Which Columbus ice cream is better?

Lists disagree, and one reader poll put the Cincinnati brand ahead of the North Market brand. The first is dense with large chunks, and the second is smooth with unusual flavors, so taste both in Columbus, and add the Bexley family shop for a third opinion, using the same plain flavor at each.

Which national ice cream brand started in Columbus?

One started with a stall at North Market in Columbus and has since grown into a national brand, but the first scoops were sold in Ohio's capital. Rate its flavors by the dish to compare them with the local shops.

How long has the Bexley ice cream shop been in business?

A family shop in Bexley says it has been in business since 1950, and its original Bexley shop is still operating. It is the Columbus family shop in the three-way argument, and the Bexley shop is a short drive from downtown.

What's the best way to keep track of the Columbus ice cream I try?

Mosey is a food app where you rate places by the dish, keep lists and share them with friends. Rate each Columbus scoop by the dish, add a tag such as Dessert, and share a list. Follow friends to see what they rate.

What is a buckeye candy?

A buckeye is a ball of peanut butter fudge dipped in chocolate, leaving a circle of peanut butter showing, shaped like the nut of the Ohio buckeye tree. Compare the same plain flavor at each Columbus shop.

Dish guide

Best Ice Cream in Columbus Ohio: Scoops and Sweets

Mosey · November 11, 2026 · 4 min read

The best ice cream in Columbus Ohio is argued over like a sports team. Three kinds of shop dominate: one that started as a stall at North Market and grew into a national brand, one that came up from Cincinnati with a famous black raspberry chip and a family shop that says it has long served central Ohio.

Fans disagree on whether the Cincinnati classic or the North Market brand comes first. Compare the same plain flavor at each shop, let it melt on your tongue and drink water between scoops.

What is the best ice cream in Columbus Ohio?

There is no single answer, and the lists disagree. One reader poll put the Cincinnati classic ahead of the North Market brand, and a Reddit thread favored one or the other depending on the neighborhood. A food site tasted fall flavors from all three side by side and chose a favorite, which shows how close the contest is.

The best approach is to taste all three. Order the same flavor at each, a vanilla or a chocolate, to compare the base.

How do the Cincinnati classic and the North Market brand compare?

That is the debate you will hear first. The Cincinnati brand has several Columbus-area locations. Its black raspberry chip, with big chunks of chocolate, is famous across the country. The ice cream is dense and made in small batches in French pot freezers.

The North Market brand began with a stall in North Market and now has several stores in Columbus. It is known for unusual flavors and a smooth, creamy texture. If you like surprises, start there. If you like classic flavors with chunks, start with the Cincinnati brand.

What is the family ice cream shop in Bexley?

A family-run business says it has served central Ohio since 1950, and its original Bexley shop still operates. The flavors range from the classic to the seasonal, and the ice cream tastes of cream and sugar with little else added.

A visit to the Bexley shop feels like a trip into the past, with a counter, a menu board and a short line that moves quickly. Order a cone and walk the street. It is a good counterpoint to the more modern shops.

How do you taste ice cream like a judge?

Start with the look: it should be smooth, not icy, with a glossy surface. Smell it. Take a small spoon and let it melt on your tongue. Notice the sweetness first, then the dairy, then the flavor. Good ice cream should feel creamy but not greasy, and it should leave a clean aftertaste.

Taste the plain flavors before the loaded ones. A vanilla that tastes of vanilla shows the quality of the base. Drink water between scoops to reset the palate.

Where are the Columbus donuts?

Columbus donuts take a back seat to ice cream, but a good one is worth a stop. Read recent reviews, then taste for yourself, since a ranking is not a taste test.

Eat a donut fresh, within an hour of leaving the fryer. Ask which flavor sells out first, and take half a dozen to share. The Salt Lake City pizza guide uses the same logic of tasting by style.

What other Columbus sweets should you try?

Columbus sweets include bakeries, candy shops and cafes across the city. Buckeye candies, a ball of peanut butter fudge dipped in chocolate so that a circle of peanut butter shows on top, are the state's signature sweet, and they appear in shops and at holidays. Look for them in local candy counters.

Ask a bakery what is made that morning. A good pastry case turns over daily. Some shops run out of their best items by noon.

How do you plan a day of sweets?

Choose three stops and share each order. Start with a donut and coffee in the morning. Walk, then try a scoop at one ice cream shop in the afternoon. Finish with a second shop after dinner. Drink water and eat something savory in between, or you will feel unwell.

Check hours before you go, because ice cream shops may keep different hours by season. Some close earlier in winter, and holiday days vary. The US guides hub lists more regional dessert pages. Bring a cooler bag if you plan to carry a pint home, and ask the shop how long it will keep. Pints travel best in the first hour, and a car on a warm day is a poor freezer, so save the shopping for the end of the outing.

How do you keep track of your favorites?

Write down the flavor, the shop and one word. After a few visits you will see patterns. You may find that you prefer a dense scoop over a fluffy one, or that you like fruit flavors more than chocolate. The Lexington guide shows how to organize a food trip around local specialties.

Once you have tasted your way through, get the Mosey app, rate every scoop and build a list of Columbus ice cream you would defend in an argument.

Questions

Common questions

Which Columbus ice cream is better?
Lists disagree, and one reader poll put the Cincinnati brand ahead of the North Market brand. The first is dense with large chunks, and the second is smooth with unusual flavors, so taste both in Columbus, and add the Bexley family shop for a third opinion, using the same plain flavor at each.
Which national ice cream brand started in Columbus?
One started with a stall at North Market in Columbus and has since grown into a national brand, but the first scoops were sold in Ohio's capital. Rate its flavors by the dish to compare them with the local shops.
How long has the Bexley ice cream shop been in business?
A family shop in Bexley says it has been in business since 1950, and its original Bexley shop is still operating. It is the Columbus family shop in the three-way argument, and the Bexley shop is a short drive from downtown.
What's the best way to keep track of the Columbus ice cream I try?
Mosey is a food app where you rate places by the dish, keep lists and share them with friends. Rate each Columbus scoop by the dish, add a tag such as Dessert, and share a list. Follow friends to see what they rate.
What is a buckeye candy?
A buckeye is a ball of peanut butter fudge dipped in chocolate, leaving a circle of peanut butter showing, shaped like the nut of the Ohio buckeye tree. Compare the same plain flavor at each Columbus shop.