Vegan ice cream? Yes, it’s a thing, and it’s easier to find in New Orleans than you might think—even on those especially unbearable days when you need a cool treat to beat the heat. So whether you’re on a plant-based or dairy-free, here’s where you can find a nice scoop of vegan ice cream in New Orleans.
Creole Creamery
Creole Creamery is a staple in the New Orleans ice cream world. The parlor could be considered one of the best in the country with its 18 classic flavors and an ever-changing rotation of more than 80 seasonal flavors of ice cream, sorbets and sherbets. No matter how much those flavors change, you can always count on Creole Creamery to offer a few vegan options. Some of those flavors include Matcha, Obe and Mangonada. The list of flavors are posted in the window daily, so be prepared to try something new on your next trip.
Aqua S
If soft serve is more your style, Aqua S is the perfect place for you. The spot, located near the corner of Girod Street and O’Keefe Avenue, brings a taste of Sydney, Australia, to the Big Easy. The shop makes you feel like you’re on Cloud 9 with its sky-themed decor and out-of-this-world flavors. Aqua S features new flavors every month, but you can always find a nice dairy-free ice cream selection in New Orleans. Look out for flavors like Tiger Blood, Strawberry Yogurt and Violet Lemonade. You can try a cone or take it to-go with a mini-tub of ice cream.
Sweet Soulfood
Imagine you’re with a big group of people who all want different types of ice cream. Get in the car and take them straight to Sweet Soulfood. Not only does this 7th Ward restaurant offer a full menu of plant-based soul food in New Orleans, but it also carries a huge selection of vegan ice cream. All of the flavors are sold in pints that can be purchased in the store or delivered. The flavors are made with coconut, cashew, pecan or almond milk. There’s more than 10 flavors to choose from, but we recommend trying Turtle Fudge Brownie, Pistachio Almond or Rocky Nola.
Rahm Haus Ice Cream
Rahm Haus Ice Cream was founded in 2020 by pastry chef Jillian Duran, who is lactose intolerant. But she didn’t want to let her dietary restrictions get in the way of her love for ice cream. The vegan flavors are fast-sellers, but you definitely want to try to get your hands on Aguacacocoa, Satsuma Elixir and Raspberry Creme and Cookies. If that’s not enticing enough, Rahm Haus can also be enjoyed by your four-legged friends. The New Orleans ice cream shop offers a special ice cream for pups called Doggie Dough, which is a coconut based ice cream with parsley and “haus made” dog treat crumbs. All of Rahm Haus’s flavors are available online for delivery or pickup at The Courtyard Brewery.
Hood Cream
Hood Cream is fresh to the New Orleans food scene. The Black-owned and woman-owned ice cream catering service is all about bringing authentic plant-based flavors to the community. At the core of its name, Hood Cream draws its influence from the neighborhood with a range of flavors based on the culture and style of the people around us. A few fan favorites include a strawberry ice with pound cake chunks called By the Pound and an almond wedding cake ice cream aptly named Let’s Get Married. Hood Cream doesn’t have a storefront just yet, but you can have the dairy-free creamery cater your next special event or find them at a pop-up around New Orleans. Hood Cream sets up its ice cream bar at the Drifter Hotel every Sunday.
Vice Cream
Vice Cream flips some of your favorite treats to create some delectable pints of ice cream. This ice cream shop’s mission is to challenge your taste buds with experimental flavors. On the vegan side of the menu, you can find a Girl Scout cookie-inspired flavor called Caramel D-Lite and LUSH, a tropical sorbet with mango, pineapple and papaya. Vice Cream is constantly introducing new flavors, and it collaborates with local breweries and bars to offer special booze-themed ice cream. You can order a pint of Vice Cream’s ice cream online and pick it up at a few locations, including Café Bon Ami and The Troubadour Hotel. The pints are usually available to pick up in an hour.
