Beaches and cream – the best coastal spots for ice cream on the Isle of Wight

Nothing says British summertime like an ice cream by the sea – and thankfully the Isle of Wight has plenty of unusual creamy creations you’ll want to stick a Flake in. From parlours packed with locally churned flavours, to vegan sorbet makers and artisanal ice cream vans, we pair our favourite coastal spots for a little ‘beaches and cream’, so let’s get scooping!

On Shanklin Esplanade you’ll find Toppings – an ice cream parlour so close to the beach you can almost taste the sea salt. Here, they offer over 50 tasty ice cream flavours (including gluten-free and vegan choices) where you could plump for blueberry, candy floss or maybe a
caramel-infused millionaire’s shortbread. If a few scoops in a wafer cornet just won’t cut it, then try their spectacular sundaes, including ice cream scoops of your choice, a sprinkle of chopped nuts, a drizzle of fruit sauce and of course a Flake on top. With the sands of Shanklin Beach just across the road, you won’t have far to go for a scenic spot to enjoy it.

There’s always a raspberry ripple of excitement when Tracy and Chris from Ventnor’s Crave announce their latest flavours on social media. With inventive options including white chocolate latte, rose and pistachio and nibbly chocolate fingers, it’s no wonder they often have queues out the door.

Inside their distinctively curved home on Spring Hill, they also create special batches for those with dietary requirements – such as the vegan açaí berry sorbet or the zero sugar dark chocolate ice cream. Plus, to top things off, it’s just a short downhill shuffle to the sparkly blue waves of The Channel – the perfect location to get tasting (if that is, your ice creams haven’t already disappeared on the walk down).

Tucked down Yarmouth’s Wheatsheaf Lane (and just a cone’s throw from the boat-filled harbourside), you’ll find Scoops. For the indecisive ones amongst us, they have a handy spin wheel outside the door, helping you choose which of their locally sourced options to try out – each one sourced from within a 10-mile radius of the shop.

Options include Isle of Wight made mango sorbet or chocolate orange ice cream, as well as scoops of coffee mocha and crystallised ginger which come from just across the Solent. Special rotating guest flavours also make an appearance (which can be enjoyed on waffles or blended into milkshakes) and for the canine community, Scoops even offers flavoured doggie ice creams from nutrition-led brand Billy + Margot.

Also popping up around the Island’s coastal towns and villages this summer is Bliss – a bright blue ice cream van run by Jenny and Louise, the women behind three of the Island’s locally churned ice cream labels. Parking up in different spots, they’ll be providing milkshakes, sundaes and ice cream topped waffles, as well as waffle cones and tubs of their ice creamy creations, all made with 100% Isle of Wight milk and cream.

Since 2018, number 56 on the High Street in Cowes has been home to Paradice, a shipshape ice cream parlour which can whizz up different combinations of their icey flavours into over three hundred types of milkshakes. Visitors peering through their freezer counter windows will see a tasteful selection of Gelarto and Kelly’s Cornish Ice Cream – including chocolate and hazelnut, coconut and (local favourite) Sicilian pistachio. Also on the menu are knickerbocker glories, banana splits and affogatos – served with a splash of local espresso from Newport-based company Island Roasted. From the Paradice doorstep, just follow the winding curves of Bath Road round to Cowes Esplanade where you can hop onto the wall and tuck into that sundae whilst the boats glide in and out of the harbour.

Top of the list to try has to be the Minghella brand of ice creams, first established in Ryde in 1950 by Italian ‘master gelatiere’ Edward Minghella and his wife Gloria. At a time when ice cream was only ever eaten plain in Britain, the pair experimented with all sorts of flavours and soon won themselves a loyal following. Today the tradition continues and you can try their top-notch ice creams for yourself in flavours including old English toffee, crushed walnuts and maple syrup, lemon meringue and fudgey sundae.