Skip to main content
  • Food + Drink

  • Written by Siena Dorman

Ice Cream Around Bend Oregon

bowl of Bonta Gelato in Bend

It doesn’t matter how old you are, eight, fifty or eighty-five, ice cream makes people happy. And when it comes to ice cream, everyone knows that homemade is best. Cool off this summer with our picks for classic and new flavors from Bend, Oregon’s best local purveyors. [Photo above by Tina Paymaster] Keep reading to find your favorite ice cream around Bend.


BONTA GELATO

More than a decade ago, Juli and Jeff Labhart took a trip around the world and came back with a good taste in their mouth. The couple came home, took creamery courses and in 2011, Bonta was born. Meaning “goodness” in Italian, the company sold out on its first day at the Bite of Bend. 

Bonta Gelato with sprinkles
Photo by Tina Paymaster

Today, under the leadership of current CEO Corey Owens, Bonta has multiple locations in Central Oregon: the OG location downtown, their tasting counter on SE Wilson Avenue, and on NW Galveston Avenue. You can also find them in Redmond at Westmount and at grocery stores by the pint or quart. And what might be our favorite location, at the Hayden Homes Amphitheater! Flavors at the scoop shops rotate seasonally, using local ingredients to create flavors such as blueberry lemonade sorbetto, orange blossom honey with poppy seeds or roasted strawberry that might taste like summertime. 

“We love eating what we make, and I promise, no one is digging into gelato at the dining table,” said CEO Corey Owens. 

Whether perched on a rooftop or gathering on a patch of grass everyone agrees is ‘the spot,’ this is gelato for lingering in the sun and not minding when Stracciatella drips down a knuckle. Learn more about Bonta Gelato.


GOODY’S 

Known for its fine chocolates, Goody’s started churning its own ice cream in Sunriver in 1984 at the family business of Marne and Marion Palmateer. Today, Goody’s scoops out ice cream at locations in Bend, Sunriver and Boise, Idaho. Made in-store until 2007, Goody’s ice cream now comes from the company’s local factory to keep up with popular demand.

Goody’s has changed hands across the years, but the old-fashioned spirit remains. In 2023, the newest owners, David Bergman and Mark Strelcheck, renovated the Downtown shop and its nostalgic soda fountain. Take a seat at the counter and try one of sixteen flavors, including best-seller Oreo cookie and a rotation of new flavors. Pull up a second seat with a special someone, as its milkshakes are worthy of two straws for sharing. Learn more about Goody’s.


ROCKHARD BM_Summer_2016_icecream_RockHard_cone_RF

When hiking Smith Rock State Park, don’t forget to bring ice cream money. For many climbers and families, the promise of huckleberry ice cream on the way out of the park has become part of the Smith Rock ritual.

Owners Pam and David Potter purchased the store from Collin Day in 2023. Day said that the store has been scooping huckleberry ice cream since his parents started it in 1966, back when it was still known as Juniper Junction.

In the 1980s, the store had a full soda fountain, but was most famous for its milkshakes. Rockhard now offers six ice cream flavors, including the best-selling huckleberry, as well as two rotating dairy-free flavors. 


Bend_Magazine_Sisters_Sno_cap_Ice_Cream_by_Talia_Galvin(2of3)
Photo by Talia Jean Filipek

SNO CAP DRIVE-IN

A Sisters staple since 1952, Sno Cap owner Lacey Weeks said that the three secrets to the drive-in’s success are tradition, curiosity and homemade ice cream.

“People who came as kids are now bringing their families,” said Weeks, whose grandfather bought the Sno Cap in 1978 and who grew up helping at the restaurant. She worked the counter throughout her high school years and recalls staying up late on summer nights to make ice cream with her grandfather.

“Newcomers see the long lines out the door when driving by and stop to check it out. It’s simply iconic,” Weeks said.

To accommodate long lines, the Sno Cap churns out ice cream in three-gallon batches, using two vintage Taylor machines. The thirty-seven flavors include: Cascade blackberry, mint chocolate chip, German chocolate brownie and white chocolate raspberry cheesecake. Learn more about the Sno Cap Drive-In.


ELLY’S ICE CREAM

Tucked in NorthWest Crossing’s The Grove Market Hall, Elly’s is a modern ice cream shop with a nostalgic twist, serving ultra-premium scoops made from Pacific Northwest ingredients. Each batch is rich, velvety, and made with organic milk, cream, and eggs, plus local berries and small-batch toppings like house-spiced nuts and graham crumble. Many baked goods and sauces come from Bend’s local bakery, Two Sweet Cakes. With flavors that rotate often and a focus on quality over quantity, Elly’s invites guests to explore bold combinations in a bright, creative space. Learn more about Elly’s Ice Cream.


HANDEL’S HOMEMADE ICE CREAM

With roots dating back to 1945 in Youngstown, Ohio, Handel’s brings its time-tested traditions to Bend. Each batch is made fresh on-site, following original methods started by Handel’s founder Alice Handel, who first scooped with fruit from her own garden. With rich textures and classic flavors, it’s no surprise National Geographic once named Handel’s the best ice cream on the planet in the book 10 Best of Everything. Learn more about Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream.


GLORY GOURMET POPSICLES

Glory Gourmet Popsicles Mango flavor
Photo courtesy of Glory Gourmet Popsicles

Glory Popsicles is a Central Oregon treat on wheels. Launched in 2024 by husband-and-wife duo Steven and Shanna Nunes, the company was born out of a love for ice cream and faith. After running a rolled ice cream shop together, they returned to their original dream: handcrafted popsicles. The ice cream and fruit bars are served from their signature Icicle Tricycles. Glory Pops are made with fresh ingredients and an extra dose of joy. Find them at local events or book them for private parties. Learn more about Glory Gourmet Popsicles.


BIRDSONG ICE CREAM

Call it real-fruit ice cream, New Zealand-style ice cream, or even New Zealand-style real-fruit ice cream if you have the breath, Birdsong’s all-organic, creamy dessert has the community flocking to The Podski.

Birdsong Ice Cream Cone
Photo by Tambi Lane

Cassandra Price and Taylor Samuelsen fell for the treat during visits to British Columbia, where they first encountered the irresistible simplicity of combining ripe frozen berries and a scooped ice cream base. A cold dessert after mountain biking with no sugar crash? They were hooked. Within months of deciding to bring this discovery to Bend, Price and Samuelsen tracked down a machine from New Zealand specifically crafted for this kind of ice cream, refurbished a vintage cart (Price has years of construction experience) and landed a coveted spot at The Podski.

Every organic ice cream is made to order using fresh frozen fruit from Oregon and Washington and an ice cream base from Alden’s, a Eugene creamery, or a lush, dairy-free coconut-based ice cream made in Bend.

“Because it’s scooped ice cream, the water content is not as high. It comes out a lot creamier and richer than a soft serve would,” said Samuelsen.

Real-fruit ice cream takes less than a minute to make, whole fruit moves through Birdsong’s specialty machine and is mixed directly into the cream to create a bright, tangy blend that is as fresh as it is flavorful.

These swirls bring patrons back to the basics: sprinkles naturally dyed with ingredients such as beetroot, a chocolate-coconut shell developed by Price that hardens like magic on contact and crisp waffle cones from a generations-old Canadian cone artisan. You won’t find artificial dyes, just bright colors from nature and pure ingredients with gluten- and dairy-free options.

Some customer favorites include the Oregon-native marionberry or raspberry, topped with the housemade chocolate shell. And look out for seasonal collaborations with local vendors. Last season, Birdsong teamed up with Bend’s Ascend Mushrooms for a limited-edition matcha ice cream.

Behind the counter, the pair takes pride in their delicious offering, Birdsong’s regional ingredients and sharing summer with the community, one waffle cone at a time. Learn more about Birdsong Ice Cream.


 


One Reply to “Ice Cream Around Bend Oregon”

  1. Pingback:Great Late Summer Hikes Around Central Oregon — Bend Magazine

0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyReturn to Shop