Exploring the Best of Toronto, Southern Ontario & Beyond

Happy Sunday, all! I hope everyone’s having a great Labour Day weekend.

While I know Labour Day is often considered the unofficial end of summer, I’m here with a very important PSA: we still have 15 whole days of summer left! That means at least two more weeks of beach days, drive-in movies and ice cream dates. One of my most popular posts on the blog is my 10 essential Toronto ice cream shops, so today I thought I’d widen the borders a little and bring you 10 of my favourite ice cream shops across Southern Ontario. From Niagara to the Kawarthas, these spots vary in location, but they all share the same three elements that make them Steph-approved: delicious treats, awesome staff, and (as if you even had to ask) every single one is ridiculously cute, charming and Insta-worthy. I’m so excited to share my favourite Southern Ontario ice cream shops with you – I hope you’ll love them as much as I do!

In This Post

• Avondale Dairy Bar – Niagara-on-the-Lake
• Twin’s Ice Cream Parlour – Port Rowan
• Shaw’s Dairy Bar – St. Thomas
• Slickers County Ice Cream – Prince Edward County
• The Dairy Dip & Pizza Place – Grand Bend
• RC’s Boardwalk Fries & Ice Cream Parlour – Burlington
• Dairee Delite – Brantford
• Bigley’s Sweet Treats – Bobcaygeon
• Harbourlight Delights – Cobourg
• The Parlour Dairy Bar – Hamilton

Avondale Dairy Bar – Niagara-on-the-Lake

Since 1955, this old-fashioned dairy bar has been satisfying sweet tooths with their homemade ice cream. Cones, shakes, floats, ice cream cakes… Avondale has it all, but you’d be remiss not to try one of their famous sundaes topped with fresh local fruit. The Niagara region grows some of Ontario’s best produce, and what better way to enjoy it than on top of ice cream!? I’m partial to their fresh strawberry and peach sundaes, topped with cherries, nuts and an ungodly amount of whipped cream. Indoor seating is limited, but there are several picnic benches outside where you can enjoy your ice cream with views of the surrounding fields.

Twin’s Ice Cream Parlour – Port Rowan

With its bright yellow exterior and lace-like gingerbread trim, this cheerful shop is the dollhouse of my childhood dreams. Located in Norfolk County in the pretty lakefront town of Port Rowan, Twin’s looks like it’s straight out of the 1950s, but it’s actually not that old. As a matter of fact, we happen to share a birthday (at least a birth month and year): the shop held its grand opening in July 1993. (Like I said, not that old… right??) According to the owners, “Twin’s was created to recapture days gone by” and it sure does! With rocking horses, vintage art and an eccentric collection of dolls and clown paraphernalia, the interior is charming verging on oddly creepy. And because you can take the girl out of Niagara but you can’t take Niagara out of the girl, my favourite Twin’s flavour is none other than their Niagara Peach. What can I say, I guess I have a type…

Shaw’s Dairy Bar – St. Thomas

Founded in 1948, this iconic ice cream shop is the oldest on this list. Nearly 80 years later, they still make their ice cream “the old fashioned way” using 100% fresh Canadian cream. You may recognize the Shaw’s name – it’s sold at grocery stores and in various ice cream shops around Ontario – but nothing beats a visit to their flagship location in St. Thomas. With a wide variety of innovative flavours, ranging from blueberry cheesecake to country pumpkin to sweet-and-salty pretzel, there’s something for everyone (including dairy-free and no-sugar-added options.) Click here for my full guide to the charming town of St. Thomas.

Slickers County Ice Cream – Prince Edward County

My aunt and uncle have lived in PEC for decades, so some of my favourite childhood memories are of summers in the County: afternoons on my uncle’s sailboat, beach days at Sandbanks, and of course, trips to Slickers. Their small-batch artisanal ice cream is made daily from scratch, and they’re famous for their uniquely delicious flavours – their most popular is Campfire Cream, which is made from real toasted marshmallows. My personal favourite? Apple Pie: vanilla ice cream mixed with actual pieces of freshly baked pie. They have two locations in the County – Picton and Bloomfield – so there’s plenty of opportunities to get your Slickers fix. For more Prince Edward County content – including my guides to Picton and Bloomfield – click here.

The Dairy Dip & Pizza Place – Grand Bend

This classic spot has been run by the same family since 1960! If you’re like me and love all things retro, you’ll love this place: with its vintage branding and pink neon signage, it’s straight out of Grease. The patio is decorated with the cutest pink umbrellas and black-and-white photographs from The Dairy Dip’s past. They sell all of your classic ice cream treats, from cones and sundaes to milkshakes and floats, along with fruit smoothies and frozen lemonade. And, there’s pizza! The owners claim to have used the same family pizza recipe ever since they opened in 1960, and if the permanently long line down the block is any indication, it’s clearly a winner. Click here for my full guide to Grand Bend (one of my favourite Ontario beach towns!)

RC’s Boardwalk Fries & Ice Cream Parlour – Burlington

Located in downtown Burlington right by the waterfront, this retro-style shop is a favourite among beach-goers and lake-strollers. Its candy-pink walls are lined with black-and-white photographs, old concert posters, vintage tin signs and other kitschy memorabilia. There’s even a working jukebox and an ice cream cone-shaped counter. This article claims the restaurant that previously occupied the space was visited by Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield – a ‘fact’ that seems to have zero factual evidence, but I’m happy to suspend my disbelief just for the vibes. I recently took my parents here for the first time and they loved it. Their coconut ice cream is delicious (my mom agrees!)

Dairee Delite – Brantford

This self-described “50s style ice cream shop” has been delighting Brantfordians since 1953. It’s takeout only and you can expect long lines in the summer, but I promise it’s worth the wait! Dairee Delite is famous for their over-the-top “delite” sundaes, which range from classic banana splits and Oreo sundaes to more innovative creations like the Black Forest Delite (served with cherries and a swiss roll), Peanut Butter Triple Threat (as dangerous as it sounds), and Strawberry Shortcake Delite (a literal strawberry shortcake loaded with mounds of vanilla ice cream and fresh strawberries.)

Bigley’s Sweet Treats – Bobcaygeon

So, Bigley’s is kind of a big deal in the Kawarthas. Their massive clothing, shoes and home goods store occupies a prime piece of real estate on Bobcaygeon’s main street, and their website proudly declares them “home of 40,000 pairs of shoes and 25,000 swimsuits.” So if you forget to bring your bikini or flip flops to the cottage, chances are, Bigley’s got you covered. Personally, I’m a big fan of their home decor section – they have the cutest kitchenware! And when browsing through 40,000 pairs of shoes inevitably works up an appetite, pop next door to Bigley’s Sweet Treats for a sundae. I discovered Bigley’s through a Guess Where Trips adventure and it was the perfect sweet ending to our fun-filled day. And naturally, they serve Kawartha Dairy ice cream (anything else would be sacrilegious!) For my full guide to Bobcaygeon – “the hub of the Kawarthas” – click here.

Harbourlight Delights – Cobourg

With its cheery yellow facade, pastel blue shutters and kitschy sundae-themed bench, this precious ice cream parlour is impossible to miss. Located in the charming town of Cobourg just steps from the beach, they serve Shaw’s Ice Cream in a variety of flavours, along with funnel cakes and savoury treats like burgers, fries and poutine. My first visit to Harbourlight Delights was on a family trip with my parents and grandma when I was around seven or eight years old. I returned five years ago, and I’m thrilled to report that absolutely nothing had changed. Seriously, if it ain’t broke…

The Parlour Dairy Bar – Hamilton

The Parlour’s hot pink exterior made me a superfan before I even tried a bite of ice cream (but luckily, it turns out their ice cream is just as fabulous!) Located on Hamilton Mountain, this Barbie-worthy spot is known for their decadent milkshakes and specialty sundaes with ridiculously fun toppings. I got the Party Girl sundae, which has funfetti ice cream, rainbow sprinkles, sour rope and actual pieces of funfetti birthday cake – and it was definitely celebration-worthy. Just proof that sometimes, you actually can judge a book by its cover.

I hope this list gives you some sweet inspiration for squeezing every last, delicious moment out of summer! For even more local ice cream inspo, check out my 10 favourite Toronto ice cream shops here. If there’s any spots I missed, please drop your recommendations in the comments or send me an email – I’m always looking for new spots to try.

Thanks for reading, and have a wonderful rest of your long weekend!