Sure, we miss having a cone of fresh-churned ice cream on a warm, sunny day while frolicking in the park, but even though the lines at places like Little Man Ice Cream don't exist right now, we can still indulge in a cold, sweet treat. These nine specialists are still making ice cream, and you can take it to go or order online to enjoy in the comfort of your own home or back yard.
Bonnie Brae Ice Cream
799 South University Boulevard303-777-0808
Bonnie Brae Ice Cream is back, sort of, to filling pints, half-pints and quarts of cookie dough, lemon custard, mint chocolate chip, chocolate and other classic ice cream flavors. Ice cream sandwiches are also on the to-go menu, with daily hours from 1 to 8 p.m. Guests can order from the takeout window and also get fresh eggs, milk, butter and cottage cheese to go with their dessert.
DiNoci Dairy Free
dinoci.comWhile this sweet stuff looks a lot like ice cream, the Boulder-based DiNoci Dairy Free makes a vegan frozen dessert that's completely plant-based. The company starts with almond milk and creates flavors such as vanilla, lemon, espresso chocolate chip and chocolate raspberry, to name a few. Just this month the company launched an online shop where you can order pints for free delivery, with a six-pint minimum. Not that the latter should be a problem, since you'll want to fill your freezer for the warm days ahead. DiNoci is also available at Whole Foods and Choice Market grocery stores.
Frozen Matter, at 1309 East 19th Avenue, specializes in creative flavors and housemade ingredients.
Danielle Lirette
Frozen Matter
530 East 19th Avenue, 720-600-63581061 South Gaylord Street, 720-546-6871
Sweet Action Ice Cream
52 Broadway, 303-282-4645
Fans of these three ice cream shops, now all under the same ownership, can get a cow-to-creamery fix either by stopping in for counter service, ordering over the phone or shopping online. Right now the Frozen Matter locations, in Washington Park and Uptown, have pints and cups to go in rotating flavors that may include apple butter crisp and birthday cake. South Broadway's Sweet Action, which was acquired last summer, offers pints for pre-order and scoops to go in flavors such as Vietnamese coffee, green tea caramel and vegan carrot cake, along with more traditional options.
Happy Cones Co.
5505 West 20th Avenue, Edgewater720-336-3392
We're pretty sure a cone of New Zealand-style ice cream (in which fruits are blended into ice cream to order) will make you as happy as the name Happy Cones suggests, and you can pick up the goods to go from noon to 8 p.m. seven days a week. Order online for less contact and wait in the sanitized shop behind the plexiglass guard and on the socially-distanced "X" on the floor. Or, look for the ice cream truck that prowls around town dishing out scoops of salted butter caramel, hokey pokey and vegan coconut vanilla. A spring and summer schedule will soon be available on the truck's website.
High Point Creamery
4977 Tennyson Street2669 Larimer Street
215 South Holly Street
720-805-0077
High Point Creamery's Hilltop, Berkeley and RiNo shops are serving their full menus for takeout. Or, get a couple pints of blueberry-lemon, milk chocolate or mint chocolate bark for delivery via DoorDash, Postmates, and Uber Eats. There's also a limited selection at Colorado's Whole Foods Markets, Choice Markets and Leevers Locavore.
Liks Ice Cream
2039 East 13th Avenue303-321-2370
Pre-packed pints, single scoops to-go and ice cream cookie sandwiches are the hot (cold) ticket at Liks in Capitol Hill. While you can't lick a cone right there, enjoy flavors such as butterscotch-fudge, lemon-raspberry and mango sherbert from the comfort of your own home. Order online for quick curbside pick up. Walk-ins are also welcome, with proper masks and social distancing.
Nuggs Ice Cream
5135 East Colfax Avenue720-465-9473
Yes, you can still get a cone of chocolate-chocolate chip to go at this family-run ice cream shop. But, says co-owner Nick O'Sullivan, "We serve the cone on the side to avoid any on-premises eating." That's one of the steps being taken to keep customers safe, whether you want a pint of Mountain Squeeze Key Lime Pie or Rocky Mountain Road. Grab a treat to go from noon to 8 p.m. daily, or order pints through DoorDash for delivery.
Scoops
1426 East 22nd Avenue303-830-3198
Pick up Scoops ice cream in salted cookies and cream, vegan chocolate, mixed berry sorbet and many other flavors any day of the week during the City Park shop's temporary hours from 3 to 6 p.m. Everything is sold to go; there are also delivery options of ice cream by the pint via UberEats and Grubhub.
Sweet Cow
Multiple LocationsRight now you'll need to place your Sweet Cow order through its website for curbside pick-up and delivery. You can request pints or quarts of Ozo coffee, oatmeal cookie, strawberry and more, plus ice cream cakes and ice cream sandwiches, all available from noon to 9 p.m. Check online to find out the current list of flavors, which depends on where you're picking up from.
