Move over, chocolate and strawberry. It’s not that you’re boring, it’s just that Virginia’s small batch scoopers are churning out so many flavors that it makes plain old vanilla seem, well, vanilla.
In the Old Dominion, we found that Scoop in Richmond’s Fan District is out of this world, with flavor bombs like Tahini & Halva and Cardamom Pistachio proving irresistible. Another River City spotlight shines on Ruby Scoops, which offers vegan and sorbet options, in addition to dairy. How does Hot Honey Cornbread, Grasshopper Pie, and Thai Basil ice cream sound? The menu changes weekly at Spotty Dog in Church Hill. Lemon Poppyseed, Cappuccino & Biscotti, or Black Pepper & Hot Honeycomb, anyone?
Photos by Justin Chesney (Thanks For Looking Studio)
The Dairy Godmother’s frozen custard is a standout in Alexandria. Their vanilla-forward Mozambique flavor is seasoned with cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, or, for a sweet and spice adventure, Marshmallow Chai satisfies. Toby’s in Vienna scoops up flavors like Ube, Green Tea, and tastes of Southeast Asia like Calamansi Sorbet and Macapuno Sherbet, as owner Toby Bantug leans into his Filipino heritage. Blue Cow, headquartered in Roanoke, with additional locations in Virginia Beach, Richmond, and Fredericksburg, serves small-batch ice cream including Goat Cheese Blueberry Swirl, Triple Berry Crisp, and Strawberry Balsamic, with dairy-free options available, too. In Gloucester, at the old-fashioned Short Lane Ice Cream, the extensive menu might include Avocado, Hidden Valley Ranch with Bacon, Old Bay, or Honey Lavender.
At Klines Dairy Bar, fresh ice cream is made every morning in each of their seven locations across the state. The first dairy bar opened in Harrisonburg in 1943 and the tradition continues in McGaheysville, Staunton, Lynchburg, Waynesboro, and Chesterfield, with deeply delicious flavors like Honey Vanilla Crunch and Lemon Gingersnap being posted to their five-month Flavor Forecast. Rookies in Forest, Lynchburg, Charlottesville, and Cave Spring make their own “Crack,” possibly illegal in some ice cream circles—an addictive concoction of salted caramel ice cream, Saltines, gooey caramel, and slabs of chocolate. Still wishy-washy? Rookies also offers ice cream flights that include four mini scoops for the undecided. But it’s their ice cream sandwiches that have made them famous—and absolutely tops if they’re ordered warmed in a skillet with toppings.
This article originally appeared in the August 2025 issue.
