A family-owned landmark since 1932, Husky Deli serves West Seattle dozens of flavors, from the expected chocolate and vanilla to the rarer licorice or Swiss chocolate orange. This place is the best kind of throwback.

There’s currently a months-long waiting list for the highly sought-out pizza at this charming West Seattle spot. But soft serve is regularly available for walk-ins, topped with a selection of flavored syrups, like black cherry and green apple. The cones are a particular delight — they’re thick and chewy, and come with with graham cracker, Fruity Pebbles, or chocolate shell crusts.

Gelato is made onsite daily at this Ballard shop, featuring some classic Italian flavors, such as tiramisu, as well as some stracciatella and sorbetto options and a selection of affogato.

Flavors at this popular Phinney Ridge shop often feature ingredients from neighboring businesses such as Theo Chocolate Chunk and Herkimer Coffee, and the occasional beer-flavored concoction.

The popular Seattle franchise hasn’t missed much of a beat over the past year, with outposts still going strong in Wallingford, Capitol Hill, Madrona, Queen Anne, U Village, and Bellevue (with a new flagship). On offer are classic flavors such as salted caramel and scout mint, and there are also pints available at local grocers such as PCC Community Markets and Met Market.

This soft-serve counter inside of Wallingford izakaya Yoroshiku serves super-creamy soft-serve ice cream made with milk from Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost island famous for its dairy products. Flavors are often Japanese-inspired, with sweet potato, matcha, and black sesame soft-serve and toppings including shiratama dango (mochi balls) and kinako (toasted soybean powder).

Co-owners Autumn Martin and Kari Brunson joined forces to bring Capitol Hill vegan ice cream (made with sprouted cashew milk and gum free coconut milk) that are satisfying and inventive. The textures are on point, and delightful flavor combinations include salty lime and watermelon and banana tahini. In addition to Capitol Hill there are locations in Ballard and U Village.

After years operating as a pop-up, matcha green tea soft serve and taiyaki specialist Matcha Man recently set down more permanent roots with a new shop. The fish-shaped waffles filled with flavors like ube, and matcha are still on offer and as Instagrammable (and wonderful) as ever. There are also some fun t-shirts and stickers available for retail. 

This small batch ice cream shop tries to reduce food waste and pasteurizes its dairy daily from local farms. It’s also known for a wide variety of rich flavors, including banana Nutella crunch, London fog, and lemon custard. There are locations in the U District, Ballard, and Capitol Hill, as well as local delivery.

Kryse Panis Martin has quickly built buzz with her new scoops project, serving up inventive ice cream at locations such as Beacon Hill coffee shop The Station. The offerings go fast, but exciting new flavors, such as coconut ginger jasmine, are added regularly. Check Instagram for updates on where to find the treats and when to place orders.

Those who’ve sampled Homer’s popular soft serve walk-up window should be familiar with the inventive flavors at the sibling Beacon Hill spot. Mango lassi ice cream and matcha ice cream are available as a swirl, along with dips and a selection of toppings (including graham cracker crumbles, M&Ms, and potato chips) for extra pop.