These Triangle ice cream shops are among the best in the US, Yelp says
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Yelp ranked five North Carolina ice cream shops in its 2025 national top 100.
- Pincho Loco in Durham earned spot No. 56 for Latino-inspired frozen treats.
- Pints Ice Cream & Beer in Fuquay-Varina secured spot No. 91 for boozy flavors.
The next time you’re craving a sweet scoop of ice cream, there’s a few local spots you may want to check out that have been named among the best in the country.
Yelp recently released a list of the top 100 ice cream shops in the US based on the total volume and ratings of reviews.
Of all the delicious dessert destinations, five in North Carolina made the list— including two around the Triangle: Pincho Loco in Durham and Pints Ice Cream & Beer in Fuquay-Varina.
Pincho Loco
Location: 1918 Perry St #5111, Durham, NC 27705
Pincho Loco (No. 56) has been serving up sweet treats with a taste of native Latin-style flavors for nearly a decade. The ice cream and popsicle shop, located minutes away from Duke University, made its debut in Durham in 2017, The News & Observer previously reported.
Pincho Loco — which means “crazy skewer” in Spanish — offers a wide variety of popsicle and ice cream flavors like strawberry, Mexican chocolate, spicy mango along with some alcohol-inspired flavors like tequila, Rum raisin and Bourbon truffle.
“Pincho Loco is a must-visit in Durham,” one Yelp review reads. “Delicious ice cream with unique Mexican flavors, plus tasty snacks like elotes and chamoy treats. Fun vibe, friendly staff--perfect for a quick sweet (or spicy) fix!”
Pints Ice Cream & Beer
Location: 512 Broad St, Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526
Whether you want ice cream, beer or both — Pints (No. 91) serves it all. The local spot, about 18 miles outside of Raleigh, offers scratch-made ice cream made with unique flavors and “boozy concoctions” crafted for all ages to enjoy, according to its social media page. As one Yelp reviewer put it, “Pints is in a league of its own! The flavors are plentiful and absolutely delicious.”
“Thank you to our customers, your support over the past almost 7 years has been unwavering and thank you to our amazing staff who we definitely could not have accomplished this without,” Pints’ team shared in a Facebook post about being ranked one of the best ice cream shops.
“And thank you to our friends and family who have stuck by our sides through thick and thin, I don’t think any of you haven’t worked at least an hour behind our counter! Sometimes it takes a village! Cheers!”
You can check out the full list of Yelp’s top 100 ice cream shops online at yelp.com.
Best ice cream in the Triangle
This summer, The N&O set out to find the best ice cream in the area, asking our readers to nominate and vote for their favorite scoop shops to crown a winner. See the full list of local favorites at newsobserver.com/living/food-drink.
Simone Jasper contributed to this story.