Philadelphia has an incredible dessert scene, and when it comes to ice cream sandwiches, the city offers everything from historic, nostalgic treats to towering, chef-driven creations.
Here are some of the absolute best spots in Philly to get your ice cream sandwich fix:
1. Weckerly’s Ice Cream (Fishtown & Rittenhouse)
If there is one name synonymous with ice cream sandwiches in Philadelphia, it’s Weckerly’s. They are famous for their thick, perfectly square ice cream sandwiches made with French-style (egg custard base) ice cream. The flavors rotate seasonally, highlighting local dairy and farm-fresh ingredients, and the cookies are baked in-house to ensure they remain perfectly soft and chewy even when frozen.
2. Famous Cookie Creamery (University City & Reading Terminal Market)
This spot is a match made in Philadelphia food heaven. The Famous Cookie Creamery is a collaboration between two legendary local brands: Famous 4th Street Cookie Company and Bassetts Ice Cream. You can mix and match any two freshly baked Famous 4th Street cookies (like their iconic chocolate chip or snickerdoodle) and sandwich a massive scoop of Bassetts ice cream right in the middle.
3. 1-900-ICE-CREAM (Rittenhouse & Fishtown)
If you want something massive and completely over-the-top, this is the place. Originally starting as an underground dessert operation, 1-900-ICE-CREAM has grown a cult following for their wildly inventive, heavily mixed-in pints and their gigantic ice cream cookie sandwiches. Expect flavors that taste like entire desserts shoved into one sandwich—like birthday cake batter ice cream stuffed between funfetti cookies.
4. Zsa’s Ice Cream (Mt. Airy)
Located on Germantown Avenue, Zsa’s focuses on small-batch, grass-grazed dairy ice cream. Their ice cream sandwiches are legendary, particularly the one featuring their sweet cream vanilla bean ice cream wedged between two chewy brown sugar chocolate chip cookies. For chocolate lovers, their dark chocolate wafer sandwich (rolled in cookie crumbs) is an incredible, elevated take on the classic cookies-and-cream profile.
5. The Franklin Fountain (Old City)
For a dose of nostalgia, head to this turn-of-the-century-style ice cream parlor on Market Street. While they are famous for their massive sundaes and old-school sodas, they also craft excellent ice cream sandwiches. You can get their homemade ice cream sandwiched between their fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies or brownies. (Tip: Check out the Franklin Ice Cream Bar next door for quicker service and pre-made, chocolate-dipped ice cream bars!)
6. Milk Jawn (East Passyunk & Northern Liberties)
Milk Jawn started as a hobby and quickly blossomed into an award-winning local favorite. They serve Philly-style ice cream (made without eggs for a brighter flavor), and they offer incredible ice cream sandwiches in their scoop shops. Their Earl Grey with honeycomb and vegan mango sticky rice are standout flavors that translate beautifully into sandwich form.
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