Our favourite places for ice cream in Suffolk, see which one is top spot in the Hadleigh area

Well folks, it seems we're properly into frozen dessert season. I can tell you this with certainty because my husband has taken off his hat, and is down to wearing just one jumper in the evenings (he's a very good barometer).

As we slip into summer proper, I thought now would be a good time to highlight just a few of my 'best places in Suffolk for ice cream'.

These are shops and cafes which take their offering seriously, either making the end product themselves, or sourcing from the best in the biz. I can't wait to get stuck in…

The Parlour, Lavenham

Open: Thursday to Sunday, 10.30am to 4.30pm

I've already written of my adoration for owner Jane's devilishly good hot chocolate. Well, she's now fully back into the swing of ice cream production, filling her counter with a growing bounty of flavours - many of them Great Taste Award winners.

Jane sources local eggs, dairy and fine local fruit for her ice creams and sorbets, choosing Pump Street chocolate for cocoa-led scoops, and Monmouth Coffee in, er, the coffee ice cream.

Her picture perfect parlour (sorry about the alliteration) in Lavenham often has a queue out the door at this time of year - I was in it at the weekend - but the wait is, I can assure you, worth it. I sampled a freshly made, sweet strawberry sorbet on my visit. Also on offer were Jamaica Chocolate, Coffee, Honeycomb and creamy Strawberry ice creams, available in pots, or waffle cones.

The petite shop stocks a range of lovely gifts and homeware - some made locally.

Strawberries and Cream ice cream at Little Ice Cream, Felixstowe (Picture: Suffolk Food Stories)

The Little Ice Cream Company, Felixstowe

Open: 10am to 5pm Daily, or from 9.30am Saturday

We've visited here since our kids were small. They revel in the sundae pots, and thick milkshakes. We love this place so much, it's become part of our Felixstowe ritual - fish and chips (or pasta at Alba Chiara), a splash in the sea, arcades…ice cream.

What makes The Little Ice Cream Company stand out is the fact its products are made using dairy from their own herd up the road. Flavours change on the regular, taking into account the seasons and special occasions (so there will always be Mini Egg ice cream at Easter). Most recently we tucked into vanilla ice cream, filled with pieces of their homemade fudgy brownie.

Ives is loved in Aldeburgh

Ives, Aldeburgh

Open: 11am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday, and 11am to 5pm Saturday and Sunday

I mean, you just can't go to Aldeburgh without visiting Ives can you? Well, I certainly can't. It's as much part and parcel of the fabric of the town as the oft-famed fish and chips.

Like Hadley's, you might have to queue, but the quality of the ice cream stocked here is excellent…as is the really very good coffee!

The shop has dozens of flavours of ice cream and sorbet on offer, and (handy to know) sells gluten-free and vegan cones for those with special dietary needs.

My go-tos are Praline and Cream, and Devon Toffee.

The Ice Cream Shop, Framlingham

Open: Daily from 12noon to 5pm, (but not in bad weather)

Operated by the same folk behind Watson & Walpole and newly-opened Beviamo. Ruth Watson is fastidious about the quality of everything they either sell, or produce, and spent a long while seeking out a brand new ice cream supplier for 2023.

Suffolk Meadow is made a short drive from the shop, and has for a long time been loved for its ice creams, sorbets and frozen yoghurts, made using local milk and the best inclusions.

Ruth's favourite flavour is the Lemon & Ginger, customers adore the Salted Caramel, Chocolate and Vanilla, and staff have a penchant for the Butterscotch, and Peanut Butter & Chocolate. There are plant-based options available - and doggy ice cream too.

Harris & James, Southwold

Open: Daily from 10am to 9pm (8pm on Tuesdays)

From the same stock as H&J chocolate, coffee, and Twyfords in Beccles. Harris & James' cafe/ice cream parlour sits on a corner just off the main drag of the high street, and a short walk from Southwold's sandy beach.

Using their own single origin chocolate and coffee, and a whole host of other prime ingredients, they create gelato that is smooth, silky, and not too sweet. It can be eaten in, or taken away…beware, if you eat in you might also be tempted by one of the enormous slices of chocolate cake on the counter!

I am a massive fan of their 'Jaffa Cake' gelato. Most recently flavours have included Lime Cheesecake, Whiskey Old Fashioned, Watermelon Sorbet, and Strawberry & Cream.

There are other outlets in East Anglia, but this is my favourite…the second being the ice cream hut at Suffolk Food Hall.

Just a glimpse into one of the counters at i-scream

i-scream, Ipswich

Open: Daily from 11am to 4pm

This place is a flipping institution. I first heard about it as a young teen, waitressing in a pub on the outskirts of Suffolk's county town. One of the staff was turning 21, and a few of the team were heading over to St Peter's Street to tackle the legendary ice cream sundae, which saw all 40 or more flavours from the counter scooped into a giant tub, before being lavished with cream, marshmallows and sweeties. I mean, surely that's the dream isn't it?

There has certainly been a lot of talk recently on 'reasons to visit Ipswich'. Well, for my money, this has to be one of them (alongside the brilliant Dial Lane book shop and Hopsters craft beer store).

The owner of i-scream sources wondrous flavours from across the British Isles, which are scooped into sundaes layered with a base of either popcorn or marshmallows (who would ever choose popcorn?), the sauce and sweetie of your choice, and an optional dusting of crushed nuts.

I've eaten ice cream from here more times than I'd like to admit, and have tried some pretty unusual flavours, including Woodruff (apparently big in Germany).

Recent additions include Chocanilla, Butter Pecan and Banana Fudge, sitting alongside Eton Mess, Coconut, Bubblegum, Hazelnut and many many more.

A soft whip special at Pump Street for the recent coronation

Pump Street, Orford

Open: 9am to 2.30pm Wednesday to Saturday, and from 10am Sunday

Go for the bacon brioche rolls with crispy bacon and homemade ketchup, and leave with a twirly whirly soft serve ice cream, sourced from Happy Endings in London, and swirled out into tubs at the shop, with a choice of changing toppings. Could anything be more heavenly than fresh, light whippy covered in pieces of the bakery's epic Eccles cake? Answers on a postcard.

The Galley Creamery & Deli. Woodbridge

Open: Daily, from 11am to 5pm Monday to Saturday and until 4pm Sundays

I love the food at The Galley. Owner Ugur has been a big part of the Suffolk food scene for a long time, and his kitchen's take on Med cuisine, filled with bold flavours, is worth seeking out.

The restaurant's 'sexy sticky toffee pudding' is pretty legendary, but if I'm eating here I have to have the equally legendary ice cream. Namely the Turkish Delight flavour which is sweet, but restrained, and a magical way to end a meal.

It's available at his creamery across the market square. The coffee flavour is just amazing too!

Off Piste

Alder Carr Farm, Near Needham Market

Open: Daily from 9am to 5pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 4pm Sunday

If you prefer your ice cream super super thick and creamy, and packed with juicy fruit, you just cannot go wrong with a tub of Alder Tree Fruit Ice Cream. Made using fresh local dairy, and fruits grown on the farm, or sourced from other trusted family farms nearby, they have many many awards to their name…and are crafted in a truly sustainable, green way.

There isn't an ice cream parlour on site, but you can grab single pots (or larger ones to take home) from the farm shop freezer, and enjoy them on a farm walk, which is a lovely thing to do on a sunny day.

They're also available in other farm shops and Co-op stores across Suffolk.

Allow the ice cream to 'warm up' for about 10 minutes before you dive in with a spoon, so you can appreciate the full depth of their intense fruity flavours. Personally, I think the Blackcurrant is just outstanding. My other favourite is Gooseberry & Elderflower.

Lickety Ice use fresh fruit in their innovative lollies

Lickety Ice, Across Suffolk

If you're out and about, and fancy something cold and locally made, look out for Lickety Ice. They're made by the same people behind the incredible Penny Bun Bakehouse, and are simply the best lollies out there.

Once you've tried the Vanilla Chocolate Shard (a kind of ice lolly version of a Vienetta) you'll know what I mean.

Lickety Ice stocks Adventure Island Playpark in Lowestoft, Barbrook Stores, Suzies Beach Cafe and Box in Southwold, Bugs Play Cafe in Flixton, Earsham Street Deli in Bungay and at Snape Maltings, Fire & Feast Halesworth, Fritton Lake, Langham Walled Garden, Low House in Laxfield, Scoops Ice Cream Van in Walberswick, Suffolk Wildlife Trust at Carlton Marshes and Lackford Lakes, and Thorington Theatre.

Other flavours include Raspberry, Lychee and Rose, and Strawberry Cheesecake.

Over The Border

In Gorleston

If you're staying in the north of Suffolk, it's well worth jumping over the border to this seaside resort, where you'll discover Dimascio's on Lower Marine Parade. Loved by generations of locals and holidaymakers, the Italian ice cream parlour whips up a multitude of gorgeous flavours. And their famous choc-dip is epic!

Watermelon gelato at Cafe Gelato in Norwich

In Norwich

I cannot actually tell you how much I love Cafe Gelato (on Opie Street). Well, I can - it's a lot.

It doesn't matter if I've gorged myself on snacks in the market, or indulged in a multi-course tasting menu, I always manage to find room for a visit to Cafe Gelato when I'm in the city.

It is that good. Run by an Italian family, and handmade in the store, this stuff is the real deal, people.

Thick, gloriously smooth, and paddled out into tubs in the typically generous Italian fashion, don't expect to find lurid blue bubblegum here. Go to Cafe Gelato for the subtle pastel-shaded pistachio, singing with the sweet, roasted aroma of nuts. Go for the best ever hazelnut gelato. For ripe melon gelato that will take you back to a continental bougainvillea-tangled balcony on a sunny afternoon. Go for Sicilian Cassata, Digestive Biscuit, Norfolk Saffron & Orange, Peach or Black Grape gelato. It is a must-visit for any East Anglian foodie bucket list.

Thanks for reading this Suffolk Food Stories feature from Charlotte Smith-Jarvis.

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