14 Best Ice Cream Shops in Singapore: Gelato, Boozy Durian & Which Scoop Is Worth It (2026)

Singapore's ice cream scene runs from botanical gelato in Katong to Mao Shan Wang durian scoops off Novena, with plenty of house-baked waffles along the way. A single scoop mostly costs about $4 to $7.50, a waffle sits around $6, and a durian or superfood tub climbs to $17 or more. The base, the flavours and whether they churn small batches are what separate these shops from the mall counters. Here are 14 spots worth the trip, each re-checked in August 2026, with its area, a current price and the one thing it does well.

How we chose: we started from the ice cream and gelato shops people actually make a trip for, then re-checked each in August 2026 for its current outlets, a scoop price and its opening hours. We corrected a couple of addresses that had gone stale, noted which are gelato versus richer scoop-shop ice cream, and flagged the dietary and late-night options. We ranked by what each does best for the price, not by how pretty the shopfront is.

In a hurry? Our quick picks

• Best overall gelato: Birds of Paradise, botanical flavours and Michelin-listed.
• Cheapest artisan scoop: Geometry Gelato, from about $3.20.
• Late-night: Lickers near Kovan, open to 2am.
• Vegan / dairy-free: Kind Kones, fully plant-based.

At a glance

Shop	Area	Scoop	What it does
Birds of Paradise	Katong	~$5.50	Botanical gelato
Gelato Messina	Telok Ayer	$7.50	Cult gelato, 40 flavours
Apiary	Neil Road	~$5.90	Handmade small-batch
Dopa Dopa Creamery	Tanjong Pagar	from ~$4	Nut-forward + croissant
Hundred Acre Creamery	Tampines	~$4.50	Gelato + Viet coffee
Geometry Gelato	Bukit Merah	~$3.20	All-natural, cheapest
Udders	Novena	~$4.90	Asian & boozy
The Daily Scoop	Holland Village	~$5	Since 2004
Kind Kones	Orchard	~$4.90	Vegan / dairy-free
Salted Caramel	Upper Thomson	~$3.80	Egg-free gelato
Celine's Gelato	Novena	from ~$6	Milk-based, lighter
Mrs Plump's	Chinatown	~$4.90	Superfood, date-sweet
Lickers	Kovan	~$4.70	Late-night + waffles
The Dancing Elephant	Sin Ming	~$3.50–5	Weekend small-batch

1. Birds of Paradise Gelato Boutique — Katong

Photo: Google Maps

Birds of Paradise builds its gelato around flowers, herbs, spices and nuts, so you get sea salt hojicha, white chrysanthemum and lychee raspberry rather than the usual line-up. The waffle cones are made in-shop and carry a faint thyme fragrance. Founded by Edwin Lim in 2015, it now runs about seven boutiques islandwide, from the East Coast Road flagship to Jewel Changi Airport, Holland Piazza and VivoCity.

• Go for: a botanical flavour you cannot get elsewhere, like white chrysanthemum or sea salt hojicha, in the house-made thyme cone. Order two scoops to compare.
• Worth it: the standout gelato in Singapore for its flavours alone, and Michelin-listed for good reason. Worth the small premium if you want something beyond chocolate and vanilla.
• Where: East Coast Road (Katong) flagship, plus Jewel, Holland Piazza, VivoCity and more.

2. Gelato Messina — Telok Ayer

Photo: Google Maps

Messina is the Sydney name people queued for on holiday, and it opened its first Singapore store on Club Street in May 2025. There are 40 flavours at any time: 35 permanent classics like Pistachio Praline and Salted Caramel with White Chocolate, plus five weekly specials. The reason to come here is the Singapore-exclusive list, with kaya toast, tau huay, teh tarik and salted egg yolk done properly.

• Go for: the Singapore-exclusive flavours, kaya toast or teh tarik, rather than the classics you can get at the Sydney stores. Ask what the five weekly specials are.
• Worth it: the pick when you want the cult brand and the local-flavour twist, and do not mind the $7.50 top-of-range scoop. The exclusives are what justify the price here.
• Where: 1 Club Street, Telok Ayer.

3. Apiary — Neil Road

Photo: Google Maps

Apiary makes its ice cream from scratch each day and serves it in an intimate little shop that is easy to share a dessert in. The waffles are baked on site to their own recipe, and there is coffee and tea too. Regulars single out the Sicilian Pistachio and the black sesame for how rich they are; premium flavours add about 50 cents. The Joo Chiat outlet has closed, so Neil Road is the one to head for.

• Go for: the Sicilian Pistachio or black sesame, the two regulars rate highest, with a freshly baked waffle. Premium flavours are a small top-up.
• Worth it: the choice for a cosy sit-down dessert made fresh daily, rather than a grab-and-go scoop. A good after-dinner stop around Maxwell and Neil Road.
• Where: Neil Road, near Maxwell MRT.

4. Dopa Dopa Creamery — Tanjong Pagar

Photo: Google Maps

Dopa Dopa roasts its own nuts from scratch, which is why the pistachio, macadamia and hazelnut taste of the nut rather than an essence. Founded by Leonard Ong in 2018, it is best known for scooping a nutty gelato into a warm, flaky croissant, so order the roasted pistachio that way. Its outlets keep it within reach of the CBD lunch crowd.

• Go for: the roasted pistachio scooped into a warm croissant, the signature that made the name. The macadamia and hazelnut are the same house-roasted quality.
• Worth it: the pick when you want the gelato-in-a-croissant treat rather than a plain cone, at a fair CBD price. The nut roasting is the real difference here.
• Where: Tanjong Pagar Plaza, plus South Bridge Road near Clarke Quay.

5. Hundred Acre Creamery — Tampines

Photo: Google Maps

Named after the woods in Winnie-the-Pooh, Hundred Acre makes small-batch gelato and waffles and pairs them with premium Vietnamese coffee, so the Ca Phe affogato is the order to try. Flavours rotate a handful at a time, made with no artificial colouring or flavouring. It now runs out of Tampines Street 81, Westgate in Jurong East and Sembawang.

• Go for: the Ca Phe affogato, gelato over premium Vietnamese coffee, plus a house waffle. The rotating flavours are worth asking about.
• Worth it: a well-priced small-batch scoop with a coffee angle few others do, and handy for the east and north-west heartlands. Good value at about $4.50.
• Where: Tampines Street 81, Westgate (Jurong East) and Sembawang.

6. Geometry Gelato — Bukit Merah

Photo: Google Maps

Geometry makes its gelato fresh with all-natural ingredients and no artificial preservatives, and it is one of the cheaper artisan scoops on this list. The house favourites are Goma, dark chocolate and Earl Grey, and they go well with a sweet base like the handmade almond tart or waffles. The original cosy cafe sits on Jalan Bukit Merah near ABC Brickworks, with a roomier outlet on Henderson Road.

• Go for: the Goma or Earl Grey, house favourites, on a handmade almond tart or waffle. At about $3.20 a classic scoop, add a second.
• Worth it: the best value artisan gelato here, all-natural and genuinely cheap for the quality. The smart everyday pick when you do not want to pay boutique prices.
• Where: Jalan Bukit Merah (near ABC Brickworks) and Henderson Road.

7. Udders Ice Cream — Novena

Photo: Google Maps

Udders started in 2007 with a simple idea: Asian flavours for Asian palates, and alcoholic ones for everyone else. That means Champion Chendol and Mao Shan Wang Durian alongside Baileys & Bourbon, with each durian scoop over half pure Musang King flesh. The pints are stocked in FairPrice and Cold Storage too, so it is one of the easier brands to find outside its own shops.

• Go for: the Mao Shan Wang Durian, over half pure Musang King, or a boozy Baileys & Bourbon. The Champion Chendol is the local-flavour pick.
• Worth it: the go-to for durian and alcoholic scoops done properly, and easy to grab as a pint from the supermarket too. The MSW scoop earns its higher price.
• Where: Novena, Beach Road, Kovan and Hougang.

8. The Daily Scoop — Holland Village

Photo: Google Maps

The Daily Scoop opened in leafy Sunset Way in 2004 and many Singaporeans grew up on it. It started with classic flavours and branched into ones like Maple Crisp and Chili Choc, with Mango Sorbet for milder tastes and a Mao Shan Wang for the durian crowd. The waffles are a big part of the draw.

• Go for: a nostalgic classic or the Chili Choc, with a house waffle. The Mango Sorbet is the lighter pick, the Mao Shan Wang the indulgent one.
• Worth it: the choice for a dependable neighbourhood scoop with two decades behind it, more comfort than novelty. A reliable Holland Village and Sunset Way stop.
• Where: Sunset Way and Clementi Arcade, plus other outlets.

9. Kind Kones — Orchard

Photo: Google Maps

Kind Kones is fully vegan and dairy-free, with no egg, refined sugar or artificial additives and mostly gluten-free options, so it works for lactose-intolerant and plant-based eaters. Despite that, the flavours taste the part, from pandan gula melaka to salted chocolate chip. There are vegan baked goods too, and the Great World outlet adds plant-based coffee, tea and matcha.

• Go for: the pandan gula melaka or salted chocolate chip, the flavours that prove vegan need not taste like a compromise. Add a vegan bake at Great World.
• Worth it: the clear pick for a mixed table with a lactose-intolerant or plant-based eater, since nobody has to miss out. Genuinely good ice cream first, vegan second.
• Where: Paragon, Forum, i12 Katong and Great World.

10. Salted Caramel Artisan Ice Cream — Upper Thomson

Photo: Google Maps

Salted Caramel is one of the better-known names on the Upper Thomson food stretch, which makes it a handy after-dinner stop on the way back from a Thomson supper. The gelato is made egg-free with fresh milk and natural ingredients, and the shop runs to 11pm. Pair a scoop of Earl Grey with the freshly made waffles or a croissant.

• Go for: the namesake salted caramel or an Earl Grey, with a fresh waffle or croissant. Egg-free, so it suits that dietary need too.
• Worth it: a well-priced, late-opening scoop right on the Upper Thomson food strip, ideal after a supper there. Good value at about $3.80.
• Where: 246F Upper Thomson Road.

11. Celine's Gelato — Novena

Photo: Google Maps

Celine's is a small, tidy gelato cafe that rotates about 19 flavours, so there is usually something new. The gelato is made with milk rather than cream, which keeps it lighter, and diners rate the pistachio, hojicha and black sesame. Beyond the Novena Regency shop it has expanded into Serangoon Gardens at myVillage.

• Go for: the pistachio, hojicha or black sesame, the three regulars rate, from the rotating list of about 19. Lighter than most, being milk-based.
• Worth it: the pick when you want a lighter, milk-based gelato and a quiet cafe rather than a queue. A steady Novena and Serangoon Gardens choice.
• Where: Novena Regency and myVillage, Serangoon Gardens.

12. Mrs Plump's — Chinatown

Mrs Plump's builds superfoods, fruit and vegetables into every scoop, sweetening with dates instead of refined sugar. The sugar-free Chocolate Kale is the one people talk about: dates replace the sugar and ground dehydrated kale goes in for a daily dose of greens, yet it still reads as a light chocolate. Founded by Mia Kusen, it runs mostly as grab-and-go tubs across five flavours from the Hong Lim Green parlour.

• Go for: the sugar-free Chocolate Kale, the talking-point flavour, or a fruit-and-superfood tub to take home. Date-sweetened throughout.
• Worth it: the pick when you want a lower-sugar, superfood scoop that still tastes like dessert. A niche it largely has to itself near Chinatown.
• Where: Upper Pickering Street, Hong Lim Green.

13. Lickers — Kovan

Photo: Google Maps

Lickers is a heartland supper spot near Kovan MRT that stays open until 2am daily, which makes it a favourite for late-night dessert runs. The flavour list is short and changes with whatever fresh produce they can get, but the homemade ice cream and buttermilk waffles more than hold up. It gets busy at night, so takeaway can save you a queue.

• Go for: whatever fresh flavour is on that day, with the buttermilk waffles. The short, changing list means it is worth asking what is new.
• Worth it: the one to know for a proper late-night scoop, open to 2am when almost nothing else is. A genuine supper-hour dessert rather than a daytime treat.
• Where: Kovan and Hougang Avenue 1, plus a newer SAFRA Mount Faber outlet.

14. The Dancing Elephant Ice Cream — Sin Ming

Dancing Elephant makes its ice cream in small batches with simple ingredients, no stabilisers, preservatives or artificial flavouring. The flavour list is short and distinctive, running from speculoos and salted honey to a honey mango sorbet. It is a weekend operation tucked into Thomson V at Sin Ming, with pickups outside opening hours arranged over WhatsApp.

• Go for: the speculoos or salted honey, the distinctive picks, or the honey mango sorbet for something lighter. Small batch, so the list is short.
• Worth it: a genuine small-batch find for a weekend treat, honest about being a part-time operation. Check it is open before you make the trip.
• Where: Thomson V, Sin Ming (weekends; WhatsApp for other pickups).

What locals actually recommend (the Reddit take)

Search Reddit's r/singapore or the dessert threads and the same names come up, with one honest caveat about price. Birds of Paradise is the near-universal recommendation for flavour, but plenty point out you are paying boutique money for it, and that a Geometry or Salted Caramel scoop is most of the joy for half the price.

The other recurring thread is convenience and dietary fit: people steer vegans to Kind Kones without hesitation, durian lovers to Udders, and night owls to Lickers. It matches our list. The value picks earn their place as much as the famous one, and the honest read is that the "best" scoop is often the good one nearest you.

The one thing worth knowing: several of these are small operations with rotating flavours or weekend-only hours, so check the day and the outlet before you make a trip.

Other names worth knowing

The scoop shops people search for a lot that sit just outside our fourteen, and where they fit.

• Momolato. An artisan gelato brand with inventive local flavours and a loyal following. A solid mid-priced pick when you want something a bit different. Photo: Google Maps.
• Tom's Palette. One of Singapore's original artisan ice cream makers, known for creative small-batch flavours churned in-house. A veteran that still holds up. Photo: Google Maps.
• Sunday Folks (Chip Bee Gardens). The Holland Village soft-serve institution, famous for its sea salt gula melaka and charcoal soft serve with handmade waffles. Expect a weekend queue.
• Creamier (Toa Payoh and Gillman). A homegrown handcrafted ice cream cafe whose Roasted Pistachio and waffles built its name. A dependable sit-down scoop.

So which should you go to?

Pick by what matters most:

• Best flavours, money no object: Birds of Paradise, or Gelato Messina for the local-flavour twist.
• Best value: Geometry Gelato or Salted Caramel, both under $4 a classic scoop.
• Durian or boozy: Udders, for the Mao Shan Wang and the Baileys.
• Vegan or dairy-free: Kind Kones.
• Late night: Lickers near Kovan, to 2am.
• Cosy sit-down dessert: Apiary or Hundred Acre, for the waffles.

For a first trip, Birds of Paradise is the flavour benchmark and Geometry is the value benchmark. Between them they cover most of what you would want from a scoop in Singapore.

Ice cream in Singapore: quick questions

How much does a scoop of artisan ice cream cost in Singapore?

As of August 2026, a single scoop at these shops mostly runs about $4 to $7.50. Geometry starts near $3.20 for a classic flavour and Salted Caramel near $3.80, Gelato Messina charges a flat $7.50, and a durian or superfood tub at Udders or Mrs Plump's sits closer to $17 to $19.

Which shops are good for late-night dessert?

Lickers near Kovan MRT stays open until 2am daily and is a known supper spot. If you are up north-central, Salted Caramel on Upper Thomson runs to 11pm, which still works after a late dinner along the Thomson food stretch.

Where can I get vegan or dairy-free ice cream?

Kind Kones is an all-natural vegan brand, free from dairy, egg and refined sugar with mostly gluten-free options, at Paragon, Forum, i12 Katong and Great World. Mrs Plump's near Chinatown does superfood tubs sweetened with dates, including a sugar-free Chocolate Kale.

What is the difference between gelato and ice cream?

Gelato is made with more milk and less cream and churned with less air, so it tastes lighter and denser and is served a touch warmer. Shops like Geometry, Celine's and Birds of Paradise lean gelato; Udders and The Daily Scoop are richer scoop-shop ice cream. Neither is better, it comes down to how heavy a scoop you want.

Which shop has the best durian ice cream?

Udders is the name for durian, with a Mao Shan Wang scoop that is over half pure Musang King flesh, and durian samplers each season. The Daily Scoop and Birds of Paradise also carry durian or Mao Shan Wang flavours if you are already there for something else.

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