What better way to cool down on a hot summer day than with a delicious scoop of ice cream? Whether you’re craving classic flavors or adventurous concoctions, local South Dakota creameries have a churned-treat waiting for you.
This alphabetical list of specialty dishes will guide you to the perfect ice cream destination throughout the state to satisfy your sweet tooth. So grab a spoon and get ready to dig in!
WAFFLE CONE SUNDAE | B&G MILKYWAY
Sioux Falls and surrounding area residents know summer isn’t complete without a trip to B&G Milkyway. This local favorite has served signature soft-serve treats since 1954, with classic flavors like vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and twisted options.
“We’re best known for our ice cream and huge topping selection,” said the owner of the Cliff Avenue location, Christie Aberson. “Even better, our ice cream contains far less calories and fat than our competitors.”
Enjoy the infamous soft serve and any topping you would like in a handmade waffle cone sundae. You can choose between three waffle cone flavors: vanilla, chocolate, or marble.
B&G also provides other desserts like malts, shakes, slushwhips, Avalanches, sundaes, floats, and ice cream novelties like the Chipwich, Turtle Bar, and ice cream sandwiches.
In 2023, B&G expanded with its ninth location in southeastern Sioux Falls, which showcases a newly expanded design, says Aberson.
The 69th and Cliff Avenue location is equipped with a large inviting patio, a turfed yard, and plenty of picnic tables to enjoy their sweet treats. When you’re finished, get your game on with cornhole or Connect Four.
Before you leave, make sure to capture a photo or two with the building’s bright mural, featuring a colorful array of sprinkles and a neon sign that says, “Life is Sweet.”
Because whenever you visit B&G Milkyway, life is, in fact, sweet.
$5.74 // 6020 S CLIFF AVE, SIOUX FALLS.
For more information on the 69th and Cliff Avenue location, visit FACEBOOK.COM+
TASTE OF CUSTER ICE CREAM IN A WAFFLE CONE | HORATIO’S HOMEMADE ICE CREAM
What do butterscaotch, chocolate chip, and almond come together to create? According to Horatio’s Homemade Ice Cream, a flavor profile that is the “Taste of Custer.”
With a plethora of flavors like White Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup, Lemon Poppy Seed, and Blueberry Pomegranate Sherbet, the small batch ice cream shop in downtown Custer is both family-owned and a family favorite.
Owner Cheryl Steele explains all of the shop’s ice cream, sorbet’s, non-dairy options, brownies, and cookies are made in-house. Order one to four scoops in a cup or a fresh, handcrafted waffle cone. You can also top the ice cream with homemade hot fudge to transform it into a classic sundae.
Horatio’s offers grab-and-go options as well: Ice Cream Cakes, Ice Cream Sandwiches, Ice Cream Bars, and Pints.
The Horatio’s team has created nearly 200 flavors of ice cream since opening in 2019, and the shop operates out of what was once the 1881 First National Bank of Dakota Territory.
“We named our shop after Horatio Nelson Ross, who discovered gold in the Black Hills as part of General Custer’s expedition, and Horatio would go on to spend the rest of his life in Custer,” revealed Steele.
Stop in to try Taste of Custer—a sweet, chocolatey, and nutty combination as rich as the history behind the shop. As the Horatio’s team says, it’s “ice cream as good as gold.”
$6.97 // 548 MT RUSHMORE RD, CUSTER.
Eureka!
Horatio Ross’s discovery in July 1974 spurred a gold rush, which led to Custer’s population boom. His legacy is now honored by Custer’s Gold Discovery Days celebration each July.
For more information, visit HORATIOSICECREAM.COM+
WEEKLY SPECIALTY FLAVORS | LEONES’ CREAMERY
For Leones’ Creamery, their specialty is creating handcrafted unique ice cream flavors. The weekly rotating menu board offers eight ever-changing traditional and funky scoops.
With featured flavors like Birthday Cake, Chocolate Salted Almond, Cherry Chip, and Avocado, the Spearfish-based business makes the ice cream in-house and in small batches.
Owners, Hannah and Rebecca Leone, claim to be a bit obsessed with the frozen dessert, but they use this mindset to display the love affair in every lick and chomp. Hannah also mentions a vegan flavor option is always available.
Enjoy a scoop(s) of delectable ice cream in a dish, or upgrade to a gluten-free waffle cone. The cones stem from a secret family recipe and are made daily. Leones’ offers pints and quarts, ice cream sandwiches, rotating specialties like popsicles, or hot chocolate floats, granola, merchandise, and gift cards.
Throughout their 10 years of business, the sisters have created feature flavors with partnered local businesses.
“We love to collaborate with Black Hills businesses and establishments, and these flavors celebrate schools, local produce, coffee, honey, and beer,” said Hannah.
Shimmy into Leones’ to see what they have to offer, and if you’re having a tough time finding the storefront, the aroma of the freshly-baked cones off of Main Street will surely lead you there.
INDIVIDUAL ITEMS RANGE FROM $3 TO $8// 722 N MAIN ST, SPEARFISH.
For more information, visit LEONESCREAMERY.COM+
TOTAL ECLIPSE IN A WAFFLE CONE | PARLOUR
For chocolate lovers, try the specialty flavor Total Eclipse from Parlour in Sioux Falls. This decadent dessert combines chocolate ice cream with Oreo and fudge swirls.
“I’ve created hundreds of different recipes and flavor combinations and love creating unique, artisan ice creams,” said Parlour executive chef, Lizzy Nickel.
Located on the second floor of the Washington Pavilion, Parlour offers gourmet rotating flavors and other tasty concessions like fresh popcorn, candy, and cold beverages.
A unique twist the shop takes is planning original flavors that coincide with scheduled performances and other events at the Pavilion.
“Total Eclipse was created to celebrate the recent eclipse in our new Wells Fargo CineDome & Sweetman Planetarium,” explained Nickel.
Enjoy one, two, or three scoops in a dish or a crunchy, sweet, house-made waffle cone.
Nickel added Parlour also offers dairy and gluten- free options among their nine rotating flavors. Other flavors Parlour has featured are Ruthie’s Heath Crunch, Mango Madness Sorbet, Quantum Vanilla, Pink Lady, and Nebula Sweet 16.
While Parlour recently moved from its original location across the street in Washington Square, it remains a delightful stop for anyone seeking a special ice cream experience. The good news is museum admission isn’t required to visit the creamery, so you can simply stop in for a yummy treat!
STARTING AT $3.95 // 301 S MAIN AVE, SIOUX FALLS.
For more information, visit WASHINGTONPAVILION.ORG/PARLOUR+
“The Washington Pavilion acquired business operations of Parlour Ice Cream House just last fall, and it’s been a huge hit for our customers.” -Lizzy Nickel
BUMBLEBERRY PIE WITH HUCKLEBERRY ICE CREAM | PURPLE PIE PLACE
For something sweet, tangy, and berry, berry good, try the Bumbleberry Pie with Huckleberry Ice Cream from Purple Pie Place. Co-owner Yuliia Yehle calls it a “kitchen-sink” type of pie, with a filling made out of blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, apples, and rhubarb. Yuliia says à la mode is the best way to eat it, noting that people often choose extra berry flavors for their ice cream scoop.
The pie is made entirely from scratch from the original owner’s mother’s recipe, and the ice cream is sourced from various farm-owned companies.
“We stick to the recipes they started serving back in 1981, and we take pride in what we do,” said Yuliia. “The original owners stopped by last year and said it tastes ‘just the way mom made it.’”
The Custer shop is unmistakable for its bright purple exterior and sells more than just pie and ice cream. Other menu items include sandwiches, mac and cheese, chicken pot pies, soups, and salads. Yuliia and her husband, Bobby, took full ownership of the business in 2021.
“Choosing this kind of business was important for us because we believe in passing our traditions and our history to the next generations,” said Yuliia.
Bursting with color and flavor, this pie and ice cream combo is a can’t-miss dish.
$7.29 // 19 MT RUSHMORE RD, CUSTER.
For more information, visit PURPLEPIEPLACE.COM+
KRYPTONITE IN A WAFFLE CONE | STENSLAND FAMILY FARMS
When the flavors Blue Moon, Lemon Curd, and Fruit Punch are combined, what do they produce? According to Stensland Family Farms in Sioux Falls, the trio creates the perfect fruity flavor for kids.
The multi-flavored mixture was inspired by “Superman” ice cream—a tri-colored ice cream appearing red, blue, and yellow—but Stendsland’s version is titled Kryptonite.
Leah Stensland, director of marketing and operations, explains this fruity and fun treat has become their most popular flavor amongst children.
Order up to three scoops and choose between a dish or a fresh, crunchy waffle cone. Add extra pizzazz to your dessert with a drizzle of caramel, hot fudge, or white chocolate, and add a plethora of toppings like brownies, cheesecake, cookie dough, bananas, and more.
“We have 48 flavors at our one location and have between eight or nine dairy-free sorbets,” said Stensland. “Our ice cream base is created from family recipes and is lactose-free.”
Stensland Family Farms serves additional treats like Waffle Bowl Sundaes, Ice Cream Stuffed Donuts, Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches, floats, sundaes, milkshakes, and take-home pints.
The family-owned and operated business takes pride in hand-dipping the freshest and most flavorful ice cream.
Here, every scoop is a delight.
$9.25 // 3101 W 41ST UNIT 109, SIOUX FALLS.
A Midwest Original
The iconic bright azure ice cream, Blue Moon, has become an upper Midwest favorite with a flavor profile of subtle citrus and vanilla.
For more information, visit STENSLANDFAMILYFARMS.COM+
FRIED ICE CREAM | TWO COWS CREAMERY & BISTRO
Deep-fried food has become an American staple, and Two Cows Creamery & Bistro in Hot Springs serves a delightful twist on the delicacy.
Their Fried Ice Cream is composed of the bistro’s award-winning vanilla ice cream, rolled into a ball, coated with a combination of cornflakes and cinnamon, and fried to crunchy perfection. To top it off, the dish is garnished with a drizzle of honey and a dollop of whipped cream.
The warm, flaky crust is met with a burst of cold, smooth, cream offering a contrast of textures and temperatures, which owner Melissa Holt describes as a treat in itself.
This isn’t your average state fair dish. Two Cows uses their handcrafted ice cream, made with fresh milk and cream from Serendipity Farmstead, just 12 minutes from the shop. This makes the bistro’s ice cream–made using A2A2 Jersey cows–truly cow to cone.
“Our ice cream is rich and creamy with the perfect balance of sweetness,” said Holt. “We serve 28 flavors of homemade ice cream every day.”
Treat yourself to over 120 flavors of ice cream, gelato, or sorbet, or go big with a sundae, malt, shake, or float.
Each flavor is created from the shop’s recipes and has developed into house favorites such as Espresso Chip, Salted Caramel Café, Dragonfruit Sorbet, Raspberry White Chocolate, and South Dakota Cow Pie.
The farm-to-table menu includes soups, sandwiches, burgers, salads, and more. All menu items are made with fresh ingredients, and none of the ice cream is artificially colored.
At Two Cows Creamery & Bistro, the team believes those aspects are important. As Holt says, “After all, you are what you eat.”
$6.50 // 237 N RIVER ST, HOT SPRINGS.
“Without ice cream, the world would be chaos & full of darkness.” -MELISSA HOLT
For more information, visit TWOCOWSCREAMERY.COM+
