Factory 52 in Norwood is home to pickleball courts, breweries, and very soon, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream! Beginning July 13, you can enjoy fresh scoops of Goat Cheese With Red Cherries, Middle West Whiskey & Pecans, and Biscuits With The Boss.

While you count the days to Jeni’s grand opening, you can enjoy plenty of local flavor.

Creamy whips, scoop shops – whatever you call your favorite ice cream shop, a quick trip for a sweet treat is the cherry on top of the perfect Cincinnati summer.

But where to go? Well, we’ve done the field research for you.

The Cone

The bright orange and vanilla swirl cone in West Chester isn’t just a ploy for more Instagram pics. It’s also a reference to “The Cone’s Famous Orange Sherbet,” which is, as they point out, “conemade” daily from a secret recipe.

You can eat your ice cream inside or out, and there are even small rides for the little ones. Plus, if your family is peanut-, dairy- or sugar-free, you can make everyone happy here.

Our pick: The blueberry swirl. Perfect for fans of a certain theme park’s blue ice cream, mixed with vanilla soft serve for the perfect summer treat.

The Covington Trifecta: Piper’s, Golden Gelato and eishaus

These three spots are relatively close, but completely different. From soft serve in every flavor imaginable to authentic Italian gelato to German-style spaghetti eis, you’ll find out one of the many reasons why people love the Cov.

Piper’s Cafe

Piper’s Ice Cream, 520 W Sixth St., Covington

Piper’s specializes in soft serve flavor combinations - they’re up to about 45,000 these days. The menu can be overwhelming, but where else can you get a key lime pie and cheesecake - or cantaloupe and pomegranate swirl?

Piper’s offerings are lactose free and vegan, and they even hand make their craft sodas.

Our pick: The swirl of your choice in the house made waffle cone. You can’t miss.

Golden Gelato

Golden Gelato serves authentic gelato and sorbetto, in keeping with the Italian tradition, but not forgetting the owners’ Kentucky roots. Everything is scratch-made and the flavors change frequently, which means there’s always something new to try. You’ll find flavors running the gamut from bourbon old fashion to blueberry mascarpone, strawberry balsamic to stracciatella.

Our pick: Go with the regular cup, where you can add up to three flavors. Choose a traditional flavor, a personal favorite and one that’s off the wall. Or better yet: Ask your server for their favorite.

eishaus

eishaus and its companion restaurant, frosthaus, are neighborhood favorites in downtown Covington. eishaus is famous for its spaghetti eis, which looks exactly like a spaghetti noodles and sauce, but tastes like heaven.

While the kids are enjoying their spaghetti eis or one of the decadent specialty milkshakes, the adults can pop into frosthaus next door and go for a boozy slush or milkshake. It’s a win-win.

Our pick: The spaghetti eis 3-way, which at first glance you’ll mistake for a Cincinnati chili 3-way, with chocolate sauce, shaved yellow chocolate and mini vanilla wafers.

Hello Honey

If you want to go a little fancier, Hello Honey has the ice cream of your foodie dreams. With location in Walnut Hills, Ft. Thomas and downtown, Hello Honey appeals to the adventurous ice cream eater.

Flavors like charcoal black sesame, lemon poppyseed cardamom and berry earl gray sit right beside old favorites like cookies and cream and brownie fudge.

Our pick: Flavors rotate frequently, but anything with “honey” in the name is a winner: honey lavender is a family favorite.

Bold Face Dairy Bar

If you love a creamy whip walk-up window, this one’s for you. Bold Face Dairy Bar in Price Hill’s Incline District offers an eclectic mix of flavors from unusual (chai tea, cardamom, bourbon barrel stout) to familiar (pistachio, strawberry, malt).

Its claim to fame is the Bold Face Cone, which is loaded with toppings and covered in 23 karat gold leaf.

Our pick: Anything with conglomeration crunch, the Bold Face topping that’s a combination of all your favorite candies. It’s perfect on coffee or caramel ice cream. And walk over to the Incline to enjoy it on a bench overlooking the city.

Honey Child Artisan Pops

Ok, so it’s not ice cream exactly. It’s a frozen treat, and we’ll allow it.

You’ll see Honey Child’s colorful cart and umbrella all over town, from festivals to Findlay Market, and now in stores like Whole Foods and Clifton Market. All Honey Child Pops are made without cane sugar, and its Power Pop line offers superfoods blended right in – and you won’t even notice.

Our pick: The strawberry basil play pop. Refreshing and delicious.

Putz’s Creamy Whip

Sometimes you just gotta get back to basics. And that’s where Putz’s comes in. It’s an old-school creamy whip with a full menu of hot dogs and walking tacos and a list of sweet treats a mile long.

Remember it’s cash only, but you won’t need a ton. This has been an affordable West Side treat since 1936.

Our pick: The kids will like the ice man or ice lady, a slushy with ice cream - and a candy face. Plus, the super thick cyclone can’t be missed.

And now for a couple of honorable mentions: The Parlors in Pendleton, Milford and Ludlow offer “side by sides” – with ice cream and cookie dough in the same cup. Cincinnati staples Graeter’s and Aglamesis Bros. are not to be missed, and offer the history and nostalgia that this city loves. Whipty-Do in Maineville and Walker Bros. Ice Cream in Montgomery are Instagrammable and delicious.

We’ve just scratched the surface of Cincinnati sweet spots. But that’s what a summer bucket list is for, right?

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