Soft serve in fish cone. — OMG Squee’s soft serve in taiyaki.

Where to Indulge in Creamy, Swirly Soft Serve in Austin

From vanilla to matcha to peaches

by Nadia Chaudhury Jul 12, 2022, 10:06am CDT

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OMG Squee’s soft serve in taiyaki.

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by Nadia Chaudhury Jul 12, 2022, 10:06am CDT

It’s the right time for frosty treats, and soft serve is a very special ice cream iteration that sparks sweet satisfaction and childhood nostalgia all in one. The creamy concoction is typically made without eggs in a machine and available in classic flavors like vanilla and chocolate, or fun ones like matcha and peaches. and sometimes bonus flavor swirls

There’s a handful of excellent Austin restaurants, markets, and dessert spots offering soft serve, from Sandy’s Hamburgers to OMG Squee to Birdie’s. For more cold treats, look out for Austin’s best ice cream shops, snow cones/shave ices/sno-balls/raspados/etc., ice cream sandwiches, milkshakes, and Thai-rolled ice cream.

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Connor's Creamery

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Seafood restaurant Garbo’s spun off with this ice cream truck parked at the far north Austin location. The vanilla ice cream base can be flavored up with swirl options like chocolate, bubble gum, and pineapple, plus there are loads of toppings from sprinkles to caramel to M&Ms.

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12709 N Mopac Expy, Austin, TX 78727

(860) 608-5579

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A cup of soft serve ice cream with yellow sauce and orange sprinkles. — Soft serve from Connor’s.

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Asahi Imports

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The Japanese market offers up lovely soft serve Fridays through Sundays. There’s the matcha, the sesame, and the combination matcha and sesame swirl available.

6105 Burnet Rd, Austin, TX 78757

(512) 453-1850

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A hand holding up a clear plastic container of green soft serve in front of a green bush. — Matcha soft serve from Asahi Imports.

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Zeds Real Fruit Ice Cream

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The Portland import makes its soft serve with actual fruit — ranging from peaches to dark cherries — plus vanilla (with a vegan option available). Then there are drizzles like chamoy and toppings like toasted coconuts. There are cups and waffle cones too.

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1814 Harvey St, Austin, TX 78702

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Birdie's

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Already the East Austin wine restaurant’s very tall vanilla soft has become an iconic dessert in Austin. The drizzle of perfect seasonal olive oil is just an added bonus.

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2944 E 12th St Unit A, Austin, TX 78702

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A cup of soft serve with olive oil from the top. — Soft serve from Birdie’s.

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Jim Jim's Water Ice

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The water ice joint also serves up simple and classic soft serve in vanilla, chocolate, or chocolate-vanilla swirl.

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615 E 6th St, Austin, TX 78701

(512) 708-8285

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OMG Squee

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Adorable and delicious, the Texas-Asian sweets shop offers fun soft serve in flavors like Vietnamese coffee, ube, and black sesame (with swirls available). Order them in cup or taiyaki form.