and Folderol, which, while excellent, have gotten more than enough press from pens mightier than mine.

This is my personal list of favorites. The places I return to when I really need to beat the heat. It’s perhaps unsurprising that so many of them are ultra-creative with their flavors, but rest assured: Whether you like bonkers combinations of fruit, spice, and herbs, or you just want simple chocolat, I’ve got you covered.

For the ultra-creamy sorbet…

Located just off the Canal Saint-Martin, Sucre Glace boasts big flavors and big portions. I'm particularly fond of their sorbets, which often marry fruits and herbs (blueberry-elderflower and apricot-rosemary are two faves). Plus, they're so creamy that on more than one occasion, I've wondered if I’ve mistakenly ordered ice cream instead.

The ice creams themselves are ultra rich and super flavorful; I particularly like the nut-based ones like hazelnut and pistachio. Unfortunately, I’m not the only one who loves this spot, which usually has a line out the door, especially at the weekend. But on the rare occasion that I find myself walking by with a shorter queue (often on a random Tuesday), I get a scoop each of ice cream and sorbet and plunk down on the quai to watch the boats go by!

Sucre Glace - 61 Quai de Valmy, 75010

For the super-creative flavors…

If I had to choose between ice cream and gelato, I’d opt for gelato every single time. Gelato tends to have less air than ice cream, and it’s usually served at a warmer temperature, which means that the flavors really pop. And at this spot, you’ll want to get every nuance in the ultra-creative flavors.