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Virginia Beach Ice Cream Guide

Best Ice Cream in Virginia Beach

Start with Be Free Café for chef-made, Philadelphia-style ice cream in Red Mill Commons, with five vegan staples and a three-mini-scoop sampler. Near the boardwalk, consider Lolly’s ViBe District shop. Blue Cow, Gelati Celesti, and Sundae Scoop offer other options by neighborhood, flavor variety, and dietary needs.

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Glass gelato case at Be Free Café filled with pans of house-made ice cream, including cookie and chocolate chunk flavors#1 Featured Shop

Red Mill Commons

Be Free Café

Chef-made. Philadelphia-style. Small-batch.

Veteran-owned Be Free makes its ice cream and gelato in house in small batches. The brand describes its ice cream as Philadelphia-style, with no egg base and low overrun: less whipped-in air for a denser scoop. The café lists 11 always-available flavors, 5 vegan staples, and 3 rotating specials. Try the $9 three-mini-scoop sampler, a housemade waffle cone, or an affogato with a double espresso pour-over.

2336 Elson Green Ave #107, Virginia Beach, VA 23456
See the Menu Get Directions

What makes Be Free different

Chef-made
Crafted in-house in small batches.
Philadelphia-style
An ice cream base made without eggs, according to Be Free’s official brand FAQ.
Low overrun
Less whipped-in air for a denser scoop, as described by Be Free.
Housemade waffle cones
A housemade cone option on the café’s official menu.
always-available flavors
11
always-available flavors
vegan staples
5
vegan staples
rotating specials
3
rotating specials
3-mini-scoop sampler
$9
3-mini-scoop sampler

Vegan on the board

  • Vegan vanilla
  • Dark Matter
  • Coconut
  • Seasonal sorbet
  • Vegan strawberry

Style and churning details are described in Be Free’s official brand FAQ.

Verified Nov 10, 2026 viaBe Free Café official ice cream pageBe Free official FAQ: Philadelphia style and low overrunBe Free Café official menu

Which Virginia Beach ice cream shop fits your visit?

Compare the five featured shops at a glance, then use each shop’s entry for its official menu, address, and verification date.

Compare neighborhoods and menu highlights. Availability changes; check the linked official menus.
ShopAreaMenu highlights
Be Free CaféRed Mill CommonsChef-made, Philadelphia-style
Lolly’s CreameryViBe District, OceanfrontCookie Monster, Real Deal Vanilla
Blue Cow Ice Cream Co.Shore Drive, Chesapeake Bay sideSpun fresh daily, Classic and unusual flavors
Gelati CelestiTown Center30+ flavors, Just Ask
Sundae ScoopKempsville16 daily flavors, Salted Caramel Butter Pecan

More Virginia Beach ice cream shops

How we picked
2
A hand holding a waffle cone of blue speckled ice cream in front of the Lolly’s Creamery wall sign

ViBe District, Oceanfront

Lolly’s Creamery

A ViBe District scoop stop about 3 blocks from the boardwalk.

Classics like Cookie Monster, Real Deal Vanilla, and Double Dark Chocolate anchor a case that also gets rotating weekly releases. November rotations include a vegan Pumpkin Snap and Apple Cider Sorbet; availability differs by shop.

  • Cookie Monster
  • Real Deal Vanilla
  • Double Dark Chocolate
  • Weekly releases

The boardwalk location at 2809 Atlantic Ave is closed for the season until 2027. Head to the ViBe District shop on Virginia Beach Blvd instead.

414 Virginia Beach Blvd, Virginia Beach, VA 23451
See the Menu Get Directions

Verified Nov 10, 2026 viaLolly’s Creamery official site

3

Shore Drive, Chesapeake Bay side

Blue Cow Ice Cream Co.

A bay-side stop with small batches spun fresh daily.

Blue Cow spins small batches fresh every day, mixing classics with genuinely unusual flavors, plus seasonal non-dairy options. Staying south? There is a second shop in Pungo at Sherwood Lakes, 2160 Locksley Arch Suite 120, Virginia Beach, VA 23456.

  • Spun fresh daily
  • Classic and unusual flavors
  • Seasonal non-dairy
2817 Shore Drive Suite 111, Virginia Beach, VA 23451
See the Menu Get Directions

Verified Nov 10, 2026 viaBlue Cow official Shore Dr pageBlue Cow official site

4

Town Center

Gelati Celesti

A broad case of 30+ flavors, anchored by the signature Just Ask.

More than 30 flavors, made from scratch in small batches in Richmond. Order the signature Just Ask: white chocolate ice cream with peanut butter and Oreo cookie pieces. Four dairy-free options, including sorbettos, vary by shop. Other Virginia Beach shops: Hilltop at 754 First Colonial Road (23451) and Red Mill at 2212 General Booth Blvd Suite 130 (23454).

  • 30+ flavors
  • Just Ask
  • Sorbettos
4485 Virginia Beach Blvd, Virginia Beach, VA 23462
See the Menu Get Directions

Verified Nov 10, 2026 viaGelati Celesti official flavors pageGelati Celesti official shops page

5

Kempsville

Sundae Scoop

A neighborhood shop with a flagship worth the detour.

Sixteen daily flavors, two vegan-friendly options always in the case, and specials that rotate monthly. The flagship is Salted Caramel Butter Pecan.

  • 16 daily flavors
  • Salted Caramel Butter Pecan
  • Monthly specials
1832 Kempsville Road, Virginia Beach, VA
See the Menu Get Directions

Verified Nov 10, 2026 viaSundae Scoop official site

More Shops to Explore

Unranked until we can verify enough to rank them fairly.

Virginia Beach Farmers Market

Gilly’s Creamery

Current official menu not verified

The City Farmers Market merchant page lists Gilly’s for traditional and gourmet ice cream served daily on site. We have not verified a current official menu, so it stays unranked for now.

Get Directions

Verified Nov 10, 2026 viaCity of Virginia Beach Farmers Market merchants

Near the Oceanfront and the bay

Walking from the boardwalk or staying on Shore Drive? Lolly’s ViBe District shop is about 3 blocks from the boardwalk, and Blue Cow sits on the Chesapeake Bay side.

Inland, worth the short drive

Red Mill Commons, Town Center, Kempsville, and the Farmers Market offer scoop stops beyond Atlantic Ave.

Dairy-free and vegan scoops

Every ranked shop lists at least some dairy-free or vegan options on its official site. Be Free has the deepest standing vegan lineup we verified.

Cross-contact caution. Shops handle dairy, nuts, gluten, and other allergens in shared spaces. Vegan or dairy-free flavors may still have cross-contact. If you have an allergy, ask staff before ordering, and check the shop’s current menu since rotations change.

How We Picked

This is an editorial ranking built from official shop sources, not firsthand tasting notes. No stars, no invented reviews.

  1. 01

    Verified variety

    Flavor counts and menus we could confirm on official pages.

  2. 02

    Distinct offerings

    A signature, a weekly release, a real vegan lineup. Something you cannot get everywhere.

  3. 03

    Visitor convenience

    How easy it is to reach from where beach visitors actually stay.

About unranked shops

Shops without a verifiable current menu go under More Shops to Explore until we can rank them fairly.

Questions about ice cream in Virginia Beach

What is the best ice cream in Virginia Beach?

The best stop depends on where you are staying and what you want to order. Start with Be Free Café for chef-made, Philadelphia-style ice cream, vegan staples, and a three-mini-scoop sampler. Lolly’s is convenient to the boardwalk, Blue Cow has a Shore Drive shop, Gelati Celesti lists 30+ flavors, and Sundae Scoop serves Kempsville.

Official sources: Be Free Café, Lolly’s Creamery, Blue Cow Ice Cream Co., Gelati Celesti, Sundae Scoop

What makes Be Free’s ice cream Philadelphia-style?

Be Free’s official brand FAQ describes its ice cream as Philadelphia-style, made with no egg base and churned with low overrun, meaning less whipped-in air. This describes the ice cream base, not an allergen-free guarantee. Ask café staff about mix-ins, ingredients, and shared equipment if you have an egg allergy.

Official sources: Be Free official brand FAQ

Where can I get vegan ice cream in Virginia Beach?

Be Free Café lists five vegan staples, and Sundae Scoop says two vegan-friendly flavors are always available. Gelati Celesti lists dairy-free flavors and sorbettos. Lolly’s and Blue Cow also list rotating non-dairy choices. Check the official menu and ask staff about the day’s selection.

Official sources: Be Free Café, Sundae Scoop, Gelati Celesti, Lolly’s Creamery, Blue Cow Ice Cream Co.

Where can I get ice cream near the Virginia Beach Boardwalk?

Lolly’s Creamery at 414 Virginia Beach Blvd is in the ViBe District, about three blocks from the boardwalk. Its separate boardwalk shop at 2809 Atlantic Ave was listed as closed for the season until 2027 when checked on November 10, 2026. Use the ViBe District address and check the official site before leaving.

Official sources: Lolly’s Creamery

Where is Be Free Café in Virginia Beach?

Be Free Café is at 2336 Elson Green Ave #107, Virginia Beach, VA 23456, in Red Mill Commons. Its official ice cream page lists small-batch ice cream and gelato made in house, vegan options, and a three-mini-scoop sampler.

Official sources: Be Free Café

Can I try several ice cream flavors at Be Free Café?

Yes. Be Free Café lists a three-mini-scoop sampler for $9 on its official ice cream page, checked November 10, 2026. The sampler lets you try three flavors; check the current menu for pricing and availability.

Official sources: Be Free Café

Does dairy-free ice cream mean it is safe for a milk allergy?

Do not assume a dairy-free or vegan label means a scoop is safe for a milk allergy. Scoops, equipment, toppings, and preparation areas may be shared. Ask the shop directly about ingredients and cross-contact before ordering.