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    Novel Ice Cream

    4.8 (263 reviews)
    Open 12:00 pm - 12:00 am (Next day)
    Updated 3 weeks ago

    Novel Ice Cream Photos

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    Recommended Reviews - Novel Ice Cream

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    So many fun flavors
    Kelly S.

    Best honey lavender I've ever eaten. This tiny gem in Mesa-out of this world delish. Worth your time to explore Mesa. The fun flavors include island paradise and sour apple. My dog Oliver enjoyed peanut butter ice crème pup cup. Husband loved his pecan delight. I will be back.

    Kiwi sorbet
    Jesse J.

    I see why this place is the best in the country. I tried a few flavors all amazing but ended up going with the unique option in kiwi sorbet. Such a good blend of tart and sweet. It's a little window but they do have a table for two outside to sit and eat at which we got lucky and was open. The staff were super helpful and friendly and I highly recommend this place. Next time I'm getting Chocolate with the raspberry drizzle

    Teena M.

    This was an unexpected surprise. Didn't even know it existed. It was sort of hidden. I tried the honey lavender after sampling it and the blackberry. The flavors were mild but definitely could tell there was both lavender and honey in the scoop. The service was friendly and they were helpful. Seating is available outside of the shop.

    Cookie Monster single scoop
    Emma N.

    A hidden gem! My friends and I came here on a whim Sunday afternoon and it wasn't very busy. This location of Novel is a walk up window, down a narrow outdoor corridor/alley(?)... there were some benches and a seating area on the sidewalk just outside this area. I think the flavors probably rotate but I decided to try the Cookie Monster single scoop. It was delicious!! I loved all the cookie chunks!! Can't wait to come back here!

    Cookie Monster Dough Melt
    Valerie C.

    As an ice cream fiend - I was very excited to try this place. With a list of about 10 flavors to choose from, I settled on the popular Cookie Monster this time. I'd be crazy to not order the Dough Melt - where they add the ice cream scoop into a warm glazed donut. This was so delicious and a perfect treat for my walk home. Keep in mind that the ice cream will melt pretty fast if you happen to get it in the middle of summer. There's also the option to get a cup or cone, and many toppings to choose from! It DID leave my mouth the bluest blue that it's ever been (siri play Blue Lips by CORTIS), but I have no regrets. There's one 2-seater table right next to the ordering window, and a few tables in front of the alley where this is located, so hope to get a table if you go with larger groups, or come to terms that this is a standing/walking treat. Can't wait to get more flavors!

    Dough melt with bourbon caramel toffee crunch ice cream
    Kristin W.

    WOW... just WOW!!! We were actually recommended this place by the amazing restaurant where we had dinner, and all I can say is thank goodness we listened. What a hidden gem! There is something magical about a warm doughnut paired with cold creamy ice cream. The combination of temperatures and flavors was incredible. It was one of those treats that makes you stop mid-conversation just to appreciate how good it is. I honestly can't believe we are only now discovering this spot. The staff were so friendly, and genuinely happy to help. My friend has a food allergy which they were patient, thorough, and took the time to answer all of her questions, which meant so much to us. Great desserts, wonderful service, and a team that truly cares about their customers. That's a combination that's hard to beat.

    Ariel S.

    Novel Ice Cream is one of those spots that feels like a hidden gem--tucked away near the museum, it almost feels like you've discovered something special when you find it. And once you try it, you realize why it's so popular. The ice cream tastes incredibly fresh and homemade. My personal favorite is the honey lavender--it's perfectly balanced. The lavender flavor is distinct and aromatic without being overpowering, which is rare since lavender desserts can sometimes lean too subtle or too strong. It's clearly a well-loved place because there's usually a line, but it moves quickly, so the wait is never a big deal. And it's absolutely worth it for the dough melt--seriously, it's to die for. There's just something amazing about that combination of cold, creamy ice cream sandwiched inside a warm donut. On top of all that, the staff is always very friendly, which makes the experience even better. I will always recommend this place!

    Located at the end of the hallway
    Diele K.

    Their Phoenix location was voted #1 in Yelp's Top 100 Ice Cream Shops, so I wanted to check out their Mesa location as closer to my house. My boyfriend and I are long distance, but when he was in town, this made for a perfect date night treat! Though the place has no interior seating and only one table, we quickly pivoted the plan to eat in my car. Definitely more of a grab and go place to plan a little differently next visit. And yes, next visit as we both loved what we ordered! My boyfriend wanted the Leslie Knope, but was advised it would take 5-10 minutes so he went with the Dough Melt. I took a bite of his, and it truly was heavenly to have ice cream between a deliciously warm glazed donut though I preferred my order. My scoop of chocolate was perfect for me as I don't like to go too overboard with the sweets! Definitely return here and recommend as the ice cream was very good. Hard for me to find chocolate ice cream that isn't just pure sugar, and tastes like chocolate. Novel hits the mark for me!

    Mocha Peppermint deliciousness.
    Dave S.

    Out looking for a treat after some ice skating in Mesa! A few blocks away is Novel Ice Cream. It's something special for sure. Two handfuls of flavors to choose from. I chose Mocha Peppermint...delicious. One block from downtown Mesa not far from anything if you're looking for something sweet. After we finished our ice creams someone mentioned they also have donuts filled ice cream sandwiches...ahhhh! Next time for sure. Last words... special.

    Downtown Mesa Novel entrance
    Rachael A.

    Ice cream! Donuts! Drinks! Great customer service! What's not to LOVE at Novel! Always a great time picking up a sweet treat at Novel Ice Cream in downtown Mesa. Bonus points that they are open late (midnight or 1am most nights). They serve 8 daily flavors and have 4 daily rotating flavors created in small batches so it's always fresh. You can choose cup, cone or Dough Melt which is a donut ice cream sandwich! Delicious! It's in a cute greenery covered alley with a few other shops as well. There are a few spots to sit and enjoy every wonderful bite.

    Makayla B.

    The greatest ice cream, shops, and customer service on the planet. No question. I tell everyone about Novel.

    Outside
    Veronica N.

    We stopped by here to grab some ice cream because we had seen something about a ice cream doughnut sandwich. I got the crunchy caramel toffee, ice cream and chocolate. All the ice cream was delicious. We also got Tres leches in the doughnut, it was a bit too sweet for my taste. Overall, it was pretty good stuff. The service was quick and friendly and we loved sitting right outside on the patio while watching the pigeons and birds.

    The "attempt to improve" that was really just the starting attempt to mouth off about how offended they are that I had a bad experience
    Kevin L.

    After speaking with the owner Shawn after he reached out to me about my 3 star review, I've updated my review to one star. His defensive attitude shows my rushed, snobby experience was a reflection of leadership rather than an isolated incident. I entertained the text just to see what I could help with. Not expecting any refunds or an invite back because it wasnt just the service that I didn't like. The ice cream was underwhelming and "not worth the calories". I had no intention of returning unless there was a fundamental change in their recipe. The ice cream is bland and tastes of eating pure butterfat. Even a doughnut sandwich could not redeem the ice cream. I stand by my statement that you would be better off at Churn, Salt and Straw, or Handel's. Very disappointing experience, flavor, and ownership. His response to this publicly is further reflection. I refused to engage because he led off defensive. That is not how to treat a customer. His assertion that I have been misleading is appalling. It's mid ice cream. I implore customers to stay away or meet the same treatment on display. Serve the community at the highest level. This isn't the highest. I will add another screenshot of him asking for a phone call. I rejected the phone call because i could tell there was defensiveness from the beginning and he proved me right

    Butter pecan

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    1 month ago

    Best ice cream and sorbets in Arizona. Love their collabs and flavor rotations. They also have a really cool ice cream truck!

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    1 month ago

    Rated best ice cream in the country for a reason. Love Novel so much! Best way to know what flavors they have is instagram.

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    10 months ago

    It's Novel. It's delicious! They're good people and a good vibe. There's no need to write a book about it.

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    Business owner information

    Photo of Shawn C.

    Shawn C.

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    Page 2 of 7

    Ask the Community - Novel Ice Cream

    My friend uses a walker. can I drop her off nearby and find handicapped parking?

    Absolutely. There is open parking all around our locations :)

    Does it have indoor seating, if so, how many seats? I was thinking of bring 8 to 10 people there

    This place and a couple of the places within the cute downtown area only have outdoor street level seating. You could have 8-10 people there although it depends if there's enough spots on the benches. There are cute garden lights for the outdoor… 

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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