Where to get Philly's best ice cream sandwiches

Ice cream sandwiches are as American as corn dogs, or at least the vanilla ice cream and wafer version.

Originally sold in New York City at the turn of the century for a single penny as a "hokey-pokey" — ice cream served between two pieces of paper (can you imagine?) — the treat evolved over time, according to a 2019 Boston Globe interview with Jeri Quinzio, author of Of Sugar and Snow: A History of Ice Cream Making and an editor of the Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets. The ice cream sandwich popular in the U.S. today — vanilla ice cream served between two chocolate wafers — has supposed origins dating back to the ‘20s, ‘40s and ‘70s, according to Tasting Table, but the exact origins aren't confirmed.

What can be confirmed is that different takes on ice cream sandwiches can be found all over the world, from the brioche con gelato in Italy to a brick of ice cream nestled between rainbow-colored toast in Singapore, ice cream rounds in buns in the Philippines and in Thailand and Vietnam an ice cream sandwich is often served on a long roll, writes Thrillist. (Some of these styles of ice cream sandwiches are rare in Philly, but let us know if you find them!)

While origin stories are fun to debate, ice cream sandwich makers in Philadelphia aren't beholden solely to tradition. From their use of different flavored ice creams, creative ice cream sandwich "breading," or their overall style, here are the best ice cream sandwiches served in Philly.

A post shared by Coco's Cookies & Creamery (@cocoscookiesandcreamery)

A newer fixture to Lancaster Avenue in Poweltown Village, Coco's Cookies and Creamery has been churning out marvelous ice cream and carnival desserts since 2020. Their menu spans far and wide with funnel cakes, fried Oreos and water ice milkshakes, but their ice cream sandwich calls in a heavy hitter to really pack a punch: Reading Terminal Market's Famous 4th Street cookies sandwich soft-serve ice cream in vanilla, chocolate or twist flavors. If you want to switch up the breading, you can order it with wafers instead of cookies. Pick up their ice cream sandwich for $4.50 or $16 for a four-pack, order online for pick-up or get delivery through UberEats.

📍 3632 Powelton Ave. 📞 267-353-8059 🌐 cocoscookiesandcreamery.com

A post shared by Franklin Ice Cream Bar (@franklinicecreambar)

Franklin Fountain, a Philly ice cream powerhouse that's half top-tier ice cream parlor, half time machine, is an ice cream institution that will make you feel like you’re in a 20th-century malt shop. Despite its throwback appeal, their ice cream desserts don't just stick to the classics. Enjoy the choice of either cookies, brownies or pretzels sandwiching a thick slab of ice cream — all handmade. Order these treats at both of Franklin's storefronts, Franklin Fountain and Franklin Ice Cream Bar, right next door to each other. Pre-made sandwiches in the ice cream bar freezers include vanilla and chocolate chip cookie, peanut butter ice cream and double chocolate cookie, snickerdoodle and sea salt caramel ice cream sandwiches. Grab an $18 gourmet sandwich at Franklin Fountain or a $12 pre-made sandwich at Franklin Ice Cream Bar at their East Market Street locations, or order for pick-up or local delivery online.

📍 116 Market St. 📞 215-627-1899 🌐 franklinfountain.com

Gran Caffe L’Aquila serves an award-winning homemade gelato that is made fresh daily by Italian gelato champion Stefano Biasini. Its variation of the Sicilian classic features a freshly baked sweet brioche roll filled with gelato. According to Gran Caffe L’Aquila's culinary director Riccardo Longo, the key to making the brioche con gelato is an Italian-made press that warms the brioche on the outside while maintaining the ice-cold gelato on the inside, leaving guests with a euphoric hot and cold sensation. Choose between 24 daily gelato flavors to be the filling in this Italian ice cream sandwich for $8.50.

📍 1716 Chestnut St. 📞 215-568-5600 🌐 grancaffelaquila.com

» READ MORE: Where to find the best gelato in the Philly area

With locally sourced ingredients and a small business approach, Harper's ice cream in Brewerytown starts its journey in local farms across the region before its ingredients are transformed into ice cream sandwiches, milkshakes and scoops in their scoop shop. What makes Harper's ice cream sandwich stand out is the homemade donut. Order the donut sandwich with any of the rotating flavors of ice cream, from cookies and cream and vanilla bean to salted caramel, for $7. Pick up the ice cream donut sandwiches from their Brewerytown storefront, or order ahead for pick-up online.

📍 2827 W. Girard Ave. 📞 215-789-6597 🌐 harpersicecream.com

Scoop DeVille's ice cream sandwich deserves to be in the record books for being an absolute unit. The "Scoopwich" features two large cookies with an enormous slab of ice cream in the middle, with classic offerings like vanilla with sprinkles on chocolate chip cookies, or mint chocolate chip on double chocolate chip cookies. For a parlor famous for being able to create any flavor of soft-serve ice cream, you can also choose any ice cream flavor to slap between their warm cookies. Pick up these for $6 to $8 at their South Street or Midtown Village storefronts, or order online for pick-up or delivery.

📍 1109 Walnut St. / 538 South St. 📞 215-988-9992 / 267-639-4565 🌐 scoopdevilleicecream.com

If there's any place to get an ice cream sandwich in Philly, one of the top choices has to be Weckerly's — their entire business was built on the dessert. You can now find the sizable premium ice cream sandwiches at two scoop shops and distribution to many local retailers. With dairy from Seven Star Farms in Phoenixville and all ice cream mixes made in-house, they specialize in a French-style custard cream that delivers a super thick, rich ice cream — perfect for ice cream sandwiches. With core flavors like a "black and white" vanilla and chocolate ice cream sandwich, they also introduce rotating sandwich flavors frequently. For $5, you can't get much better than Weckerly's.

📍 9 W. Girard Ave. / 265 S. 44th St. 📞 215-423-2000 / 215-222-5829 🌐 weckerlys.com

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After one of Zsa's fruity ice cream sandwiches, you’ll be singing, "Berries and cream, berries and cream. I’m a little lad who loves berries and cream." Currently on offer is a strawberries and cream with brown sugar ice cream sandwich, and sweet cream vanilla bean ice cream with brown sugar chocolate chip cookies sandwich. All of their rotating and seasonal ice cream sandwich flavors are like eating a pie in ice cream form. Zsa's uses a homemade ice cream mix that pulls inspiration from American-style ice cream which is lighter but balances the lightness with gelato-making techniques that produce a rich density. Each sandwich comes with one giant scoop of ice cream and two three-inch cookies to top it off. Grab one of their sandwiches for $7.75 in their Mount Airy scoop shop, or order ahead online for pick-up.

📍 6616 Germantown Ave. 📞 215-848-7215 🌐 zsasicecream.com