The Scoop on Louisville's Best Ice Cream Shops

Dairy Kastle, the venerable walk-up and drive-up ice cream stand on Eastern Parkway, has been dispensing luscious soft-serve ice cream since 1974. Hungry fans pull up in their cars for such ice cream treats as Brown Derbies, frozen yogurt, sundaes, soft-serve orange sherbet swirled with vanilla, and thick banana shakes — made with real bananas, not syrup.

The original Pie Kitchen, located near the corner of Bardstown and Taylorsville roads, has been a Highlands hot spot since 1982. Now there are nine locations. Customers can choose from around 40 flavors. Making its debut in the past year is the launch of a new flavor every three weeks. One of the latest to land on the menu is Blackberry Pie, which features homemade pie crust in the recipe.

Elmer and Polly Glietz opened the legendary Polly's Freeze in a vacant filling station in Georgetown, Ind., in the early 1950s. It soon earned a reputation for yummy frozen treats and a family environment. The biggest seller is the Upside Down Banana Split. They sell at least 200 a week.

Dairy Del has been in business on 26th Street since 1973. Its flavors include butter pecan/maple nut, mango, kiwi, papaya, peach, eggnog, banana/strawberry, and rum. There are about 20 toppings in all, including chocolate, caramel, hot fudge, sprinkles, Reese's Pieces, Snickers, Butterfinger, and fresh-ground nuts. The owner says one of her banana splits was so beautiful it led to a marriage.

The Westport Village shop features made-from-scratch, handmade ice cream. Though the owners have been in business for less than two years, they've won Awards of Excellence for their signature chocolate and vanilla flavors at a national ice cream convention. Also, the Bourbon Ball flavor won second place in the country in the event's Best Holiday Flavor contest.

The New Albany, Ind., landmark on Charlestown Road recently celebrated its 60th anniversary. The variety of flavors and flavor combinations offered gives indecisive customers reason to pause. Will it be the Bahama Mama smoothie or the Cappuccino shake? Then again, the upside-down pineapple Cyclone and the hot caramel sundae with Oreo and black raspberry ice cream sound like winners, too.