Ice Cream Shop in Clarksville

June 15, 2026

An ice cream shop offers something a grocery freezer aisle cannot: a scoop counter where the cream is made fresh on site, a case of flavors built for the way customers want them, and a window or a few tables where a cone or a pop is handed over the moment it is made. Clarksville is Tennessee’s fifth-largest city, with a population of roughly 176,000 as of 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau), and its mix of a downtown parlor making its own ice cream, a coffee-and-ice-cream shop known for outsized sweets, and a Mexican paletería gives the city a varied independent frozen-dessert scene. From a family-run parlor in the historic downtown on Strawberry Alley to a paletería on Fort Campbell Boulevard, the city’s local shops have built their reputations one batch at a time rather than through national advertising.

Frozen desserts come in several distinct styles across Clarksville, and knowing them helps a customer choose. Hard-scoop ice cream is churned, hardened, and dipped to order, while soft serve is dispensed at a warmer temperature for a lighter texture. Frozen custard adds egg yolks for a denser, richer scoop, paletas are Mexican-style ice pops made in fruit and cream varieties, and sorbet is a dairy-free fruit base. A handful of Clarksville shops build their identity around making the product fresh on site, freezing it in small quantities and offering dairy-free bases made from coconut or almond milk, and several pair the scoop counter with coffee or pastries. Most independent ice cream shops handle both dine-in and takeout, and many add milkshakes, agua frescas, and dairy-free options to round out the menu.

Every shop serving prepared frozen desserts in Clarksville operates under a food-service framework administered through the Tennessee Department of Health and its Environmental Health Program, which oversees food-service permitting and inspections for Montgomery County. A shop must hold a current food-service permit and pass routine sanitation inspections, which score kitchens on cold-holding temperatures, handwashing, equipment sanitation, and cross-contamination control. Shops that make their own ice cream follow frozen-dessert food-safety rules covering the pasteurized dairy base, cold storage, and the handling of mix-ins. Prepared food sold by a shop is taxed at the full combined sales-tax rate rather than the reduced grocery rate; in Montgomery County that combined rate reaches 9.50%, and it appears on the check for a cone, a pint, or a pop alike.

A few additional points shape how a Clarksville ice cream shop runs. Shops that make their product fresh on site or offer a non-dairy base often highlight that practice, and a posted permit and a clean inspection score signal a kitchen following the rules. Consumer questions and complaints about a shop, from billing disputes to advertising concerns, fall under the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs and the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104). For customers, the practical takeaways are simple: a posted permit and inspection score indicate a kitchen following sanitation rules, asking whether the product is made on site clarifies what sets a parlor apart from a freezer-pack scoop shop, and confirming hours matters because some Clarksville shops keep seasonal or weekend-focused schedules.

Top Ice Cream Shop Providers in Clarksville

1. Frozen Fuel

Address: 120 Strawberry Alley, Clarksville, TN 37040
Phone: (931) 572-5898
Website: https://www.instagram.com/frozenfuelclarksville/
Services: ice cream made fresh on site, dairy and dairy-free flavors, coconut-milk and almond-milk bases, complimentary puppy ice cream, dine-in, takeout
Description: Frozen Fuel is a family-owned ice cream parlor in the historic downtown of Clarksville on Strawberry Alley, run by owner Brad. The shop makes its ice cream fresh on site and keeps it covered in the freezer until it is ready to serve, a step the owners describe as a way to protect the texture and taste. Frozen Fuel sources its dairy mix from cows raised without growth hormones, steroids, or antibiotics, and it offers dairy-free ice cream made from coconut or almond milk for customers avoiding dairy, along with complimentary puppy ice cream for visitors who bring their pets. The made-on-site approach and the dairy-free options distinguish it from a shop scooping pre-made tubs.

2. Golly G’s

Address: 2622 Madison Street, Suite I, Clarksville, TN 37043
Phone: (931) 919-1105
Website: https://www.facebook.com/gollygs/
Services: dairy and dairy-free ice cream, coffee, giant cinnamon rolls, sweets, dine-in, takeout
Description: Golly G’s is a Clarksville shop on Madison Street that pairs ice cream with coffee and an oversized pastry program, serving both dairy and dairy-free ice cream. The shop is best known for its giant cinnamon rolls, including the namesake Golly G, a giant cinnamon roll topped with a scoop of Sweet Butter Cream ice cream and a drizzle of Ghirardelli caramel sauce. Beyond the signature roll, the shop offers a rotating selection of ice cream flavors and sweets alongside its coffee menu, which makes it a stop for dessert and a daytime cafe visit alike. The combination of ice cream, coffee, and signature outsized cinnamon rolls sets it apart from a standard scoop counter.

3. Teofilo’s Ice Cream Paleteria

Address: 1356 Fort Campbell Boulevard, Clarksville, TN 37042
Phone: (931) 378-5496
Website: https://www.instagram.com/teofilosicecreampaleteria/
Services: homemade Mexican paletas, fruit and cream and filled pops, ice cream, agua frescas, pet popsicles, takeout, dine-in
Description: Teofilo’s Ice Cream Paleteria is an independent Mexican paletería on Fort Campbell Boulevard in Clarksville that opened in February 2023. The shop makes its paletas, the Mexican-style ice pops it is named for, fresh and by hand with real ingredients, offering fruit-based, creamy, and filled varieties alongside ice cream, agua frescas, and even pet popsicles. The fruit paletas and agua frescas give customers a range of dairy-free options, and the authentic Mexican frozen-treat lineup distinguishes it from a conventional ice cream counter. As a family-run paletería making its pops in house, it adds a distinct style to the city’s frozen-dessert options.

Frequently Asked Questions About Ice Cream Shop in Clarksville

Q: What permits does an ice cream shop in Clarksville need to operate?

A shop serving prepared frozen desserts in Clarksville must hold a current food-service permit and pass routine sanitation inspections administered through the Tennessee Department of Health and its Environmental Health Program, which oversees food-service establishments in Montgomery County. Inspections review cold-holding temperatures, handwashing, equipment sanitation, and cross-contamination control. Shops that make their own ice cream also follow frozen-dessert food-safety rules covering the pasteurized dairy base and cold storage.

Q: How much sales tax is charged on ice cream in Clarksville?

Prepared food sold by an ice cream shop is taxed at the full combined sales-tax rate rather than the reduced grocery rate. In Montgomery County that combined rate reaches 9.50%, and it applies to a cone, a pint, or a popsicle alike. The tax appears on the check, and an itemized receipt makes clear how the food and the tax are calculated.

Q: What is the difference between ice cream, frozen custard, and paletas?

Ice cream is churned with cream and air and served frozen hard for scooping. Frozen custard adds egg yolks to the base, which makes it denser and richer, and it is typically served slightly softer. Paletas are Mexican-style ice pops made in fruit-based and cream-based varieties, often with fresh fruit, and fruit paletas are a common dairy-free choice. Several Clarksville shops specialize in one of these styles, so customers can choose accordingly.

Q: Which Clarksville ice cream shops make their own product?

Several Clarksville shops make their own product rather than serving pre-made tubs. Frozen Fuel makes its ice cream fresh on site, and Teofilo’s Ice Cream Paleteria makes its paletas by hand with real ingredients. Shops that make their own product often highlight the practice, so asking at the counter is a reliable way to confirm.

Q: Do Clarksville ice cream shops offer dairy-free options?

Many Clarksville shops carry dairy-free options. Frozen Fuel makes dairy-free ice cream from coconut or almond milk, Golly G’s offers dairy-free ice cream alongside its dairy flavors, and Teofilo’s serves fruit paletas and agua frescas that contain no dairy. Because availability rotates, customers with dietary restrictions should confirm current offerings before a visit.

Q: How do I file a complaint about a Clarksville ice cream shop?

Consumer complaints about a shop, including billing disputes and advertising concerns, can be directed to the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs, which administers the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104). Concerns specifically about sanitation or food safety can be reported to the Tennessee Department of Health, which conducts food-service inspections in Montgomery County. Keeping the receipt and any documentation strengthens a complaint.