9 Austin Vegan & Dairy-Free Friendly Ice Cream Shops (2023)
With the culture of Austin promoting plant-based diets and less animal products, we have alternative options for the things a vegan might love the most, like ice cream. On the other hand, I am lactose intolerant and I know the pain of going to traditional ice cream shops and not being able to enjoy a sweet treat or being stuck paying for it later!
So, here are some dairy-free and vegan options in austin!
Updated August 9 2023
Stressed is Desserts spelled backwards,
that had to be intentional, right?!
Lick Honest by Bianca Delmar
Lick Honest Ice Creams
1100 S Lamar Blvd #1135, Austin, TX 78704
The coolest thing about Lick is that they come up with the craziest flavor combinations. On my visit, they had Goat Cheese with Thyme and Honey, Lemonade Pound Cake, Honeyed Peaches with Rosemary, Loquat Margarita, and Roasted Beets with Fresh Mint. However, all of these bizarre combinations are NOT dairy-free or vegan. The vegan options are usually pretty limited, unfortunately, but when I was there they had: Peach Berry Swirl, Coconut Caramel Cream, Chocolate Chocolate, and then Coconut with Avocado Curd is made with egg so it’s just dairy-free.
I got a couple of scoops in a chocolate waffle cone. They said that the waffles that they make in-store are dairy-free but made with butter and eggs, so they aren’t vegan. The flavors that I tried weren’t very distinctive and I was disappointed there weren’t any flavors with different textures, like crunchy graham cracker bits in the peach berry swirl, everything was one texture. The chocolate waffle cone was different so I was intrigued so I tried it and it fell apart everywhere, plus the taste of chocolate was pretty weak. I do appreciate that they don’t use artificial colors or flavors, preservatives, or high fructose corn syrup along with using only locally sourced ingredients, which they list on their flavor boards.
Offers ice cream scoops by the bowl, cone, pints to-go.
Locations + Hours of Operation:
Lamar Union Plaza
sun - thurs 12:30pm to 10pm
fri & sat 11:30pm to 11:30pm
1905 Aldrich St #150 ATX 78723
sun - thurs 12pm to 9pm
fri & sat 12pm to 10pm
6555 Burnet Rd #200 ATX 78757
sun - thurs 12pm to 10pm
fri & sat 12pm to 11:30pm
Luv Fats
7135 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78752
This incredibly TASTY ice cream is made from coconut milk and avocado. Luv Fats is a Black family-run business by Chi Ndika where their flavors are inspired by her Kenyan and Nigerian roots.
Their base ingredients include: “coconut milk, organic fair-trade cane sugar, organic coconut sugar, avocado, coconut cream, organic coconut milk powder, olive oil, sea salt, vanilla extract.” per their website.
Flavor options: yellow watermelon sorbet, coffee, lavender & blackberry jam, butter pecan, soy sauce, pandan & choco chip, colombian chocolate, cucumber sorbet, sourdough toast & peach jam, and MORE!
source: luv fats instagram
Hours & Locations
Storefront
7135 n lamar blvd atx 78752
tu - sun 12 to 7pm
Bee Grocery
mon - sun 7am to 12am
Texas Farmer’s Market at Mueller
sun 10am to 2pm
Royal Blue on 4th&Neuces AND on Rainey
mon - sun 7am to 12am
Dia’s Market
mon - sun 8am to 9pm
Big Nonna’s
mon - sun 4pm to 10pm
Happy Cactus on Manchaca & E. 7th
manchaca | m-sat 11am to 8:30 sun 12pm to8:30
east 7th| m-sun 11am to 8pm
Offers ice cream scoops by bowl, cone, and pints to-go.
luv fats website
Amy’s Ice Cream
Locations in Austin, San Antonio, and Houston.
- the one I visited: 4477 S Lamar Blvd #790, Austin, TX 78745
Amy’s is a very popular, well-established (since 1984), and well-known ice cream shop in the Austin area and known for their Mexican Vanilla ice cream but has over 350 flavors that rotate often, including ones that contain alcohol, yum! There are also a ton of different toppings and mix-ins to choose from, it’s almost overwhelming!
Amy’s isn’t known for their vegan options but sometimes Amy’s has several vegan and ice options. When I visited, the shop had only Mexican Vanilla for vegan ice cream options.
Something I always enjoy when I visit Amy’s is the kind people who are working there. Everyone asks how you are, how your day is going, and sometimes even asks what’s the last movie you’ve seen… the customer service is on point.
If you haven’t been to Amy’s before, definitely put it on your must-visit list for Austin because it’s a classic Austin establishment. Also, go get a burger at Phil’s Ice House when you’re at it, their burgers are one of my favorites in Austin, mainly due to the charcoal-grilled taste!
Offers ice cream scoops by bowl and cone.
Hours of Operation (varies by location):
sun - thurs 11:30am to 11:00pm
fri & sat 11:30am to 12:00am
Milky Way Shakes
2324 East Cesar Chavez ATX 78702
Here’s a trailer offering just shakes, but they are VEGAN shakes! They have specials that are always so appropriate to the time of the year using a blend of almond and coconut milk making ice cream from scratch. Additionally, their menu is almost entirely gluten-free.
OFFERS SHAKES
Hours of Operation:
tues - thurs 5pm to 9:30pm
fri & sat 5pm to 10:30pm
sun 3pm to 8:30pm
gati ice cream
1512 Holly Street ATX 78702
From the owner of the incredible Thai Fresh, Jam, started making ice cream with coconut milk, mango, and lime thanks to having too many mangoes. Now, they have 40 rotating flavors with most flavors containing fewer than four ingredients.
All ice cream are vegan and gluten free with coconut milk base. Examples of some flavors: black sticky rice horchata, cookie monster, coconut ask, beet chocolate cake, chocolate, japanese red bean, thai tea, cake batter, golden milk, and more!
Offers cone, scoop, bakeshop, & coffee
Hours of Operation:
daily 7:30am to 9pm
Dolce Bacio
6900 RR N 620 ATX 78732
source: dolce bacio instagram
Another food truck on our list as a gelateria! Dolce Bacio offers vegan sorbet flavors such as pineapple sorbet, strawberry sorbet, chocolate, hazelnut, black hawaii along with granitas! They have other options, but they are not vegan or dairy-free. Bringing north-west Austin 100% authentic Italian artisan gelato & desserts made from scratch with fresh & healthy ingredients, low in fat & sugar, fresh fruit, and natural products.
Offers cup, cone, coffee, brioche
Hours of Operation:
closed mon
tues - thurs 1pm to 8pm
fri 1pm to 9pm
sat 12pm to 9pm
sun 12pm to 8pm
Dolce Bacio Website
Masa Y Mas
1817 s lamar blvd austin texas 78704
Now, this is not an ice cream spot… but their dessert, the Fro-Chata is one of my absolute favorite desserts in Austin.
Fro*Chata | 6
Frozen soft-served spiced almond horchata (gluten free & vegan) - offering flavors: original, caramelo con sal, matcha, mango chamoy, chocolate
Hours of Operation:
m - th 11am to 10pm
f - sat 11am to 11pm
sun 10am to 9pm
Jim Jim’s Water Ice
615 E 6th st austin tx 78701
I want to mention my absolute FAVORITE spot for when it gets so hot out, Jim-Jim’s. I’m a giant water ice fan, and no one around here comes close to Jim and his ices (which are dairy free). He and his wonderful wife have been serving the community since 1994, so you know it’s GOOD!
Hours of Operation:
sun, m, th 12 to 8:30pm
f & sat 12 to 9pm
Jim Jim's Website
RIP to these spots
Sweet Ritual | 4631 airport blvd ste 125 atx 78751
NadaMoo! Scoop Shop | 1701 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704
NadaMoo! has mentioned they were coming back to open their shop but it hasn’t happened yet unfortunately. Thankfully we can still grab pints at our local supermarkets.
NadaMoo!’s Website
*Anti Social Icecream Co. | 6550 comanche trail #109 atx 78732
So, this spot used to have incredible dairy-free ice cream but recently, I visited them in July of 2023 and found out they no longer serve dairy-free ice cream. However, they do offer dairy-free chocolate soft serve but only on the weekend — and I’d call to make sure if you’re coming all the way out there.
You can park in the parking lot and walk over from the 2nd level, or you can park in the parking lot across the street. The shop is on the first level, hidden off to the right side of the Oasis in the courtyard. The shop's aesthetic is perfect for Instagram photos, it’s beautiful, bold, and modern. And if the small shop is too full, walk outside to one of the most stunning views in all of Austin.
I hope you have the opportunity to fully enjoy yourself at any of these ice cream shops and know that everyday can be Ice Cream if you want! :)
Let me know what other alternative Ice Cream shops you enjoy in Austin, I know there are several more!
Cheers!
