There’s nothing better than a frosty scoop of sugary heaven – also known as ice cream – to refresh your taste buds on a steamy summer day. The craving for ice cream only increases with the blazing heat outside. Each local ice cream shop satisfies these intense cravings by offering unique flavors and atmospheres that ensure a fantastic experience for all patrons. 

Wildwood Shopping Center in Bethesda is home to Sarah’s Handmade Ice Cream, a local favorite due to its bright atmosphere and wide variety of flavors, including vegan options. When I walked into the shop, friendly employees greeted me to give me tastes of flavors and a delightful experience. First, I tried the heavenly “Oreo lover” flavor, which was one of the best I have ever tried, with its creamy vanilla base and chunks of Oreo cookies. 

I tasted “Mmm & M,” which lacked flavor compared to the “Oreo lover” because the m&ms did not add enough to the vanilla base to make it flavorful. A double scoop of ice cream was $6.59, which is comparable to nearby ice cream shops. Sarah’s has high-quality ice cream and is definitely worth a visit. 

Sprinkles, a Potomac staple, is a cute and quaint ice cream shop that stands out as a pink building with a cone as its door handle. Although there were not many flavors to choose from, Sprinkles also sells baked goods. I had the “chocolate marshmallow” flavor, which was average because it tasted like plain chocolate ice cream with hints of marshmallow. I also tried the “moose tracks” flavor: a delicious vanilla ice cream with peanut butter cups. 

The sugar cone tasted like cardboard, but the kind employees and charming decorations still made the visit a pleasant experience. A medium-sized ice cream was $6.99, which was pricey considering the shop’s lackluster flavor options and tastes. Sprinkles can ease your ice cream cravings but won’t beat other shops. 

In downtown Bethesda, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream attracts many with its fun music, orange pop of color and radiating  aromas. There were many unique flavors, such as “gooey butter cake.” This flavor was intriguing, and I enjoyed the strong taste, caramel oozing from the scoop and the chunks of cake. However, the “milkiest chocolate” flavor was disappointing as it was a scoop of mediocre chocolate ice cream with no other toppings.  

Jeni’s offers waffle cones and bowls, which can be challenging to find elsewhere, and add a nice crunch to the soft ice cream. A standard scoop of ice cream with two flavors is $6.25, similar to other shops.While this shop is not as tasty as Sarah’s, which is just down the road, it is a reliable option to try new flavors and enjoy the atmosphere. 

Located in Rockville Town Square, Marble Slab Creamery offers a unique experience of picking a base flavor and selecting toppings that the employees mash into the ice cream. I picked the “Cookies and Cake” flavor, which is birthday cake ice cream with Oreo cookies, chocolate chip cookie dough and peanut butter pieces. The birthday cake base didn’t fit well with the other flavors, but the ice cream was tasty and I enjoyed the slight crunch of the toppings. Marble Slab Creamery is a great option because you can customize the ice cream to your liking, and a scoop was $5.61 which is cheaper than other shops. 

If you are in the mood for ice cream, all of these options will hit the spot. However, Sarah’s Handmade Ice Cream was my favorite and is a must-try before the weather changes.