Forget Ben & Jerry's. Here Are Six Killer Dairy-Free Ice Cream Joints

Ben and Jerry’s, those blessed sweet-toothed gents from Vermont, pay attention to trends. Their company is continually offering popular flavors inspired by pop culture and celebrities, and their most recent announcement was bigger than that.

Recently, this dynamic creamery released dairy-free versions of four wonderful flavors – Chunky Monkey, Chocolate Fudge Brownie, Coffee Caramel Fudge, and P.B. & Cookies.

They explained, “We knew that with some hard work and experimentation, we could deliver the taste and creamy texture you’ve been craving. So we did."

But they certainly aren’t the only ones offering dairy-free ice cream. Here are six of the most delightful alternative ice cream shops in the U.S.

1. DF Mavens // New York, New York

Made locally and certified kosher by the Orthodox Union, this ice cream drops dairy for coconut, almond, and soy milk. The crew uses simple ingredients to create decadent flavors, all while ensuring every frozen treat is 100% vegan, gluten-free, and all-natural. They mostly stick to classics like chocolate, mango, and key lime, but also bounce to the fancy with New Orleans salted praline.

2. Sweet Ritual // Austin, Texas

Dietary restrictions have never been easier to breeze through when it comes to treating your sweet tooth at this colorful artisanal spot. Score dairy-free ice cream with from-scratch chocolate sauce atop gluten-free waffle cones, or go haywire with sundaes, shakes, and banana splits.

Unless you’re up for the four rotating specials, this place does up classic flavors (cookies & cream, rocky road, mint chip, etc.) in style—except for Cinnamonkey Elephantastic. Who knows what kind of wonder that entails?

3. [FoMu] Alternative Ice Cream + Cafe // Allston & Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts

This small batch 100% plant-based, allergy-friendly, kosher pareve starts with coconut milk and is kicked to life with organic agave and unrefined cane sugar. Creamy scratch-made flavors like bourbon maple walnut, sweet lavender, and the mysterious Magic Bar all use local ingredients to delight.

4. Back to Eden Bakery // Portland, Oregon

This joint’s soft serve is “100% plant-based vegan gluten-free goodness that will remind you of your youth.” Try beating that sell. They want you to feel good while eating right (when it comes to sweets, anyhow).

With a few distinctive flavors (chocolate, vanilla, cherry amaretto, and Mint Galactica), this creamy dairy-free treat kills it in a city all about alternatives.

5. The Ice Cream House // Brooklyn, New York

Go buck wild with this place serving up non-dairy, low-fat, fat-free, sugar-free, and gluten-free frozen goodies (though they got dairy treats if you got a friend who wants actual milky sweets). We’re talking ice cream hats, mini razzle-n-dazzles, sorbet swirls, fruit shells, and black-n-whites. It’s a madhouse of flavor and dessert design.

6. Kind Kreme // Various Southern California Locations

Gourmet, raw, vegan, and organic—this West Coast joint wants your body and the planet to prosper. Using only local, sustainable ingredients, this team kicks up some honeyed flavors, from blueberry to chai, as well as to-die-for-tastes like ginger basil, mint cacao nib, and maple pecan. Otherwise, they pop and roll with the season.