The Charmery

801 W. 36th St, 410-814-0493.

“I
think of things I like and turn them into ice cream,” says co-owner
David Alima, referring to the store’s variety of flavors. Look for
winter concoctions like Champagne and strawberry for Valentine’s Day and
snowmaggedon with snowcap candies—whether or not the weather warrants
it.

Editor’s pick: Spro coffee, made in collaboration with the Hampden coffee shop down the street.

Maggie Moo’s

Several locations including 821 S. Broadway, 410-342-8399.

It’s
hard to resist endlessly combining the shop’s 56 flavors (like banana
rum and chocolate Swiss) and 31 mix-ins (including chocolate-covered
pretzels and coconut). Other whimsical cold desserts include
ice-cream-filled cupcakes and an ice-cream pizza.

Editor’s pick: Strawberry Skateboard—strawberry ice cream with rainbow sprinkles and gummy bears.

Pitango Gelato

Several locations including 802 S. Broadway, 410-236-0741.

When
Noah Dan moved to the U.S., he missed the gelato of his youth in Italy.
He eventually sold his software company and satisfied his longing by
opening Pitango in 2006. The creamy, milk-based treat is made on an
organic dairy farm in Pennsylvania, each kind built from scratch without
chemicals or flavor concentrates.

Editor’s pick: The sweet-and-savory black sesame.

Prigel Family Creamery

4852 Long Green Rd., Glen Arm, 410- 510-7488.

The
on-site shop, adjacent to the creamery operations and the family’s
dairy farm, sells ice cream as well as milk, meat, and yogurt. The
slow-churned ice cream includes flavors like Bobby’s black mud
(chocolate with cappuccino chips) and apple strudel. Order it scooped
into a cone, in a sundae with syrup, or packed into a container to take
home.

Editor’s pick: Caramel pretzel.

Taharka Bros

Available at local stores and restaurants.

Taharka’s
small factory in Clipper Mill cranks out inventive flavors like “A
Dream Preferred” (toasted-coconut ice cream with rum swirl and chocolate
Pop Rocks), named after a Langston Hughes poem, and “Pryor Knowledge”
with Nutella, nutmeg, nuts, and Nutter Butter cookies. Look for an
ice-cream truck in the spring.

Editor’s pick: Vanilla, made with ingredients grown on a small farm in Haiti.

Calories in the Cone

Sugar Cone: 40 calories in a single cone

Cake Cone: 17 calories in a single cone