Follow the shimmering Savannah College of Art and Design marquee down the south side of Broughton Street and you’ll find Leopold’s, an ice cream parlor serving what many people call “the best ice cream in the world.” With an old-fashioned black marble soda fountain and a retro neon window sign, Leopold’s transports you back in time to a classic soda-fountain shop from the 1920s. Visitors, locals, and celebrities alike line up from open to close to grab a scoop or two of Leopold’s to beat the Savannah heat and humidity.
Getting to Leopold’s early in the day will give you the best opportunity to skip the crowd—it’s packed even on a Tuesday. If you do run into a line, though, Leopold’s tantalizing treats are worth the wait. The dense and rich handcrafted ice cream is made from secret recipes and techniques that have been handed down for over a century. A decadence in each bite, Leopold’s heavenly ice cream leaves your mouth savoring the flavors and then craving the next spoonful. After enlisting a few of Leopold’s soda jerks sporting classic white retro diner uniforms and paper caps, we undertook the task of finding and tasting the top five favorite flavors to create a delicious go-to list for your next stop at Leopold’s.
Try one or try all, each and every flavor at Leopold’s will tantalize your taste buds and satisfy your sweet tooth.
Honey Almond & Cream
Made using local honey from the Savannah Bee Company and roasted almonds, Honey Almond and Cream draws inspiration from SCAD’s mascot, Art the Bee, with each bite providing sweet and fresh almonds chilled in a cream base.
Savannah Socialite
The sole chocolate-based flavor on this list, this mix of milk and dark chocolates with roasted Georgia pecans is swirled with bourbon-infused caramel. With a little kick in each spoonful, Savannah Socialite represents everything a good chocolate ice cream and a lady who lunches should be: decadent and divine.
Butter Pecan
A Leopold’s classic and customer favorite, Butter Pecan presents a dense and creamy base infused and loaded with roasted Georgia pecans. Having an ideal mix of salty and sweet flavors, this treat is the perfect appetite-satisfier for any Savannah afternoon.
Chocolate Chewies & Cream
With crispy and chewy chocolate cookies paired with Georgia pecans and folded in classic vanilla, this flavor is filled with scrumptious chunks of chocolate surprises. My personal favorite from this list, Chocolate Chewies and Cream provides a crunch and a flavor that marries chocolate and vanilla with a nutty twist in one scrumptious spoonful.
Caramel Swirl
After a little debate between the soda jerks, Caramel Swirl captured the final spot on this list of Leopold’s favorites. With homemade caramel swirled in a creamy caramel ice cream, your spoon will carve out ribbons of the sweet stuff, leaving your mouth watering for another bite.
Written by: Ellie O’Donoghue
Photography By: Ellie O’Donoghue & Provided By: Chia Chong Via Leopold’s Ice Cream