Best Ice Cream and Desserts in Durham, NC

Durham has a dessert scene worth knowing about. From the over the top creations at Simon Says Dip This to the handmade paletas at Locopops, the Bull City does sweets well. Whether you are looking for classic ice cream, creative soft serve, fresh baked pastries, or something a little different, there is more going on in Durham's sweet spots than you might expect. Here are the best places to satisfy your sweet tooth in the Bull City.

Simon Says Dip This

Simon Says Dip This (117 W Parrish St) is the most talked about dessert spot in Durham, and once you see one of their creations you will understand why. The shop specializes in dipped soft serve ice cream cones with creative toppings and coatings that go well beyond anything you would find at a standard ice cream counter. The visual presentation is extraordinary and the combination of flavors and textures makes every cone a genuine experience. It is the kind of place that gets shared constantly online because the food is legitimately that striking to look at.

Lines can get long on weekend evenings, which is a testament to how popular the spot has become. The wait is worth it. Go with an open mind and let yourself pick something that looks exciting rather than defaulting to the safest option. That is the point of a place like this.

Locopops

Locopops is a Durham institution that has been around since 2004, which makes it one of the oldest and most beloved dessert businesses in the city. The shop makes handmade Mexican style paletas, which are frozen pops made from real fruit and other natural ingredients rather than artificial flavoring. The flavor selection leans creative and seasonal, with options like hibiscus, horchata, tamarind, fresh watermelon, and a rotating cast of fruit combinations that change with the time of year.

The original Locopops on Hillsborough Road is still going strong. The downtown location has since rebranded as LocoShop (600 Foster St), which serves the paletas alongside a broader selection of goods. Traditional ice cream bars are also available alongside the paletas for those who want something more familiar. It is one of those local businesses that feels genuinely irreplaceable, the kind of place that has earned its loyal following through years of consistency and quality.

Parker and Otis

Parker and Otis is a beloved neighborhood cafe and market at American Tobacco Campus (324 Blackwell St) that has become one of the most reliable morning and midday destinations in the city. The baked goods are the main draw: croissants, morning buns, seasonal tarts, muffins, and scones that are made fresh daily and sell out early. The space has the feel of a well curated general store with a great coffee bar, and on a Saturday morning the energy is exactly right for a slow start to the day.

The pastries here are the kind that locals go out of their way for on a regular basis, which tells you everything you need to know about the quality. If you are planning to go for the baked goods specifically, aim to arrive before 10am. By mid morning on weekends, the most popular items are often gone.

Acai and Bowls at Playa Bowls

Playa Bowls is not a traditional dessert stop, but it earns its place on this list as the best lighter option in Durham's sweet scene. The acai bowls are made with a frozen acai base and topped with fresh fruit, granola, nut butter, honey, and other combinations that manage to feel indulgent while being genuinely nutritious. It is the kind of thing that satisfies a sweet craving without the heaviness of ice cream or baked goods.

There are multiple Triangle locations including Durham, which makes it easy to fit into a day out in the city. If you are someone who wants something satisfying and sweet after a long walk or a full day of sightseeing, a Playa Bowl hits the spot in a way that feels good rather than heavy.

Guglhupf Bakery

Guglhupf is one of the best European style bakeries in the entire Triangle, and it has been that way for years. The German and Central European pastry tradition is on full display here: from scratch danishes, flaky croissants, seasonal fruit tarts, morning buns, and proper layer cakes that take real skill to produce. The baked goods are the obvious draw, but Guglhupf is also a full cafe and restaurant with a beloved biergarten, which makes it equally good for a leisurely weekend morning or an afternoon coffee and something sweet.

Located at 2706 Durham Chapel Hill Rd, the space has an unhurried, neighborhood cafe quality that feels distinctly European. Hours run Tuesday through Saturday from 8am, with Sunday brunch until 3pm. Closed Monday.

Cocoa Cinnamon

Cocoa Cinnamon is a Durham original that has grown from one location into three, which is a reliable sign that the city genuinely loves what it does. The specialty here is chocolate and coffee in the Latin tradition: Mexican hot chocolate, rich sipping chocolates made with single origin beans, and churros served with cinnamon, cardamom, and orange sugar or alongside a scoop of ice cream. It sits somewhere between a dessert shop and a specialty coffee bar, which makes it flexible for any time of day.

The flagship is at 420 W Geer St in Old North Durham, with additional locations on Hillsborough Rd and Chapel Hill Rd. If you want something warm, chocolatey, and different from anywhere else in the city, Cocoa Cinnamon is the answer.

Ninth Street Bakery

Ninth Street Bakery is a downtown Durham staple at 136 E Chapel Hill St that has been producing honest, well made baked goods from scratch for years. The daily lineup includes breads, cookies, muffins, and seasonal pastries alongside sandwiches and soups, making it a complete neighborhood cafe rather than a single category destination. The baked goods are reliable and made with care, and the downtown location makes it an easy stop if you are already in that part of the city.

Open seven days a week, Monday through Saturday from 8am and Sunday from 9am, both until 5pm. It is the kind of place that rewards regulars, with enough variation in the daily offerings to keep things interesting.

Baekho Coffee and Ice Cream

Baekho opened in August 2025 at Boxyard RTP (900 Park Offices Drive, Suite 155) and quickly became one of the more interesting new dessert spots in the Durham area. The concept is Korean inspired craft drinks and artisan ice cream: matcha slushies, yuzu drinks, espresso built on Counter Culture Coffee beans, and a rotating selection of house made ice cream flavors that include banana pudding and seasonal specials. The team behind it also runs Namu and Bulkogi, which gives you a sense of the quality level they are working at.

Worth noting: Boxyard RTP is slightly outside central Durham proper, near Research Triangle Park. If you are spending time in that corridor it is an excellent stop, and the hours are weekday friendly, Monday through Friday from 7:30am, Saturday from 9am, closed Sunday.

Tips for the Durham Dessert Scene

• Many of these spots have limited hours and popular items sell out, so checking social media before heading out is strongly recommended
• For Parker and Otis, arriving early in the morning gives you the best selection of baked goods, popular items sell out by mid morning on weekends
• Simon Says Dip This gets busy on weekend evenings, so plan for a wait or go on a weekday
• Locopops has multiple Durham locations, including the LocoShop rebrand downtown at 600 Foster St, check which is closest before heading out
• Guglhupf is closed on Mondays, so plan accordingly if you are visiting on a weekday
• Cocoa Cinnamon has three Durham locations, making it easy to find no matter which part of the city you are in
• The dessert spots near American Tobacco and Brightleaf Square are most accessible if you are already spending time downtown
• Most of these spots work well as a walk in experience, but it is worth following them on social media for seasonal menu updates and special flavors

Frequently Asked Questions