The Scoop on 5 New Seattle Ice Cream Spots

The best advertisement for Molly Moon’s is the aroma of fresh waffle cones wafting out the open door. Hours after we stopped by the new store in Columbia City, I could still smell it on my clothes, in my hair, on my children. Mmmm.

Molly Moon Neitzel, the doyenne of Seattle’s artisanal ice cream scene, says she’s been eyeing a location in Columbia City for three years now. This store, her eighth, opened June 2 between a Starbucks and a children’s consignment store.

“I wanted to provide great jobs to a diverse team in a diverse neighborhood,” Neitzel says. “A big part of the goal was to create 20 good jobs with benefits. And we did that.” (You can read more about Molly Moon’s community-oriented business practices in this ParentMap story.)

With a Full Tilt just a few blocks away, there’s no shortage of ice cream on this stretch of Rainier Ave. Luckily, there’s no shortage of ice cream lovers either. We visited on a warm Sunday afternoon, and found a cone-licking crowd spilling out the doors. Strangers waiting in line swapped tips about what to get, and no one was in a hurry to leave.

Find it: 4822 Rainier Ave. S., Seattle, in Columbia City

Nearby: Go swimming in the gorgeous Rainier Beach indoor pool (8825 Rainier Ave. S.), just a quick drive away. Or explore more of Columbia City, including the fantastic Columbia City Bakery, original Tutta Bella or inventive toy store Retroactive Kids.