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It’s never a bad time to stroll the streets of the city we all love, enjoying the sights and sounds Omaha has to offer. There is, however, a best time. The season of long, sunny days and hot, sweaty nights is upon us, and the only thing better than a summer night is a summer night with an icy treat to help you beat the heat. Luckily, Omaha offers plenty of options to satisfy your cravings.
Tipico Helado
@Tipico.Helado
5210 S. 21st St. in Omaha
453 N. Main St. in Fremont
15623 West Dodge Road in Omaha
825 West Broadway (Trailer at Kelly’s Carpet and Furniture) in Council Bluffs
Two upcoming trailer locations
Not your typical soft serve, Tipico Helado was born into a time of complete chaos. The shop opened in March of 2020, in what was arguably the most difficult time to invest in a brick-and-mortar location. Rather than folding, Tipico Helado went on to flourish in several locations, due in large part to the exceptional quality of their very unique offerings.
Rather than your standard soft serve, Tipico serves a few signature options. Esquimal paletas can be served dipped in chocolate or coconut, as a creamy specialty bar, or made of water for a dairy-free option.
Additional ingredients can range from bright citruses, like the limon con frutas, to the exotic tamarind or cucumber chile, and the richly creamy Mazapan or arroz con leche.
While Tipico isn’t your standard scoop, it will satisfy your craving for an icy treat, and create a new craving no other ice cream shop can beat.
Betty Rae’s Ice Cream
@BettyRaes
6307 Center St.
A concept born a decade ago in Kansas City, Betty Rae’s now has five locations throughout Missouri, Kansas, and now right here on Center Street. Featuring freshly made waffle cones, Betty Rae’s is built on whimsical flavor combinations like the goat cheese, apricot, and candied walnuts scoop. Other wholesome and wholly unexpected combinations include the lavender honey and the Mayest Thou. You mayest have to stop in to find a favorite of your own!
Coneflower Creamery
@ConeflowerCreamery
3921 Farnam St.
1241 Millwork Ave.
Owners Brian Langbehn and Katie Arant Chapman have never been discreet about their passion for partnering with local businesses to source the freshest, most sustainable, most delicious ingredients available. Combining their wealth of culinary knowledge with unique, hyper-local ingredients, the duo keeps Omaha enthralled with flavors that change seasonally, and always support area growers and entrepreneurs like Burbach Dairy, Archetype Coffee, Farmer John, Scriptown Brewery, and Swallows Nest Farm.
eCreamery
@eCreamery and @eCreameryDundee
5001 Underwood Ave. Headquarters located at 13630 Industrial Road in Omaha
eCreamery is your average ice cream shop in that they do, in fact, make and sell ice cream. But that’s about where the comparison stops. In fact, many of their customers never even walk through the door. eCreamery has made a national name for themselves not only by serving a delicious scoop, but by offering a unique, bespoke gift you can pick up today or have shipped anywhere in the country.
Simply choose from any of eCreamery’s gourmet flavors, then select an image and wording for your unique label. You can get creative, send a pint to every member of your child’s soccer team, create a custom name or mashup and send a subscription to your favorite newlyweds, or create a get-well soon package that will have an under-the-weather friend feeling seen and cared for. After that, eCreamery sends your gift packing, delivered frozen, guaranteed.
Mixins Ice Cream
@Mixinsicecream
1405 Jackson St.
If you’re looking for the scoop on rolled ice cream, Mixins downtown is the place to be. The Omaha addition to the franchise brings the established brand’s signature work ethic to each dish, with a complimentary side of Nebraska Nice to make the treat even more sweet.
Ted and Wally’s
@TedAndWallys
1120 Jackson St.
6023 Maple St.
The family-owned establishment has been an Omaha icon for more than 40 years, and it’s not just for the nostalgia. Ted and Wally’s has a signature base made of 20% butterfat, which produces a rich, creamy foundation for all of their locally sourced add-ins. Partnering with area farmers and artisans ensures that not only is this delicious dish an ethical option, but it’s also the freshest thing you can stick a spoon into. The antique 100-year-old White Mountain freezers pack a little of Omaha’s history into each bite.
Zesto Ice Cream and Grill
@Zesto_Omaha
7130 N. 102nd Circle
8608 N. 30th St.
For more than 70 years, the name Zesto has been an Omaha tradition beloved by locals and visitors alike. During events like the College World Series and Berkshire Hathaway Shareholder weekend, Zesto welcomes hundreds of thousands of pilgrims looking for a piece of nostalgia.
Even after the CWS left Rosenblatt Stadium in 2011, moving those crowds downtown to Charles Schwab Field and far from the small shop that then housed the ubiquitous Omaha eatery, people still found themselves flocking in droves to the old stomping grounds for one more sweet treat. Eventually, a window was designated within the stadium, anchored by Blatt Beer and Table, which is open year round.
While Zesto serves a full sweet and savory menu that covers all the bases from Philly Cheesesteaks to Strawberry Slushies, it’s still the simple soft serve that keep fans patiently patronizing the often long but efficiently tended-to lines.
Helados Locos
@HeladosLocosOmaha
17330 West Center Road
Javier Trujillo Villa may be locally famous for his birria at Javi’s Tacos, but Helados Locos is nobody’s afterthought. The ice cream may be crazy, but it’s crazy delicious, with sides and toppings your inner child has only dreamed of.
Shakes are served with flavors that range from bright and fresh, like strawberries and pineapple, to rich and wild, like Twinkies with condensed milk. Light options, like a fresh fruit parfait served on house yogurt, contrast against much more decadent treats like the churro flight, served warm with your choice of three ice creams.
Graley’s Creamery and Confections
@Graleys.creamery
147 N. Washington St. in Papillion
The perfect way to punctuate a hot summer day at Papio Bay, or a balmy evening walk through Halleck Park, Graley’s is downtown Papillion’s sweetest spot. The retro vibes of this old-fashioned soda fountain take you back to the days of high ponytails and sock hops.
Carry out a pint of all-natural homemade ice cream or sit and savor the moment with an ice cream soda or flight. The menu subtly shifts by season and includes fresh favorites like black raspberry, cinnamon, and pistachio crunch, as well as non-dairy options like the blood orange sorbet.
Freezing Thai Rolled Ice Cream
1918 S. 67th St.
While “made fresh daily” is a compelling selling point for ice cream, that just isn’t fresh enough for Freezing Thai. Rather, the jovial staff gingerly hand-mixes your order on an ice tray right in front of your very eyes.
Build your own dish from ingredients like matcha, cotton candy, and taro, or select a premade dish like the Monster Ink (chocolate chip cookie dough) or the Sweet Heart (Oreo and Chocolate). You can make a meal of it by ordering a poke bowl or fried chicken and boba tea, or grab your ice cream and enjoy the sights and sounds of Aksarben Village.
No matter how you beat the heat this summer, Omaha has the ice cream that will have your inner child screaming for more.
This article originally appeared in the May 2025 issue of Omaha Magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
