There’s no better end to a day at the beach (or any day, really!) than with some sweet treats at these locally loved dessert spots on Topsail Island. Whether you want a cool treat after a hot summer day or just something to satisfy your sweet tooth, Topsail Island has it all.
We’ve rounded up our favorite sweet spots all along the island. There’s always a delicious dessert place right nearby your Topsail beach vacation rental, whether you’re staying in North Topsail Beach, Surf City or Topsail Beach.
Here are the best Topsail ice cream shops, bakeries, and other dessert destinations you don’t want to miss during your next Topsail beach vacation. Which ones have you been to and where is your favorite place for something sweet? We want to know!
Best Dessert Places in North Topsail Beach
Bada Bing Original Italian Ice & Ice Cream
Bada Bing serves up premium Italian Ice and Ice Cream at their shop located conveniently at the North Topsail Beach Town Park on New River Inlet Rd. Come enjoy hiking trails, basketball courts, tennis courts, volleyball and a children’s playground while you’re here. There is also a kayak launch, piers with gazebos and picnic pavilions for relaxing. Don’t forget to look for their red mobile push carts serving refreshing Italian Ice directly on the beach in North Topsail. Yum yum!
Located at 2000 New River Inlet Road in Building 2, Topsail Treats offers Hershey’s Ice Cream in a variety of flavors you and your family are sure to love. Banana Pudding, Moose Tracks and Salty Caramel are popular favorites! You can’t beat the friendly service, either. Stop by for a cool treat next time you’re in NTB.
Best Dessert Places in Surf City
So let’s start with the name. Fractured Prune Doughnuts is named after the spunky Prunella Shriek, known as “Fractured Prunella” for the broken bones she suffered competing in traditionally men’s sports even into her 70s. Fractured Prune Doughnuts celebrates her legacy with a doughnut as individual as the person ordering it! Apparently there are 155,648 different combinations of doughnut awesomeness available at the varying stores offering 19 glazes and 13 toppings—and that doesn’t even include their limited-time offer glazes and toppings. Bottom line, Fractured Prune offers some tasty possibilities. You can find Surf City’s Fractured Prune Doughnut location at 303 S Topsail Drive. They’re hot, hand-dipped and made to order!
The Daily Grind Coffee, Donuts & Ice Cream
You can find a little bit of everything sweet, savory and all things tasty at the Daily Grind, where everything is made even better accompanied by a good cuppa joe! Fresh Hot Donuts, Espresso, Specialty Coffees, Iced Coffee, Cold Brew, Lattes, Iced Lattes, Health Smoothies, Frappes, Bagels, Muffins, Cakes & Ice Cream and more all served up happily and speedily. They’re located off the island in the Surf City Gateway Plaza Shopping Center next to Surf City BBQ and on the island right across the street from Domino’s Pizza at 208 N. New River Drive.
You must check out this wholesale and special order bakery specializing in all things fresh and delicious. There’s a curated collection of NC beer, used and new books, jewelry and the most excellent coffee too. Located at 206 N. Topsail Drive, stop by and bring a few things back to your Topsail vacation rental to enjoy during your stay. You’ll probably be back for more before your vacay is over.
Island Crush is the place for cool treats and good times, conveniently located at 205 Roland Avenue. Who doesn’t love a refreshingly cool and satisfying Italian Ice? Mmmm, mmmm good. Locally owned and operated coupled with friendly service, you’re in for a real treat. Word on the street is that the Coco Diablo, snow cream and cotton candy flavors are to die for! Find your favorite next time you’re on the island and let us know what it is.
Island Delights has good food all around, but did you know that they have 22 flavors of hand dipped ice cream plus soft serve, your favorite shakes, sundaes, floats, banana splits, hot fudge brownie delights, cones and much more? Oh they do! Of course your visit to Island Delights is never complete until you enjoy your favorite Oldies on one of two vintage jukeboxes. (If your kids have no idea what a jukebox even is, that’s reason enough to come here.) Try your favorite treat at Island Delights, where eating is fun! You can find them at 316 N. New River Drive.
Kids and kids-at-heart love this ice cream shop and arcade. Adults love the coffee, too. There’s good food, a family-friendly atmosphere, lively entertainment, and movies for all to enjoy. Families appreciate the reasonable prices and kid-friendly fun. Don’t miss their daily specials! You can find Beach Bunny Ice Cream right on 501 Roland Avenue.
Up your ice cream game at the Snow Factory in Surf City which specializes in Thai ice cream with exquisite flair. This ice cream shop gets our vote for the coolest and most unique creamy creations. Here you’ll find fresh ice cream made right in front of you in flavors you won’t find elsewhere and presented in a way you won’t soon forget. The inside of the shop is filled with post it notes on all of the walls (and some on the ceiling) written by customers. We love it! You can find the Snow Factory at 124B North New River Drive. In the meantime, check out the Snow Factory’s menu.
Come on over to this dessert shop for a delicious SnoBall at the beach! It’s just as it sounds: a giant ball of snow flavored to perfection. Fair warning, they’re addictive! There are flavors for every palate and they even have some specially made for your pup. They offer sugar-free options, too. Come check it out at 116B S. Shore Drive and find your favorite flavor.
Hwy 55 Burgers, Shakes & Fries
You may already know about Hwy 55 Burgers, Shakes & Fries in Surf City. They bring a fresh All-American diner experience with never-frozen burgers, sliced cheesesteaks piled high on steamed hoagies, and more. But did you know that they make frozen custard in-house every day? They sure do. Founded in Eastern North Carolina in 1991, Hwy 55 has a commitment to authentic hospitality and fresh food. Lunch and dinner is grilled in an open-air kitchen, and they serve you at your table with a smile. But just be sure to save room for dessert.
Stop by the Locals Ice Cream Shop on 106 N. New River Drive located a block away from the Surf City, North Carolina pier. They open early and close late so it’s always a good time to pay a visit here. It’s locally owned and operated, so you know you’re supporting Topsail Island’s small businesses.
Best Dessert Places in Topsail Beach
You probably already know about this local favorite if you’ve spent any time in Topsail Beach, NC. At the Beach Shop and Grille they believe in using the best fresh, local ingredients to create rustic, low-country inspired dishes. They have a passion for creating dishes from scratch—including all of their desserts. They go above-and-beyond, making from scratch as many items as possible. So it just makes sense that if you’re looking for a great place for dessert in Topsail Beach, you’d come here. They also do to-go orders and make some totally delicious and refreshing milkshakes, orangeades, and Mexican cokes. So good! You can find them at 701 S. Anderson Boulevard.
Sometimes you just want to stop by for a quick treat. Sonny’s Snack and Craft Shop is located right under the Topsail Beach Skating Rink at 714 S. Anderson Boulevard. They serve ice cream, snowballs, hot and cold drinks, and other assorted snacks. While you’re here check out the handcrafted wooden art, paintings and jewelry.
You might not think of a gift shop as a place to stop for a sweet treat, but you should when you’re visiting Topsail Island. Quarter Moon Books & Gifts has a pretty extensive coffee bar that serves up delicious coffee-infused smoothies, as well as your more traditional fruity favorites like piña colada, mango, raspberry, peach, lemonade and more. Check out the full drink menu right here and then plan to stop by next time you’re in Topsail Beach.
The Patio Playground is a Topsail Beach family favorite in so many ways. This Topsail Island original offers a 1955 Retro Putt-Putt 18 hole Golf Course experience with what some say is Topsail’s Best Ice Cream Shop serving up Hershey’s, Maola, Haagan Daz and Custard. Along with all of that, they have family-size surreys and bike rentals, two air-conditioned arcades, music and a DJ too. Whew, there goes your day! Put it on your Topsail to-do list next time you’re here. They’re at 807 S. Anderson Boulevard in Topsail Beach.
So as you can see, you have so many options for sweet treats during your Topsail beach vacation. The hardest part is deciding which one to choose. So the question is: Where are you going to go first? Maybe you should just start with whichever one is closest to your Topsail vacation rental and go from there. Enjoy!
Did we miss any awesome dessert spots on the island? If so, let us know!
