27 Greater Cincinnati Creamy Whips to Get Your Ice Cream Fix
Spring is kicking into high gear, and that means creamy whips across the Cincinnati area are opening their walk-up windows and switching their soft-serve machines on to help you shake off the winter blues with some sweetness.
And to say Cincinnati is a mecca of creamy whips would be an understatement. From neighborhood staples that have been serving ice cream and smiles for generations to the newer shops inspired by their memories made at the nostalgic awnings and picnic tables of the OG whips, there are plenty of places across the city for the young and young-at-heart to grab a shake, sundae or just a classic cone.
Scroll down to view images
Photo: Jesse Fox
4050 Drew Ave., Green Township
Zip Dip literally shines like a beacon of light through the dark — the iconic neon lightning bolt adorning the roof is unmistakable. It was added to the building in 1951 and has been guiding customers through summer heat waves to ice cream salvation ever since. Everyone loves a classic. The top-seller here is a basic small cone with a twist, but scrap the whole chocolate and vanilla idea. Zip Dip serves an orange and vanilla twist that will make you forget you ever wanted anything else. If you’re looking for more, Zip Dip has a whole heap of ice cream selections, from chipwiches to sundaes. Those who prefer to drink their ice cream should skip the shakes and opt for a malt instead.
6855 Tylersville Road, West Chester
West Chester’s The Cone is arguably the most recognizable creamy whip in all of Ohio — partially because of its large ice cream cone-shaped exterior. The Cone’s flavors and ingredients are all-natural, the majority of which are made in-house daily with fresh fruit, real chocolate and more. Even their famous bright orange zebra cone is made from real oranges. Plus all their ice creams, yogurts, Italian ices and sherbets are not only all-natural but soy-free, gluten-free and egg-free, and their whipped cream is homemade on a daily basis from scratch. They also have peanut-allergy-friendly options, as well as dairy-free and sugar-free selections.
1522 Market St., Reading
Don Vonderhaar of Vonderhaar Catering opened his creamy whip, “Don’s Creamy Whip,” in March 1976. Considered a hidden gem in Reading, it often has a long line of locals or passersby. Don’s not only offers ice cream, but slushies and delicious fast food with quality portion sizes. Their most popular menu items are their soft serve ice cream and “Whippers,” similar to Flurries or Blizzards, with your choice of candy swirled perfectly within your favorite ice cream flavor.
2673 Putz Place, East Westwood/Northside
Putz’s Creamy Whip has been in the family since the day Constantine and Anna Putz opened their first trolley car walk-up ice cream window in 1938. The Putz as we know it — now in a square concrete structure just down the hill from Mt. Airy Forest — is a scoop of summer nostalgia served with a smile. Not much about this place has changed over the past several decades. Of the current generation, Putz descendant Mindy Borgman has been cranking out cones at the creamy whip for the last few decades — all on the same Electro-Freeze machine. Another tradition? Putz’s is cash-only. Despite the hoopla about the vintage ice cream machine and vanilla soft serve, the pineapple sherbet is a must. It is creamy like soft serve and tangy to boot. “Face cones” are also a hot commodity at Putz’s. The soft serve cones are adorned with Necco wafer ears and crunchy googly-eyed candy.
127 E. Main St., Mason
Mason Whippy Dip, also known as Tucker’s Whippy Dip, is a family-owned ice cream shop that’s been crafting cones and smiles since 1999. Their best known for their creative animal cones, using ice cream, candy and an assortment of other treats to make sweet creatures that are almost too cute to eat (almost). Whippy Dip also has some incredible gourmet sundaes like the Black Forest (chocolate soft serve with hot fudge and cherry topping) or the Sandstorm (Chocolate soft serve with marshmallow topping, a drizzle of chocolate syrup, malt powder, and chopped peanuts).
Photo: Hailey Bollinger
119 Main St., Milford
Old Milford Parlor sits in Old Milford’s historic district filled with vintage shops and quirky eateries. While they specialize in the fusion of ice cream and espresso, their soft serve is also a must-try. Grab a classic zebra soft serve swirl and then select from Old Milford's wild array of toppings, from a classic Krunch Koat and rainbow sprinkles to marshmallow charms and edible gold flakes (made with real gold...).
3020 Washington St., Burlington
This soft-serve ice cream and coffee shop wants to be your symbol of summer, and with their menu of cones, shakes, malts and floats, how could they not? Ice cream flavors are rotated weekly, and their vanilla is always available dairy-free, as are their dole whips. And not only does Dreamy Whip have its Burlington storefront, they have their own ice cream truck and trailer that can be rented out for events.
2529 US-22, Maineville
Whipty-Do! opened its doors in May of 2009, when owners Joe and Kristen Fields turned their love of ice cream into a colorful brick-and-mortar shop. They began serving blue ice cream in 2010, and customers drive from as far as Columbus and Indianapolis to stock up on the stuff with coolers and dry ice in tow. And for folks who are dairy-free, they have rotating-flavor Dole Whips. Also, make sure to try their secret menu item, the Whipty Whirl, at least once this summer.
508 N. Wyoming Ave., Wyoming
An HVAC salesman and the owner of Wyoming Heating and Air one day realized that Wyoming was in desperate need of some ice cream. They took it upon themselves to create Cowboy Cones, a cow-print-covered ice cream stop that serves up sundaes, shakes, floats, tons of imaginative ice cream flavors, and of course, creamy whips. The shop offers 14 rotating flavors of creamy soft serve that can be topped or swirled to create the perfect flavor. For those who don’t eat dairy, Cowboy Cones also serves a few flavors of soy-based ice cream.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger
801 Mt Hope Ave., Suite B, East Price Hill
This walk-up urban creamy whip is gearing up for its fifth season. Helmed by the Grear and Harkins families, the menu includes floats, shakes, gourmet ice pops, smoothies and flurries in addition to soft serve. Cones come in vanilla, chocolate or swirl with toppings like sea salt, sprinkles and chocolate sauce, but where things really get creative are their flavor swirls. Among additions like lavender, pistachio and chai tea is bourbon barrel stout, a unique Kentucky-style stand-out.
