What’s the scoop?

Portland’s most popular ice cream spots, ranked

By Citlally Mexicano-Nukaga, Staff Writer

     From classic flavors to chocolate rose petals, there is an ice cream flavor for you! Do you know where the best ice cream shops are? I went to five ice cream businesses to give you the inside scoop on which shops offer ice cream that is worth every penny. Each store was judged by the presentation, price, taste, variety, and customer service. Did your favorite make the cut?

Citlally Mexicano-Nugaka
Baskin Robbins serves its unique “Jamoca” coffee ice cream.

1. Baskin Robbins: Tigard/Sherwood

  • Presentation: 8
  • Variety: 31 flavors
  • Price (single): $3.19
  • Taste: 5. The ice cream has some ice particles which makes the texture less creamy.
  • Customer service: 10! The staff are welcoming and make it feel like a party to be there.
Citlally Mexicano-Nugaka
Cold Milk’s grapefruit ice cream is topped with Froot Loops.

2. Cold Milk & Treats: Bridgeport

  • Presentation: 10. Instagram- and Snapchat-worthy.
  • Variety: 16 flavors + waffle flavors
  • Price (single): $4.00
  • Taste: 7
  • Customer Service: 8. Fast and kind.
Citlally Mexicano-Nugaka
Cold Stone Creamery serves watermelon ice cream fresh off the frozen granite slab.

3. Cold Stone Creamery: Tualatin/ Beaverton

  • Presentation: 2
  • Variety: 16 flavors
  • Price (‘I like it’ size): $4.19
  • Taste: 2. The ice cream tastes quite artificial and leaves your teeth and tongue stained.
  • Customer Service: 3. Inattentive and tense.
Citlally Mexicano-Nugaka
Handel’s scoops up fresh, handmade red raspberry sherbet ice cream.

4. Handel’s: Sherwood

  • Presentation: 4
  • Variety: 48 flavors
  • Price (single): $4.00
  • Taste: 9. Handel’s ice cream is made fresh daily.
  • Customer Service: 3. ‘Fast food’-style service.
Citlally Mexicano-Nugaka
Salt & Straw offers many eccentric flavors such as honey lavender ice cream.

5. Salt & Straw: Lake Oswego/ PDX

  • Presentation: 5
  • Variety: 13 flavors and 5 seasonal flavors
  • Price (single): $4.25
  • Taste: 6. Unique flavors.
  • Customer Service: 7. Interactions with customers are mature but brief.