15 coolest ice cream and gelato shops in Auckland

Maybe it’s the salty air drifting in from the harbours, the warm golden summers, or the creativity of local makers, but Auckland has an obsession with scoops that spans every season.

From small-batch gelato and creative flavour labs to nostalgic dairy counters and iconic beachside stops, Auckland’s ice-cream scene is worth travelling for.

Whether you’re visiting from across the ditch or exploring your own backyard, here are 15 not-to-miss ice cream and gelato shops across Tāmaki Makaurau, each serving something special.

1. Giapo

This is Auckland’s most imaginative ice-cream experience. Giapo turns scoops into sculpture, drawing visitors from around the world for its “dessert as art” creations. Expect wearable cones, intricate chocolate shells, and flavours built around storytelling. A must-try is the colossal Sky Tower Cone or their Brookie Pie (brownie + cookie) served hot.

2. Whites Dairy

Whites Dairy is the kind of place that becomes a core summertime memory. An unassuming corner store in Devonport, it’s long been famous for dishing up some of Auckland’s biggest scoops – proper, old-school dairy cones stacked sky-high with classic Tip Top flavours.

Their claim to fame is the 10-scoop cone. Pick your flavour stack and then wander towards Torpedo Bay, where the naval museum, pohutukawa-lined waterfront and sea breeze make the perfect backdrop for the melting challenge ahead.

3. Mövenpick Mission Bay

Mövenpick sits right on the Mission Bay strip, perfectly placed for a scoop before or after a stroll along Tamaki Drive Coastal Path. The appeal is the Swiss-style richness, with creamy decadent flavours. Choose your scoop, then take it across the road to the beach, find a spot on the sea wall, and enjoy the best kind of Mission Bay ritual: ice cream, sea breeze, Rangitoto Island in view.

4. Duck Island

Duck Island’s Ponsonby scoop store runs with a 24-flavour cabinet, so choosing feels like a genuine dilemma. You’ll see long-time favourites like white chocolate & miso, toasted marshmallow and fairy bread sitting alongside whatever new ideas the team has been testing that week.

They’re also known for ice-cream sandwiches, including solid vegan and gluten-free options. The chocolate peanut butter & jelly sandwich tends to disappear first, usually because someone “just grabbing a scoop” spots it and changes their plan.

5. The Gelato Workshop

Inspired by Italy but proudly local to Birkenhead, The Gelato Workshop churns fresh, award-winning gelato in-store every day, using seasonal ingredients to create both Kiwi favourites and inventive specials.

Their cabinets are full of gelato, sorbet and frozen yoghurt, along with the occasional new flavour they’re trialling on regulars. They also serve brownies, shakes and sundaes, and cater well for different dietary needs with dairy-free, gluten-free and vegan options.

6. Ollies Ice Cream & Eatin’ House

Ollies has been part of Royal Oak since the 1970s, and it still feels like the kind of place you’d have begged to stop at as a kid. Inside, it’s got classic diner energy: booths, bright signs, and a menu that hasn’t forgotten the joy of a good scoop. They serve ice cream, sundaes, thickshakes and floats, with all the nostalgic flavours you’d expect and portions that err on the generous side.

7. Scrunchy Millers

At Scrunchy Millers in Milford, you choose the base – ice cream, frozen yoghurt or dairy-free – and then pile in as many fruits as you want to spin into your own delicious real fruit blend.

Alongside the fruit blends, the cabinets carry gelato and sorbetto, with nostalgic favourites like Goody Good Yum Drops, Pineapple Lumps, Toffee Pops, Rocky Road and so many more (yes, you’ll need a couple of scoops!).

8. Pistackio

Pistackio is serious about gelato done the Italian way, keeping the menu intentionally small so each flavour gets the attention it deserves. Everything is made with real ingredients for an authentic result, and the focus is firmly on quality over quantity.

It’s the place to treat yourself to the real deal: smooth, simple, done properly. The shop itself is cute and colourful, right in the heart of Mount Eden Village, and the place to stop when you want gelato that feels thoughtfully made rather than overloaded with options.

9. Charlies Gelato

Charlies Gelato makes all of its award-winning gelato and sorbetto the traditional Italian way: from scratch and in very small batches. Over the past decade they’ve built out a mix of old favourites and new flavours, and with around 40 options on display, choosing just one is genuinely the hardest part of the stop.

This Matakana spot has a relaxed, garden setting that suits the pace of the area, making it an easy stop between the markets, nearby vineyards or a trip to the coast.

10. Little ‘Lato

Little ‘Lato is known for small-batch gelato made with a lot of care and a big focus on flavour. The Ponsonby cabinet always carries a mix of classics, seasonal specials and inventive collabs, along with a strong selection of vegan and dairy-free options that stand up perfectly alongside the traditional gelato.

The texture is smooth, the flavours are balanced, and the range shifts often enough to make each visit feel a little different.

11. Miann

Miann isn’t a traditional scoop shop, but it is a dessert spot with a strong reputation for ice cream and chocolate-inspired creations. Their gelato is made in-house and often paired with the chocolates and pastries they’re best known for. They also make gelato cakes, which are exactly what they sound like: rich, glossy and built to impress.

12. Penguino

Right on the Browns Bay beachfront, Penguino has been scooping freshly made gelato for the local community for more than 20 years. Flavours span creamy classics, bright sorbets and kid-approved combinations which are perfect fuel for running in and out of the waves.

13. Takapuna Beach Cafe

Takapuna Beach Café regularly shows up on “best gelato in Auckland” lists, and its location does half the talking – the gelato counter is just steps from the sand. They make their gelato on-site, with a mix of classics and bright, seasonal flavours that suit the coastal setting.

It’s an easy choice for a post-swim scoop or a walk-along-the-water treat, and the steady line outside on warm days says everything you need to know.

14. Island Gelato Co.

Across its five Auckland stores, Island Gelato Co. serves 24 award-winning, freshly churned flavours every day. Twenty are permanent classics made with top-quality ingredients, and four rotate weekly as new specials, and yes, you can try as many as you like before deciding.

Everything is made from scratch in their production kitchen using local New Zealand milk and fruit, with no pre-made pastes or artificial flavourings. They also collaborate with local favourites like Pic’s Peanut Butter, Allpress Coffee and Perfectly Imperfect to create flavours that feel genuinely connected to Aotearoa.

15. Gelatiamo

Gelatiamo has been part of Wynyard Quarter’s waterfront since 2011, just along from the Viaduct. Their approach is simple: let the gelato speak for itself. No heavy toppings, no distractions, just flavour.

They import high-quality Italian ingredients, blend them with fresh New Zealand milk, and make everything in their on-site kitchen.

The result is a delicious line-up of gelato and sorbet, crafted with the precision and consistency of chefs who’ve earned plenty of awards (and loyal customers) for their work.