Grandpa Greene’s
Grandpa Greene’s has two locations: The Parlour and Cafe Bar in Diggle and the Bistro and Parlour in Uppermill. The Diggle site features a glass-fronted terrace overlooking water, nestled in rolling hills. The ice cream is made in Greater Manchester by a family continuing the tradition of their 'Grandpa Greene', who first started making ice creams in the back yard of his corner shop in Salford. Saddleworth Milk J & R Lancashire and Family supply whole milk and thick double cream from Pedigree Friesian cows grazing in Saddleworth. This results in over 24 flavours of luxury dairy ice cream, plus plant-based options and sorbets. Popular flavours include raspberry pavlova, espresso, and cookie and cream.
Dunham Massey Ice Cream Farm
Located in a converted red brick barn in Dunham Massey, Altrincham, this ice cream parlour is known for its beautiful wild flower meadow and sunflower field. Hand-made on the farm, flavours include white chocolate and Oreo, Malteasers, Caramac, and Custard Cream. It also offers hot drinks, pizzas, and toasties, with indoor seating. The Sunflower Trail starts late July.
Smithills
Smithills Open Farm Ice Creamery sells homemade ice cream made from their own herd of Holstein cows. Flavours include White Kinder Bueno, Mint choc chip, Honeycomb, Cookies & cream, and Salted Caramel. Visitors can watch the team mixing ice cream in the dairy. With over 20 flavours, you can enjoy a scoop or take home 1-litre tubs.
Frederick’s
Frederick’s is a family-run business making luxury Italian ice cream in Mesnes Park, Wigan. The cafe is in the magnificent Pavilion, which has housed an ice cream parlour since it was built. Flavours range from classic raspberry ripple and rum & raisin to adventurous options like Jaffa Cake and Cartmel Sticky Toffee Pudding. It also serves hot meals, sandwiches, salads, toasties, and drinks.
Ginger’s Comfort Emporium
Started in 2010 as a renovated Ford ice cream van, Ginger’s opened at Afflecks Palace in 2013, serving award-winning creations made in Chorlton. Popular flavours include salted caramel and peanut butter ('Chorlton Crack') and extra virgin olive oil, which won Best Dessert at the British Street Food Awards. The Afflecks unit closed in 2025, but Ginger’s continues at street food markets and festivals, and can be hired for events.
Milk Maids
At Deardens Farm in Over Hulton, Milk Maids makes ice cream from the award-winning milk of its own cows. Relaunched in 2024 with a new indoor seating area, it offers flavours like Manchester tart, mint choc chip, raspberry pavlova, and Banella (banana and Nutella). Customisation options include adding chocolate in your cone or toppings. They also sell milkshakes, hot drinks, farm milk, tubs of ice cream, and fresh eggs.
Yee Kwan Ice Cream at Hello Oriental
Located at Hello Oriental food hall on Oxford Road, Yee Kwan draws inspiration from East Asian cuisine. Flavours include Matcha Green Tea, Yuzu, Lychee, Chocolate and Miso, Black Sesame, Hong Kong Milk Tea, Egg Tart, Malted Milk, and Vietnamese Coffee. Vegan options include Caramel Miso, Matcha and Mango, and Yuzu and Dragon fruit sorbet. Served in cones, tubs, or Taiyaki fish cones.
Jersey Girls
Higher Woodhill Farm, near Burrs Country Park, has been home to Jersey Girls Ice Cream since 2012. Made on-site from the farm’s Jersey cows, they offer over 90 flavours, with 13 in the cabinets daily. Popular flavours include strawberries and cream, mint choc ripple, raspberry, Perky Pig, bubblegum, and lemon meringue. Cones include waffle cones and smarties-coated ones, with hot sauces and sprinkles. Also serves brownies, cakes, paninis, and ManCoCo coffee.
Holdens & Co
Family-run artisan ice cream makers since 1929, based in Edgworth village. Their site includes an ice cream shop, deli, and cafe. Handmade using small batch methods, flavours include classics like raspberry ripple and mint choc chip, as well as vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, birthday cake, and bubblegum.
Macari’s Gelateria
Opened in Heaton Moor in 2023, Macari’s specialises in gelato using a family recipe spanning generations. Flavours include lemon pie, Oreo, cherry apple, Bounty, and French vanilla. Also serves milkshakes in flavours like chocolate, vanilla, lotus Biscoff, Oreo, caramel, pistachio, and Kinder Bueno, plus coffees and cakes like pastel de nata.
Lazy Sundae
Created by husband-and-wife duo Kowk and Jacqueline Dang, Lazy Sundae opened its first branch in 2021 on Tib Street in the Northern Quarter. Known for travel-inspired bubble tea, souffle pancakes, and artisan ice creams with flavours like milk tea, taro, and matcha. Their Northern Quarter venue closed last year, but they continue serving at the Manchester Arndale.
