Order: Graham Central Station + cookies-and-cream $5.50/scoop
Ohio-born chain with absurdly generous scoops and the best cookies-and-cream in town.
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Old Town Local Guide
The best ice cream in Old Town start with Handel's Homemade Ice Cream and Gelato Vero Caffè. Here's where locals actually go in 2026, what to order, and what you'll pay.
Last updated
Quick answer: Top picks: Handel's Homemade Ice Cream, Gelato Vero Caffè, Chocolat Cremerie.
Ohio-born chain with absurdly generous scoops and the best cookies-and-cream in town.
Neighborhood gelato spot with a legit espresso bar. The nutella + hazelnut affogato is the move.
Silky European-style gelato with nut-free and vegan sorbet options.
Portland import with monthly flavor drops and a legit vegan flight. Free tastings, no attitude.
The best classic scoop shop in San Diego. Real vanilla bean, real chocolate, made in-house.
The best ice cream shops sell out of popular flavors by mid-afternoon on weekends.
Salt & Straw's monthly flavor drop and vegan flight are both worth tracking.
PB is the late-night dessert neighborhood — The Baked Bear and Hammond's are open past 10.
Farmers markets are a cheat code for Viva Pops paletas and rotating micro-makers.
If you want gelato, Bobboi in La Jolla/UTC and Chocolat Cremerie in Hillcrest are the top picks.
In Old Town, Handel's Homemade Ice Cream is the local anchor for ice cream.
The best ice cream in Old Town include Handel's Homemade Ice Cream, Gelato Vero Caffè, Chocolat Cremerie. Handel's Homemade Ice Cream is the top local pick for Graham Central Station + cookies-and-cream, priced $5.50/scoop.
Locals point to Handel's Homemade Ice Cream as the best ice cream in Old Town — Ohio-born chain with absurdly generous scoops and the best cookies-and-cream in town.
Expect $5.50/scoop to $6 per person at the top ice cream spots in Old Town. Prices are current for 2026.
Yes — Old Town has ice cream options that work for visitors, including Handel's Homemade Ice Cream, Gelato Vero Caffè, Chocolat Cremerie. Most are casual and don't require a reservation, though weekend brunch and omakase counters are exceptions.
Neighborhood-level rankings for food, drinks, and coffee in Old Town.
Narrow it down to your neighborhood — locals' top ice cream picks, block by block.
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Written and fact-checked by the Sandi Spots Editorial team — San Diego residents publishing under Sleep Coast LLC. Every place we recommend has been visited in person or verified against an official source, and no business can pay for inclusion or a higher ranking. Last updated .