When the mercury (and oh-my-the-humidity!) rises, nothing is as satisfying as a cold, creamy sweet treat. Lucky for us, Oak Park and the western suburbs have some of the best ice cream and frozen treat offerings in the Chicagoland area.
From handcrafted scoops at family-owned favorites and fruit-studded Mexican paletas to soft-serve (blended, topped, or dipped) and baked goods (yes, what would cake, pie, or a fudge brownie, even a waffle cone, be without ice cream?) these legen-dairy treats cool you down when the summer gets hot, hot, hot.
Here is a list of some of the best places in and near Oak Park to indulge in chilled treats.
Courageous Cones at Courageous Bakery and Café | 736 Lake Street, Oak Park
This Oak Park favorite serves irresistible cupcakes, pastries, and cookies, as well as popular breakfast and lunch options, added ice cream to its menu this summer, sold through a walk-up window on Oak Park Avenue. Courageous Bakery owner Laura Pekarik claims she “fell in love with” New Zealand-style ice cream (vanilla ice cream blended with fruit to a soft-serve consistency) when she was in Hawaii and couldn’t wait to share it with her customers.
Choose regular or non-dairy vanilla ice cream and your favorite fruit (strawberry, blueberry pineapple, orange, plantain, or cherry) served in a cup or chocolate or vanilla waffle cone. Each fruit alters the taste and texture of the ice cream in a unique way. Laura recommends her favorite, plantain, for an unusual, cool, and creamy treat this summer.
Click here to learn more.
Hole in the Wall Custard & Yogurt Shoppe | 901 1/2 South Oak Park Avenue, Oak Park
Despite its small stature and half address, this snug 400-square-foot family-run spot delivers generous portions — order a cup or a cone and prepare yourself for a mountain of creamy delight.
With its friendly service and a variety of rotating custard and yogurt flavors, from the classics — vanilla and chocolate — to the sublime — fresh, fruity Dole Whip — and an array of toppings, flavored dips, and “Super Sundae” combinations, Hole in the Wall has been an Oak Park legend for more than 70 years.
Click here to learn more.
Petersen's Old Fashioned Ice Cream | 1100 Chicago Avenue, Oak Park
Another Oak Park landmark, Petersen's has been scooping traditional, nostalgic ice cream creations since 1919, served in a sundae glass, piled high in a waffle cone, or blended in a milkshake topped with whipped cream and a maraschino cherry with a side of quaint soda shop vibe, complete with marble counters and a tin ceiling. A crowd favorite, the Turtle Pie starts with a handmade graham cracker crust, filled with seven scoops of bone-white vanilla ice cream, drizzled in Petersen's own fudge and hot caramel, and topped with oven-roasted pecans.
There's no argument that the creamy confection sold at this old-fashioned ice cream parlor is among the area's best, and the Illinois State Fair judges certainly agree. Petersen's has earned a blue ribbon at the fair nine times and counting.
Click here to learn more.
Sticks and Cones | 308 Madison Street, Oak Park
For fans of icy cold confections, bubble tea, and vintage 80s arcade games, Sticks and Cones is a one-stop shop for fun and frozen treats in Oak Park. This vibrant newcomer offers soft serve, super premium scoop ice cream from the legendary Chocolate Shoppe (Madison, Wisconsin), traditional Hawaiian-style shaved ice, bubble tea, and smoothies, with fun and games on the side.
Enjoy their free video games and extensive board games collection while enjoying a dish of the usually available (and always extraordinary) “This $&@! Just Got Serious®” concoction of salted caramel ice cream brimming with rich sea salt fudge and salted cashews or the decadent “Zoreo” blend of fudgy chocolate ice cream swirled with gooey marshmallow, Oreos, and bittersweet chocolate chunks.
The friendly staff will guide you through the daily selection of the family-owned shop’s nearly 80 rotating ice cream flavors that include no-sugar-added, vegan, and dairy-free options that are so delicious you’ll never notice what’s missing.
Click here to learn more.
Daisy's Treats & Bakery | 3748 Grand Boulevard, Brookfield
In addition to scooping up cups and cones, Daisy’s offers hand-dipped strawberries, custom cakes, and gourmet apples coated in sweet, thick, chewy caramel, rolled in pecans, M&M’s, Oreos, or peanut pieces, and drizzled with chocolate.
The closely guarded recipe for the daily pound cake” flavors and the name for this locally owned shop came from owner Wendy Moore’s mother, Daisy. Creations like “Daisy’s Dream Delight,” a chocolate mocha cake with vanilla ice cream and chocolate shell topping, give plenty of options to satisfy the most discerning sweet tooth.
A variety of ice cream flavors are available, including Majestic Milky Way, Cinnamon-y Churro, Strawberry Cheesecake, Rocky Road, Bubble Gum, Cotton Candy, and Praline pecan. Dairy-free ice cream, no-sugar-added options, and creamy soft serve are also available.
Click here to learn more.
La Michoacana de Brookfield | 9102 31st Street, Brookfield
The name "La Michoacana" refers to the Mexican state of Michoacán, renowned for its rich culinary traditions, including delicious ice cream and paletas (popsicles) flavors made primarily using fruit.
This brightly colored family-owned spot in Brookfield offers fresh homemade Michoacán-style ice cream in a wide selection of flavors — from the sublime (caramel, strawberries & cream, and cookie dough) to the extraordinary (tequila, monada, and pine nut) — and bright, fruity dairy-free paletas. Try this unique, refreshing frozen treat; you’ll never think about 31 flavors again.
Click here to learn more.
Brown Cow Ice Cream Parlor & Creamery | 7347 Madison Street, Forest Park
An old-fashioned soda fountain with some new-fangled ideas, Brown Cow boasts “from farm fresh cream to ice cream to you in just a few short days.” It offers super-premium ice cream crafted in small batches daily and strives to decrease its carbon footprint. Besides sourcing local ingredients (including cream from a local dairy), Brown Cow hires and trains people from the local community, chooses eco-friendly and compostable products, and focuses on seasonal ingredients, all while working toward becoming a zero-waste company.
One of the few Chicago-area ice cream shops that makes its ice cream on-site — stop by on a weekday afternoon to watch the ice cream being made! — Brown Cow is always creating new flavor combinations, utilizing fresh, seasonal fruit in the summer and warm spices in the fall for flavors such as gingerbread, eggnog, and apple cider donut. Favorites include blueberry with lemon curd, chocolate caramel pretzel, coffee toffee, and birthday cake.
A consensus favorite among locals since it opened in 2004, Brown Cow was named Illinois’ best in a state-by-state round-up of the best ice cream parlors in the U.S. by lovefood.com in May 2024.
Click here to learn more.
Twisted Cookie | 7401 Madison Street, Forest Park
Owner Joana Fischer started baking and testing cookies in her home kitchen before opening her “cookie café” in 2017, a place she dreamed of where you can sit down, relax alone or with a friend, and savor a delicious treat.
From espresso bar concoctions to milkshakes and sundaes, everything here is made fresh and created to compliment the flavors of the unique cookies that are baked daily.
In addition to their delicious ice cream treats, stop in and enjoy the peanut butter cup cupcake cookie that looks like a cupcake but tastes like a cookie, or the Oreo Cheesecake Cookie with a cookie crust that’s filled with cheesecake and topped with cookie crumbles.
The same magic is baked into the cookie pies with flaky cookie crust and pie fillings like pecan, apple, and triple berry; the decadent dipped and stuffed brownies; and cookie bark, their famous butter cookies topped with chocolate, salted caramel, coconut, and other favorites.
Click here to learn more.
Luna's Ice Cream Place | 9759 Franklin Avenue, Franklin Park
Going above and beyond, Luna’s Ice Cream Place serves incredibly delicious ice creams on top of a hot, fresh Liege waffle. With over 25 flavors of premium ice cream and more than two dozen toppings, the options are truly endless.
No dairy? No problem! They also serve three flavors of oat-based ice cream that can also be blended into milkshakes with your choice of oat, soy, or almond milk. This is an ice cream experience that everyone can enjoy.
Click here to learn more.
Tate's Old Fashioned Ice Cream | 25 South Ashland Avenue, La Grange
Within the beautiful streets of downtown La Grange, an irresistible aroma — ice cream made in-house and warm maple-y waffle cones — draws you into an old-fashioned, one-of-a-kind ice cream shop.
Tate’s has made its own ice cream for over 35 years, creating flavors inspired by the seasons and, often, by the customers. While owner Maria Marciniec never lacks the imagination necessary to create fresh and innovative flavors, she often refers to a board posted in the shop for guests to suggest new flavor ideas.
This is the perfect place for a scoop after a game, a meet-up with family and friends, or a go-to for to-go sweets and smoothies. You can’t go wrong with any of the flavors, made into a creamy milkshake, a towering sundae served with two spoons, or the perfect scoop for one.
Click here to learn more.
Maple Avenue Creamery | 1146 North Maple Avenue, La Grange Park
Stop by and try the Turtle Sundae (it's the owner's favorite!) after dinner at Bill's Place next door, a refreshing Hawaiian shaved ice after a day at the zoo, or a thick shake during a stroll through beautiful Downtown La Grange after an art festival, farmer's market, or holiday event.
Maple Avenue Creamery offers over 18 flavors of hand-packed ice cream, over ten toppings, and premium soft-serve ice cream, including chocolate, vanilla, or twist, in a full menu of ice cream creations!
Click here to learn more.
Andy’s Frozen Custard | 531 North La Grange Road, La Grange Park
Since 1986 in Osage Beach, Missouri, Andy’s Frozen Custard® has been using only the freshest ingredients to create unique frozen custard.
They offer a wide variety of treats, from rich vanilla and chocolate custard cones to sundaes, shakes, and concretes, including seasonal favorites like the strawberry shortcake sundae and the Blackberry Waffle-Jack Jackhammer (try the Cannoli Thunder, trust us!).
Click here to learn more.
Polar Bear
When it comes to supporting local businesses, Polar Bear in North Riverside has you covered in so many ways. Not only are they a small business themselves, but they also support our Midwestern partners—Wisconsin farmers. Since opening its doors in 1948, Polar Bear has served the Chicagoland area fresh custard and the highest-quality ice cream.
Not only do they serve delicious treats, but they also have a variety of food as well, like a breaded chicken sandwich with a side of delicious fries. The perfect combination of high-quality fast food and delicious ice cream.
There are a few tables outside so you can sit and enjoy!
Click here to learn more.
Ice Ice Baby | 7361 North Avenue, River Forest
Enjoy high-quality Valpo Velvet ice cream — made in the same Indiana location by the same family since 1947 — in a cup, on a cone, blended into a thick milkshake, or mixed with decadent toppings and rich syrups in an ice cream “Fusion.” Ice Ice Baby rotates more than 40 flavors through the freezer, and while some are seasonal classics, the 19 most popular flavors are always available by the scoop, by the pint, or in 48-oz tubs.
Beyond ice cream, Ice Ice Baby serves tasty sorbet (bright and tangy lemon, mango, and watermelon), ice cream sandwiches, yogurt parfaits, and smoothies. If you are looking for a meal to justify your dessert, there are delicious crepes, pancakes, a variety of subs, salads, soups, sandwiches, cakes, pies, brownies, and cookies (if your sweet tooth really craves attention).
This is also the only place in the area where you can enjoy Sri Lankan Falooda, a creamy dessert made with vermicelli, jelly, rose syrup, sabja seeds, milk, and ice cream popular in India, Pakistan, and the Middle East.
Click here to learn more.
Aunt Diana's Old Fashioned Fudge | 29 East Burlington Street, Riverside
At this old-fashioned candy shop, talented artisans make all the chocolate, fudge, and specialty creations on-site. Look for this summer’s heroes: chocolate cicadas that come in two varieties: plain for those who love smooth, rich chocolate, and extra crunchy, which includes Rice Krispies, for those looking for a realistic experience. A feast for the senses year-round, Aunt Diana’s also offers soft-serve ice cream in the summer months.
Click here to learn more.
London Ice Cream House | 38 East Avenue, Riverside
A newcomer to the neighborhood, when London Ice Cream House opened last summer, it was exactly the dessert parlor residents didn’t know they needed. Owner and Riverside local Sara Flores devised this charming, old-fashioned ice cream parlor. “I wanted to create a place where everyone feels comfortable hanging out and socializing,” Flores said. “It’s a place where families can spend time together and just enjoy a sweet treat.”
Besides traditional ice cream offerings, such as scoops in waffle cones, banana splits, and milkshakes, specialty items include unique flavors like guava, pomegranate, and hazelnut, and desserts such as macarons, tiramisu, and chocolate-covered strawberries, among other treats.
Click here to learn more.
Sawmilly Sandwich Shoppe | 35 East Burlington Street, Riverside
Known for its everything-from-scratch sandwiches, Sawmilly also offers 16 super-premium ice cream flavors, all made from 14% butterfat, 35-40% overrun, real cane sugar, and Wisconsin milk — that means it is rich and delicious!
Order your scoop as a single, double, triple, or (if you dare) a quad in a cup or a cone, topped with your choice of fruit, candy, sprinkles, sauce, whipped cream, or liqueur.
Click here to learn more.
Las Delicias de Michoacan | 1901 South Mannheim Road, Westchester
A family-run restaurant that stays true to its roots, Las Delicias de Michoacan, takes pride in providing the finest authentic Mexican treats, from hearty tortas and traditional snacks like elote and churros to refreshing fruit-infused aguas frescas.
Its specialty is the delightful paletas, handcrafted Mexican popsicles made with fresh fruits, rich creams, and unique flavors, that deliver a cold refreshing burst of flavor sure to bring down the temperature with every bite. Opt for classics like strawberry and mango or go exotic with tamarind or guava. Here, there's a paleta to please every palate.
Click here to learn more.
So get ready, because this summer, there’s plenty of places to try new ice cream. And you never know which one might just become your new favorite.