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New Yorkers already know this city takes its ice cream seriously. Now, the rest of the country is catching up.
Yelp has released its annual ranking of the 50 Most Saved Ice Cream Shops in the U.S., and four New York City spots landed on the 2026 list, including one that nearly took the top prize.
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Leading the local pack is East Village favorite Soft Swerve, which came in at an impressive No. 2 nationwide. Since opening in 2016, the Asian-inspired soft-serve shop has built a devoted following with flavors like ube, black sesame and matcha.
Also making Yelp's list is Lower East Side institution il laboratorio del gelato at No. 6. The beloved shop, which has been churning out inventive flavors for more than two decades, is famous for offering an ever-changing selection that can include everything from Earl Grey and olive oil to avocado and basil.
Queens also got some love: Astoria's Figo Il Gelato Italiano landed at No. 11. The neighborhood favorite specializes in traditional Italian gelato made fresh daily, with flavors ranging from pistachio and stracciatella to seasonal fruit offerings.
Rounding out the city's showing is KITH Treats, which came in at No. 13. The streetwear brand's cereal-packed soft serve has become a social media staple, attracting sneakerheads and dessert fans alike to its SoHo flagship and other locations.
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the list is that soft serve has officially grown up. Once relegated to roadside stands and fast-food windows, the category has evolved into one of the hottest trends in dessert, with premium ingredients, unexpected flavor combinations and Instagram-friendly presentations driving demand.
Given that Soft Swerve and KITH Treats specialize in soft serve, it's safe to say New Yorkers were ahead of the curve.
Here's the full list of the 50 most-saved ice cream shops in the U.S.
1. Mitchell’s Ice Cream (San Francisco)
2. Soft Swerve (New York City)
3. Mashti Malone’s (Los Angeles)
4. Bumsan Organic Milk Bar (Los Angeles)
5. Meadowlark Dairy (Pleasanton)
6. il laboratorio del gelato (New York City)
7. Toscanini’s Ice Cream (Cambridge)
8. Little Man Ice Cream (Denver)
9. Azucar Ice Cream – Little Havana (Miami)
10. Henry’s Place (Honolulu)
11. Figo Il Gelato Italiano (New York City)
12. Tasaka Guri Guri Shop (Kahului)
13. KITH Treats (New York City)
14. Margie’s Candies (Chicago)
15. Frankie & Jo’s – Capitol Hill (Seattle)
16. Fifty Licks (Portland)
17. Island Cream Co (Lahaina)
18. Sweet Republic (Scottsdale)
19. Via Gelato (Honolulu)
20. Ted Drewes Frozen Custard (St. Louis)
21. Milkjam Creamery (Minneapolis)
22. Scooter’s Frozen Custard (Chicago)
23. Torico Ice Cream (Jersey City)
24. The Bent Spoon (Princeton)
25. Nielsen’s Frozen Custard (Las Vegas)
26. Christina’s Homemade Ice Cream (Cambridge)
27. Sweet Creams (Honolulu)
28. Sweet Firefly (Richardson)
29. Indigo Cow (Seattle)
30. Weckerly’s Ice Cream (Philadelphia)
31. Hi Sweetie Ice Cream Rolls & Desserts (Plano)
32. Amy’s Ice Creams (Austin)
33. Sugar Bowl (Scottsdale)
34. Cherry Smash (Coral Springs)
35. Lick Honest Ice Creams (San Antonio)
36. Leon’s Frozen Custard (Milwaukee)
37. The Charmery Hampden (Baltimore)
38. Sweet Cooie’s (Denver)
39. Mount Desert Island Ice Cream (Bar Harbor)
40. Arethusa Farm (New Haven)
41. Kelly’s Homemade Ice Cream (Orlando)
42. BerryLine (Cambridge)
43. Bobbie’s Dairy Dip (Nashville)
44. Bianco Gelato (Miami)
45. Cap’s Ice Cream (Mount Prospect)
46. Coney Waffle (Belmar)
47. Bonnie Brae Ice Cream (Denver)
48. Honeysuckle Gelato (Atlanta)
49. Bmore Licks (Baltimore)
50. Purple Door Ice Cream (Milwaukee)