Ice Cream Shop in Memphis

June 15, 2026

An ice cream shop offers something a grocery freezer aisle cannot: a scoop counter where the base is churned in small batches, a case of seasonal and signature flavors built around local ingredients, and a window or a few tables where a cone or a pop is handed over the moment it is made. Memphis is Tennessee’s second-largest city, with a population of roughly 619,000 as of 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau), and its mix of downtown gelaterias, neighborhood paleterías, and handcrafted-popsicle shops gives the city a deep independent frozen-dessert scene. From an Italian gelato counter in the Central Station district to a downtown homemade-ice-cream shop on South Main, the city’s beloved local shops have built their reputations one batch at a time rather than through national advertising.

Frozen desserts come in several distinct styles across Memphis, 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. Gelato, made with more milk and less cream and churned with less air, is denser and served slightly warmer than American ice cream, while paletas are Mexican-style ice pops made in fruit and cream varieties, and sorbet is a dairy-free fruit base. A handful of Memphis shops build their identity around making the base in house, churning gelato in small handmade batches or freezing popsicles from locally sourced fruit, and several keep rotating seasonal flavors. Most independent ice cream shops handle both dine-in and takeout, and many add coffee, milkshakes, cakes, and dairy-free options to round out the menu.

Every shop serving prepared frozen desserts in Memphis operates under a food-service framework administered through the Shelby County Health Department, working in coordination with the Tennessee Department of Health and its Environmental Health Program. 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 or gelato 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 Shelby County that combined rate reaches 9.75%, and it appears on the check for a cone, a pint, or a pop alike.

A few additional points shape how a Memphis ice cream shop runs. Shops that churn a gelato base from scratch or freeze popsicles from fresh local fruit 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 base is made in house clarifies what sets a small-batch maker apart from a freezer-pack scoop shop, and confirming hours and current flavors matters because several Memphis shops rotate their menus by season.

Top Ice Cream Shop Providers in Memphis

1. Zio Matto Gelato

Address: 545 South Main Street, Suite 110, Memphis, TN 38103
Phone: (901) 529-7207
Website: https://www.ziomatto.com
Services: small-batch handmade Italian gelato, sorbet, dairy-free options, rotating flavors, cups and cones, dine-in, takeout
Description: Zio Matto Gelato is a downtown Memphis gelateria in the Central Station Hotel building on South Main Street, founded by chef Matteo Servente, a native of Torino, Italy. The shop makes authentic Italian gelato in small handmade batches using from-scratch techniques brought from Italy, mixing each ingredient until the right volume and texture are reached, and the name, which translates to Crazy Uncle, comes from his niece’s attempts to pronounce his name. The rotating menu includes flavors such as pistachio, stracciatella, tiramisu, salted caramel, honey vanilla, and key lime pie, along with sorbets like mango for customers avoiding dairy. The small-batch, made-in-Memphis approach and the traditional Italian method distinguish it from a soft-serve or freezer-pack operation.

2. MEMpops

Address: 1243 Ridgeway Road, Memphis, TN 38119
Phone: (901) 421-5985
Website: https://www.mempops.com
Services: handcrafted popsicles, fruit-based and cream-based flavors, dairy-free fruit pops, rotating seasonal flavors, pet-friendly Mempups, catering, dine-in, takeout
Description: MEMpops is a Memphis handcrafted-popsicle maker founded in 2015 by Chris and Emily Taylor, with a brick-and-mortar shop in East Memphis on Ridgeway Road and a second location at Crosstown Concourse on Concourse Avenue. The shop makes its pops with locally sourced fresh fruit and ingredients, building a rotating menu of fruit-based and cream-based flavors that follows local and seasonal availability, alongside Boozy Pops and pet-friendly Mempups. The shop’s philosophy, summarized as Always Fresh and Always Frozen, centers on an elevated take on a traditional frozen treat. The made-in-Memphis, seasonally driven popsicle model and the dairy-free fruit options set it apart from a standard ice cream counter.

3. Margie’s 901 Homemade Ice Cream and Cakes

Address: 125 South Main Street, Memphis, TN 38103
Phone: (901) 522-1912
Website: https://sites.google.com/site/margies901homemadeicecream/
Services: homemade ice cream, customizable flavors and mix-ins, ice cream cakes, ice cream cupcakes, ice cream pizza, catering, delivery, dine-in, takeout
Description: Margie’s 901 Homemade Ice Cream and Cakes is a locally owned shop in downtown Memphis on South Main Street that has been a neighborhood favorite for more than a decade. The shop lets customers customize their ice cream from popular flavors and mix-ins made fresh the way they want, and it is known for inventing the ice cream cupcake and the ice cream pizza, both of which have been featured on Food Network. Beyond scoops, Margie’s offers ice cream cakes and cupcakes, with catering and delivery available for events. The made-fresh, build-your-own approach and the signature ice cream cupcakes and pizzas distinguish it from a standard scoop counter.

Frequently Asked Questions About Ice Cream Shop in Memphis

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

A shop serving prepared frozen desserts in Memphis must hold a current food-service permit and pass routine sanitation inspections administered through the Shelby County Health Department, in coordination with the Tennessee Department of Health and its Environmental Health Program. Inspections review cold-holding temperatures, handwashing, equipment sanitation, and cross-contamination control. Shops that make their own ice cream, gelato, or popsicles 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 Memphis?

Prepared food sold by an ice cream shop is taxed at the full combined sales-tax rate rather than the reduced grocery rate. In Shelby County that combined rate reaches 9.75%, 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, gelato, and paletas?

Ice cream is churned with more cream and more air, giving it a richer, fluffier texture, and it is served frozen hard for scooping. Gelato is made with more milk and less cream and is churned with less air, so it is denser and is served slightly warmer. Paletas are Mexican-style ice pops made in fruit-based and cream-based varieties, often with fresh fruit, and fruit paletas and sorbet are common dairy-free choices. Several Memphis shops specialize in one of these styles, so customers can choose accordingly.

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

Several Memphis shops make their own product rather than serving pre-made tubs. Zio Matto Gelato churns Italian gelato in small handmade batches in Memphis, MEMpops freezes its popsicles from locally sourced fresh fruit, and Margie’s 901 makes homemade ice cream that customers customize to order. Shops that make their own base often highlight the practice and rotate seasonal flavors, so asking at the counter is a reliable way to confirm.

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

Many Memphis shops carry dairy-free options. Zio Matto Gelato offers sorbets such as mango, MEMpops makes fruit-based popsicles that contain no dairy, and paleterías around the city serve fruit paletas. Because availability rotates with the season, customers with dietary restrictions should confirm current offerings before a visit.

Q: How do I file a complaint about a Memphis 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 Shelby County Health Department, which conducts the inspections. Keeping the receipt and any documentation strengthens a complaint.