By Mary Ellis Logan

It is commonly said that food brings people together. However, I would argue that it is actually ice cream that has this ability. Whether it is as an after-dinner treat or an afternoon snack before homework, my friends and I always seem to be stopping for ice cream. I recently recognized that we had tried so many places in Richmond that I had compiled many personal favorites. I went through the stores we visited and put together some highlights in certain categories to encourage others to engage in our post-dinner tradition.

Best Location 

Gelati Celesti. Photo credit: Mary Ellis Logan.

Located near many popular restaurants, Gelati Celesti’s Libbie and Grove location provides the perfect after-dinner sweet. This popular ice cream place, which actually has 10 locations in the Richmond area, is very popular among students. The store has a wide variety of flavors. Lawson Vaughan (‘25) says “Every single time I get a new flavor, I’m like, wow.” Although I have been to Gelati Celesti many times, I recently went specifically to try the store’s specialty “Just Ask” flavor. This white chocolate ice cream contains chunks of chocolate Oreos and peanut butter. My sister decided to try their chocolate Oreo and gave rave reviews.

Low Price Option 

If you are looking for an affordable, customizable option, Sweet Frog is the place to go. With 13 Richmond locations, Sweet Frog offers a variety of self-serve frozen yogurt and an enormous array of toppings, allowing you to cater to any craving. Because of the self-service setup, you can get as much or as little as you want, making it possible to get a very inexpensive cup. My personal favorite Sweet Frog order is cake batter/cookies and cream swirl yogurt with chocolate brownie bites.

Personal Favorite

Having grown up close to Gayton Crossing Shopping Center, I have many memories of visiting Deluca Gelato with my siblings. This Italian ice cream destination has an intense variety of flavors, ranging from berry-flavored sorbets to chocolate candy flavors. They also have several cup and cone sizes, allowing you to have as much or as little as desired. I would definitely recommend Deluca for your next sweet treat.  

New

Blue Cow Ice Cream recently opened its second Richmond location at the Village Shopping Center at Patterson and Three Chopt Roads. On my very first visit, I found the store environment very welcoming. They had a variety of flavors and toppings available. However, I felt that they served mostly specialty flavors and lacked the basic flavors that people love. I purchased a chocolate brownie ice cream with rainbow sprinkles. While this is something I would normally get somewhere else, I don’t think I would order it here again. The ice cream itself was very tasty, but I wasn’t a fan of the brownie chunks. 

Blue Cow Ice Cream. Photo credit: Mary Ellis Logan.

Student Favorites 

Although it is a little bit of a drive away, Bev’s Homemade Ice Cream in Carytown is another student recommendation. Maddie Jewett (’25) and James Galgano (’25) described it as “incredible.”  Many people are fans of not just the ice cream but the overall environment of the cafe. Syd Petty (‘25) said that the store “smells so good [that] it makes the ice cream taste better.” I haven’t been to Bev’s, but several of my friends have recommended that I try it. 

Another student favorite ice cream stop is Ray’s Italian Ice. Ray’s has two locations: one near Gayton Crossing and another in Short Pump, which is only open in the summer. Popular among many Collegiate students, Ray’s is a common post-game stop for many of our sports teams. While I don’t go to Ray’s very often, I have tried several different options on their menu. If you are looking for something that you can only find at Ray’s, I recommend a Ray’s Rocket. This is a mix of your choice of Italian ice and soft serve ice cream. I have also had just a plain cup of frozen yogurt from Ray’s and found it to be delicious.

Featured image credit: Google Maps.