The best ice cream in South Devon

Nothing lets your taste buds know you’re on holiday more than that first lick of ice cream while enjoying a Devon view. But we’re not talking about the whippy kind. Not at all! You’re in Devon now, so only the finest frozen treats will do. Here’s where to find the best ice cream in South Devon (and why it’s so special).

If you’re still looking for your next holiday in South Devon, check out our range of holiday lets in Dartmouth.

Dartmouth Ice Cream

First up is one very close to our hearts: Dartmouth Ice Cream. It’s been creating homemade ice cream here in Dartmouth since 1928, making it one of the oldest ice cream companies in the South West of England.

It has more than 50 flavours in its armoury of sweet treats, including seasonal varieties for Christmas, Halloween, and Easter, all made with local milk.

If sorbet is more your thing, then Dartmouth Ice Cream does that too, as well as fudge and Devon food hampers, you can take home as a mouthwatering souvenir of your visit.

You can buy a scoop or three of Dartmouth Ice Cream at its flagship store, The Good Intent on Lower Street, its smaller ice cream shop on Duke Street, at the kiosk by Avenue Gardens or at Scoops Ice Cream Parlour on Fore Street in Kingsbridge.

Salcombe Dairy           

As the name suggests, this award-winning confectioner is based in the South Devon estuary town of Salcombe, where you can see its ice cream being made through the factory window before enjoying a cone in the outdoor cafe. It also has an ice cream parlour beside the Boat Float in Dartmouth and a cabin beside the Quay in Kingsbridge.

Salcombe’s ices are made with natural ingredients and milk from a local farm. 

They have won more than 60 awards over the years and the good news for people with allergies is they are egg and nut-free. They even have a dairy-free flavour made with passionfruit, mango, lime and coconut to give it a creamy taste. Yum!

While you’re tucking into a cone of Salcombe’s finest, you might also like to pick up a bar of their fairtrade, organic chocolate to take home for later.

Surfing Cow Ice Cream

While all our recommended ice cream places in South Devon use locally-produced milk, the Surfing Cow’s white stuff travels less than 100 metres from udder to ice cream parlour.

It has a herd of 450 Jersey-cross cows who graze in fields at South Battisborough Farm, with a pretty awesome view overlooking Mothecombe Beach. No wonder their ice creams are so scrummy.

In the parlour, you’ll find more than 20 regular flavours and often a few one-offs too. Small batch, artisan production is what the Surfing Cow specialises in.

Alongside the parlour, you’ll find other countryside attractions for visitors with children, like a maize maze, sunflower patch and pumpkins as the seasons change.

Orange Elephant Ice Cream Parlour 

If you happen to spot an Orange Elephant while driving along the A38 into South Devon, your eyes are not deceiving you. This happy-looking fellow is there to tempt you to sample the produce of nearby Taverners Farm.

It’s home to a herd of 300 Devonshire milking cows and Friesians who supply the milk to the farm’s Orange Elephant Ice Cream Parlour. Here you can visit the Elephant Barn for anything ranging from a single scoop to a sundae made to order with toppings galore.

The Orange Elephant is always a hit with families as it has a meadow with a playground and orchard to explore. During the summer months, there’s a Maize Maze. Find it in the Haldon Valley, south of Exeter.

More places to find South Devon ice cream

Not all producers of delicious Devon ice cream have parlours where you can order your dessert by the cone. So, if you’re looking for a taste of the West Country elsewhere, look out for ice creams made by Yard Farm, Langage Farm and The Cowlick Creamery, all based in South Devon.

For more inspiration for a foodie break in Devon, take a look at our guides to find the best food in South Devon, highly-recommended restaurants in Dartmouth and where to find farmers markets in South Devon.