The Essential Ice Cream Flavors for All 50 States

By Kristy Alpert | Published on May 18, 2026

I’m a sucker for local flavor — and for a good story — which is why my confidence waned as I stood in line at Celesti Gelati Ice Cream Shop in Richmond, Virginia. I was fully prepared to place an order for a scoop of the microcreamery’s mint chip ice cream, when, thankfully, my Southern eavesdropping instincts kicked in. I listened carefully as the woman in front of me waffled between flavors. 

“Hmm, salted caramel or something peanut-y, since we’re in Virginia?” she debated. The scooper behind the counter stepped in and recommended Ukrop’s Rainbow Cookie instead. “It’s about as Virginia as it gets,” he said. As a newly minted Virginian, I was shocked. Who was this Ukrop guy? And how could I claim to live in Virginia if I had never heard of his cookies, let alone squashed one up into my ice cream? 

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MASSACHUSETTS
Growing up in New England is growing up with a jar of marshmallow fluff in the pantry. All the nostalgic flavors of a classic fluffernutter sandwich (i.e., peanut butter and marshmallow fluff between two slices of white bread) went into the creation of PB Banana Fluff Ice Cream at New City Microcreamery with six locations, including in Cambridge. The Bay Stater favorite is made with peanut butter ice cream and roasted bananas and then swirled with real marshmallow fluff.

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