5 Best Ice Cream Shops in London (2026)

Independently ranked by our review of ratings, reviews and reputation · How we chose

By Thorne Savarin, Culinary Explorer · ✓ Data verified July 2026 · 7 min read

Central London has turned into gelato territory, with four separate Amorino branches and a rising Italian challenger all crowded into a few square miles of Covent Garden and Soho. Ice cream shops in London on this page have pulled in over 17,500 reviews between them, and every single one sits between 4.7 and 4.9 stars, a spread of just two-tenths of a point, so the real question isn't who's good, it's which flavour and location fits your afternoon.

Short answer: Amorino Gelato - London Covent Garden leads on volume with 4.8 stars across 5,161 reviews, known for its flower-shaped gelato presentation. Amorino (Villiers Street) posts the highest rating at 4.9 from 2,453 reviews. For a non-chain option, Bilmonte in Soho holds 4.8 from 2,580 reviews and specialises in Sicilian-style gelato and brioche.

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London's top gelato and ice cream shops

#	Business	Rating	Reviews	Best for
1	Amorino Gelato - London Covent Garden	4.8 ★	5,161	Overall / highest review volume	View ›
2	Amorino Gelato - London Charing Cross	4.8 ★	3,479	Late night / Charing Cross	View ›
3	Amorino Gelato - London Soho	4.7 ★	3,926	Soho / late-night touchscreen ordering	View ›
4	Amorino	4.9 ★	2,453	Highest rating	View ›
5	Bilmonte	4.8 ★	2,580	Sicilian gelato and brioche	View ›

Our picks, reviewed

#1 Overall🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

Amorino Gelato - London Covent Garden

4.85,161 Google reviews

Amorino's Covent Garden branch is one of four London locations for the Italian gelato chain, known internationally for serving scoops shaped into a rose-petal design rather than a standard scoop. The shop, on Garrick Street, stays open late into the evening on weekends and serves gelato alongside sorbet, hot chocolate, macarons, and crepes.

What people praise

Reviewers consistently praise the flavour selection and the sorbet options specifically
Staff described as friendly, with several reviews highlighting individual servers by name
The flower-shaped presentation gets called out repeatedly as a highlight of the visit

Worth knowing

One detailed review described inconsistent presentation and order accuracy on a specific visit, worth noting if you're particular about the flower design
Outdoor seating has limited shelter, and only two stools are available inside

Reputation scorecardrank in London

Rating4.8 / 5

Review volume5,161 · 97th

Confidencevery high

Recency5 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown86% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The highest review count on this page and the rating holds at scale. The safe default if you want the classic Amorino experience in the heart of Covent Garden.

Website Book now +442035837474 Directions

7 Garrick St, London WC2E 9AR

#2🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

Amorino Gelato - London Charing Cross

4.83,479 Google reviews

Amorino's Charing Cross branch runs some of the longest hours of any location on this page, staying open past 1am on weekdays and until 3am on Fridays and Saturdays. It serves the same gelato and macaron menu as the chain's other London shops, with a bit more seating than the Covent Garden branch.

What people praise

Reviewers highlight the flavour combinations in the macarons specifically
Coffee menu called out as a solid addition alongside the gelato
Staff named and praised for friendly service late into the evening

Reputation scorecardrank in London

Rating4.8 / 5

Review volume3,479 · 82th

Confidencevery high

Recency6 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown86% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: If you need gelato at 1am, this is the branch to know about. The rating matches the flagship Covent Garden shop almost exactly.

Website Book now +442081275570 Directions

18 Charing Cross Rd, London WC2H 0HR

#3🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

Amorino Gelato - London Soho

4.73,926 Google reviews

The Soho branch of Amorino, on Old Compton Street, uses touchscreen kiosks for ordering, which reviewers say helps move the line quickly even when the shop is busy. It's the largest-volume Amorino location on this page after Covent Garden and stays open until 2am or later most nights.

What people praise

Touchscreen ordering repeatedly praised for speeding up service during busy periods
Hot chocolate specifically singled out as thick and rich by multiple reviewers
Flavour freshness and variety called out as consistent across visits

Worth knowing

More than one reviewer flagged pricing as high relative to the portion size

Reputation scorecardrank in London

Rating4.7 / 5

Review volume3,926 · 87th

Confidencevery high

Recency5 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown79% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: Its 4.7 rating is the lowest of the four Amorino branches here, though still strong. The touchscreen system and late hours make it a practical choice in the middle of a busy Soho night out.

Website Book now +442074943300 Directions

41 Old Compton St, London W1D 6HF

#4🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

Amorino

4.92,453 Google reviews

This Amorino location sits on Villiers Street near Embankment, one of the chain's original UK branches, serving the same rose-shaped gelato alongside coffee and hot chocolate. It's open until 1am most nights and even later on Fridays and Saturdays.

What people praise

Rated 4.9, the highest of any location on this page
Reviewers specifically praise the sorbet selection and the ability to taste flavours before ordering
Staff named individually across multiple reviews for great service
Late-night hours mean it's a reliable stop after a show or dinner

Reputation scorecardrank in London

Rating4.9 / 5

Review volume2,453 · 66th

Confidencevery high

Recency9 days ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown92% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The best rating-to-volume balance on this page, and its late hours make it a genuinely useful late-evening option, not just a daytime treat stop.

Website Book now +442078396348 Directions

33 Villiers St, London WC2N 6ND

#5🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

Bilmonte

4.82,580 Google reviews

Bilmonte, on Great Windmill Street in Soho, is an independent Italian gelateria specialising in Sicilian-style gelato, including a traditional brioche col tuppo bun served alongside scoops. It's the only non-Amorino name on this page and offers coffee and yogurt in addition to gelato.

What people praise

The pistachio and double pistachio flavours are named repeatedly as standouts
Reviewers describe consistency across repeat visits as a genuine strength
Generous portion sizes noted specifically relative to price
A wider flavour range than the standard Amorino menu, including seasonal specials

Reputation scorecardrank in London

Rating4.8 / 5

Review volume2,580 · 71th

Confidencevery high

Recency2 months ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown87% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The strongest non-chain option on this page, and reviewers who've tried both often say they prefer it to the Amorino branches nearby. Worth the detour if you want something distinct from the chain.

Website +442033023490 Directions

30 Great Windmill St, London W1D 7LW

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Watch: 5 Best Ice Cream Shops in London (2026)

How we score these shops

Rating is each shop’s live Google average. Review volume measures how many customers actually left a rating, ranked against the others on this page. Confidence weighs the rating against that volume, since a hundred reviews and five thousand don’t carry the same weight. Recency checks how recently people are still reviewing. No shop can pay to change any of these numbers.

How much does ice cream cost in London? (2026)

Pricing at these shops runs on a per-scoop or combination basis rather than a flat rate, and a couple of reviewers cited specific totals for their orders.

Job	Typical price
Two gelato flavours, macaron, and a water (Amorino Villiers Street)	£12
Single gelato serving with brioche bun (Bilmonte, festival pricing)	£5 - £7

Figures cited directly by customers in Google reviews on the respective business profiles, July 2026.

Serving Central London

Every shop on this page sits within Covent Garden or Soho, a walkable stretch of central London that makes an ice cream shop near me search almost redundant here, you’re rarely more than a few minutes from one of them doors.

What to look for before you pick a shop

Does the shop offer tasting samples before you commit to a flavour?
Is seating available, or is it a grab-and-go spot?
What are the late-night hours, in case you’re stopping by after a show?
Are dairy-free or vegan options available?
Does pricing scale with the number of scoops or flavours you choose?

Frequently asked questions

Are these rankings paid?

No. Rankings come from public Google data. A business can pay to be a Featured Partner (badge and top placement), but that never changes another business’s score or position.

How did you choose these shops?

We compared publicly available Google Business ratings and review counts for ice cream and gelato shops in central London, then ranked them by real customer data rather than paid placement.

How often is this updated?

Ratings and review counts were last verified in July 2026 and are refreshed periodically as new data comes in.

Why are there so many Amorino locations on this list?

Amorino operates multiple independent branches across central London, and each one has its own Google Business listing and review history, so they’re ranked separately based on their own numbers.

Is Bilmonte the same as the other gelato shops on this list?

No, Bilmonte is an independent gelateria unrelated to Amorino, with its own Sicilian-style menu and recipes.

The bottom line

Amorino’s Villiers Street branch is the safe default with the highest rating on the page, while Covent Garden gives you the most reviewed and most central option. If you want something outside the chain, Bilmonte in Soho is worth the short walk.

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