Chill Out: Get the scoop on eight spots to grab locally crafted ice creams

Off Track Ice Cream
Peruse an extensive variety of traditional and vegan ice creams at this cozy parlor found just off King Street. Don’t miss the Cold Brew Honeycomb or Fluffernutter Blondie, crafted out of raw cashews, organic coconut cream, and cane sugar. 6 Beaufain St., offtrackicecream.com 

LB Sweets & Treats 
Pop into this confectionary wonderland on James Island for custom cheesecakes, sugar cookies, tarts, and of course, ice cream. Try samples such as salted caramel or s’mores in-store, then take home a pint (or two) of Peanut Butter Coma or an ice cream cake with a homemade fudge cookie center. 1939 Maybank Hwy., lbsweets.com  

Beardcat’s Sweet Shop
This gelataria sits below beloved Sullivan’s Island restaurant The Obstinate Daughter, making house-made, artisanal gelato from locally sourced ingredients. Try Italian-inspired flavors, including pistachio, olive oil and sea salt, and stracciatella (chocolate chip), by the cup or in sandwiches and cakes. 2063 Middle St., beardcatsweetshop.com

Frigid Bits
This small-batch ice cream company, which started off as a pandemic hobby, stars decadent selections such as apple pie, blackberry jam biscuit, and churro. Order a bowl off the menu of Rutledge Avenue sandwich shop Berkeley’s, get it to-go downtown at Ted’s Butcherblock, or message owner Nora McIntyre for personal orders. instagram.com/frigidbits

Hardscoop
Found in grocery and liquor stores across the Lowcountry, these desserts are for adults only, coming in several boozy flavors at eight percent ABV. Gather a four- or six-pack of crowd-pleasers such as bourbon apple cider, Painkiller (with a hint of Pusser’s rum), and Doom Flamingo, a wild berry concoction made in collaboration with the local synthwave band of the same name. hardscoop.com

Park Circle Creamery 
Tucked into North Charleston’s bustling restaurant district, Park Circle Creamery churns out more than 16 handcrafted flavors at a time. Think extra creamy scoops, freshly made waffle cones, and smiley faces on ice cream cups piled high with Lucky Charms, Mexican vanilla, blueberry cheesecake, and more. 1069 E. Montague Ave., parkcirclecreamery.com

Cirsea
Save room after the fried money bags and red snapper at Red Orchids China Bistro for a final course from owners Kelly and Tony Chu. Or, find their Cirsea ice creams—lavender, matcha, black sesame, and strawberry goat cheese, to name just a few—in more than 40 other local restaurants, including Maya, O-Ku, Park and Grove, and Red’s Ice House. 1401 Sam Rittenberg Blvd., cirsea.com

Life Raft Treats
From the ingenious mind of pastry chef Cynthia Wong comes a bevy of hyperrealistic desserts, including crunchy Not Fried Chicken, perfectly ripe peaches, and full TV dinners, all made from ice cream or fruit sorbet. Find her fantastical frozen creations wherever the food truck stops (we recommend ordering in advance), in local Whole Foods’ freezers, or order online for global shipping. liferafttreats.com