I don't know why but I was sceptical at first looking on line, but the second I stepped in it was amazing! Amazing aesthetic, kind staff, and the best chocolate ice cream I've ever had- and it was vegan!! We chose the vegan chocolate, there are plenty of non vegan options that looked just as delicious. So coming back! read more

The Parlour - Vegan chocolate ice cream with waffle cone (half eaten) - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Since I can't eat dairy (not a lactose issue) ice cream has been off my radar until we found The Parlour. They always have 3-4 vegan, non dairy options. The choices are delicious and satisfying. And the staff are always great! read more

Very cute store front on Market St in Durham. Its right in the heart of Downtown Durham. The flavor selection here ranges daily I believe as they make their flavors in house and they have that creative freedom. I tried the Root Beer Butterscotch Chip and Cookies and Creme, since you get 2 flavors for the "Beginner" size. The root beer flavor tasted just like the drink and that was pretty yummy as well as the the butterscotch chip. It was almost like a root beer float with butterscotch drizzle. The cookies and cream had bits of soft cookies which gave it a nice texture. I'm not giving this a 5/5 but a 4/5 instead due to its creaminess. It is very creamy and by the end of it, I became a little overwhelming and became too "milky" in a way. read more

The Parlour - Store front - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

I remember when they were just a converted schoolbus selling ice cream. My gateway flavor was their Vietnamese coffee ice cream, which I've failed to duplicate at home. Now their brick-and-mortar location is a Durham institution with ever-changing flavors and a community bent. On our last visit for National Ice Cream Day, they were donating 10% of proceeds to charity. On summer weekends there is often a line out the door. Their soft-serve ice cream flavors are also on point, especially the chai ice cream made with a Jeddah's Tea blend. This is definitely one of our regular "treat yo'self" spots now, especially since my wife enjoys their vegan ice creams. read more

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Just been in there to get an ice cream, I got a single chocolate ice cream on a waffle cone. Tasted great, and was good service. Would recommend this place. The reason for 4 star because it could have been a bit more reasonable priced! read more

The Parlour - Store front window - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Came here on Valentine's Day with a friend for the flight night special and was not disappointed! There was a very long line snaking around the door but the staff were very friendly and efficient and got us served very promptly. They had their usual menu as well as their special, which came with one scoop of raspberry rosewater and one scoop of violet-chocolate sorbet, as well as a lavender truffle. There was a short wait for seating since it was so crowded due to the holiday but the ice cream was amazing. I've never really been a fan of floral flavors since they tend to taste like soap to me but the raspberry rosewater was actually very pleasant! I enjoy the violet-chocolate sorbet as well even though it was less floral. Price for the two scoops + truffle + a valentine and whipped cream was a little steep at $10 but well worth it for the unique flavors and holiday occasion. read more

The Parlour - Valentine's Day flight night special! Raspberry rosewater + violet-chocolate and a lavender truffle - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Fresh and vibrant flavors that rotate seasonally and right next to the park so you can enjoy your ice cream where it's meant to be enjoyed: in the sunshine :) read more

This is not your everyday ice cream. The flavors are varied, unique, and made fresh every day. I went with two companions recently while downtown (No line! Yes!) and we had four flavors just between us. Vietnamese Coffee, Strawberry and Lavender, Vanilla Malt, and Salted Carmel. I had mine as an affogato - a scoop of ice cream topped with a shot of espresso. It tastes just as wonderful as it sounds. The interior of the space is typical of old Durham downtown - high ceiling with large windows that look out onto the sidewalk. There are two "rooms", so there are a lot of two-tops with a long bench on one side and sturdy metal chairs on the other. Most summer evenings, there is a line out the door, which gives you time to look over the ever-changing menu. Take your time, and try something out of the ordinary. Over the years, I've never had a bad flavor. (Of course, I know not to order the rhubarb, but, hey, you do you!) read more

The Parlour - Afogato with Salted Carmel ice cream. - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Many great flavors of ice cream. You are sure to find something that suits your taste with the friendliest staff in town. Have been stopping by since high school on occasion. read more

Wonderful ice cream shop down town. They had two vegan ice creams, both of which I sampled, plus a sorbet. The vegan ice cream is fantastic, smooth and creamy. I went with the egg nog because it was more exotic than chocolate but it was a tough choice because the chocolate is so good. My nephew ordered a regular chocolate cone and he loved it. There was ample seating, good music, beautiful windows, and self serve water stations. Service was great read more

The Parlour is one of those staples in downtown Durham, and I've been so many times, but I guess never written it up until now!! But if you are looking for some tasty ice cream, this is a great option. Located right in the heart of downtown, so easy during our COVID times to place your order online and they will put it out on their curbside/contactless pick up table for you to grab on your walk around town or to take to one of the tables by the bull statue. Most recently, we got two single scoops of honey lavender and vietnamese coffee and paid the extra $1 to add the fudge, and that fudge was simply heaven. Fudge is one of those things I don't normally have at home, and this fudge just make our ice cream outing that much more special. Definitely glad I didn't have to share! The cups with lids make it easy to transport, and of course you can still get a cone, brownies, etc. here too. But do yourself a favor and treat yourself to some ice cream to go next time you are in the area! read more

The gang ordered Vietnamese coffee, vanilla and the banoffee pie and hot apple cider. The banoffee was the most amazing. The icing on the cake is that it was vegan ice cream. I highly recommend this place. read more

The selection of flavors was great! It's awesome to see creative flavor options of ice cream! The staff was helpful with the flavor profiles if their delicious treats.Beginner read more

Atmosphere: Inside is cute and has updated handwritten flavors on their menu. Service: Line can get long, but service is pretty fast. Very friendly and will let you try lots of flavors. Food: The Parlour is nice because of its specialty in-house flavors. Interesting and fun sundaes--we really liked the Drunken Sailor. Overall: The Parlour is one of the best places to get ice cream in Durham because of the unique flavors that can't be found anywhere else. However, the standard ice cream flavors (i.e. strawberry, vanilla, chocolate, etc.) aren't particularly distinguishable from other ice cream shops. Would still highly recommend though! read more

The Parlour - Blueberry and cookies and cream ice cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

I never remember the name of this place. It is called amongst my friends.... "The icecream place across from the bull" nevermind. Go find it. Coffee ice cream was really good. I never heard a word from my friend who was eating key lime pie. The only thing holding back 5 stars is handmade or gourmet cones. Please, don't ruin good ice cream by making me get a grown up cup for crying out loud! read more

I got salted butter caramel and vanilla bean lime buttermilk on a waffle cone. The salted butter caramel was my fave and the ice cream was smooth and creamy and melts in your mouth. I also love the rotating flavors but the menu did seem limited (flavors and toppings) compared to a normal ice cream shop. My disappointment (because I used to work at an ice cream shop) is that their waffle cones are not house made but the standard joy cones. Overall pricier ice cream but worth a try read more

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Walked in to see them not using gloves which I didn't care about but my husband did and pointed it out. I thought he was overreacting until he had a spoonful of ice cream and spat out a nail. Please use gloves and practice better hygiene overall. This is disgusting. Edit: Hi Vanessa, this was Sunday night at about 9pm. Is wearing gloves typically done ? read more

This place was rather busy on a Sunday afternoon! Busy with customers inside and people rallying outside in front of the park area. The layout of the place was super cute, having massive seating areas for just about everyone which is always great. It's also super kid friendly! The ice cream themselves doesn't say what ice cream it is on the counter unless you ask or if you're an avid local who goes there often then you'd probably already know. But they do let you taste some! I ended up getting the cookies & cream with their Vietnamese coffee ice cream on a waffle cone. It was pretty great! Though i do feel like it wasn't any different from the ice cream I've had at other ice cream places before- it just seemed average. They do have a lot of fabulous vegan options available, from ice cream to cookies! Prices are also reasonable. It's about $10 for what we ended up getting. Overall, this was a nice place to go to if you're around Durham Tech College area! read more

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This place definitely lives up to the hype. Came in on a Friday night and miraculously beat the wrap around line that usually happens around that time (that being said timing here is so important!). We waited for around 10 minutes in line but don't let the line scare you, it was totally worth it. After trying a few different flavors we decided on. sundae featuring the cookies and cream and vietnamese coffee. Honestly all of the flavors we tried were incredible and I highly recommend trying their house flavors. Aside from the ice cream the fudge on the sundae was dark chocolate which we loved!!! A great compliment to the sweet of the ice cream. There is a relative amount of seating inside and the staff was super friendly. The spot for ice cream, will be back :) read more

The Parlour - Brownie sundae - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Easily one of the best local ice cream shops in the area. Their central location is a plus as well as minus (good luck finding parking). We generally go on weeknights right before they close which makes it easier to find parking. Coming to the ice cream itself, they have some pretty unique flavors and they keep switching it up which makes us want to go back often. We went today just to try their honey-lavender soft serve. My husband settled for a mixed swirl of honey-lavender and mocha whereas I got the peach Lassi. I really couldn't taste the peach come through a lot but I loved the addition of cardamom to it. I definitely liked my husband's soft serve better. The honey-lavender hit the right notes and was so refreshing on a warm evening. They also offer a good variety of gluten-free, nut-free, and non-dairy flavors which are equally tasty and unique. Definitely give their vegan chocolate a try; tastes so good! This place does tend to get a lot crowded on Fridays' and during the weekend so be ready to wait. read more

The Parlour - Honey-lavender and mocha soft serve - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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No trip to Durham is complete without a visit (or two, sometimes three!) to The Parlour, the best ice cream joint in town. All the restaurants in the area have lost my dessert business after I stumbled upon it one evening on my way back to The Marriott after a long day, on perhaps my second business trip to Durham about a year ago. The Parlour is quite large, with plenty of seating and large picture windows looking out over Market Street, so you can't miss it (if you're severely directionally challenged like I am, get to The Bull sculpture downtown and look west). Their ice cream flavors are unusual and change constantly (with a few standard ones) and they offer some gluten-free and vegan options as well. Prices are reasonable ($3 for a single scoop, $3.70 for a double). I usually go for a Vietnamese coffee single scoop - this is a masterful creation, with the coffee flavor present but not overwhelming, and creamy as can be. If I fancy one of the other offerings, I splurge on a double scoop - one of my must-have Vietnamese coffee and one of whatever has piqued my curiosity (most recently a delicious banana walnut fig concoction). So if you're in the mood for something sweet, grab a few friends and head down to The Parlour. Enjoy! read more

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I love ice cream shops that put together creative flavors and this spot does not disappoint! I plan to be back multiple times so I can check out a few more flavors. I tried one of their flavors with fig (can't remember the exact name now) but it was yummy!! I'm a fan of figs in ice cream ever since I tried fig/almond gelato in Rome. If they have it on their menu when you visit, definitely give it a try. I was also intrigued by their chocolate lavender ice cream and will be trying that next time. They've also got milkshakes and sundaes if you're not in the mood for just some scoops. The decor in here is also really cute and is a nice little spot for a date or catching up with friends. There is seating inside and on a warm day you could sit outside too. The price is a bit on the higher end but that's also expected for these ice cream shops that serve out of the ordinary creations. Check this place out if you're in downtown Durham and craving something sweet :) read more

The Parlour - Small scoop of one of their fig flavored ice creams - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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The Parlour has dominated the Downtown Durham ice cream scene for years, but is not getting a run for its money with new arrivals. Any of their offerings is hands down above and beyond the mass produced stuff get in the grocery chain. But when it comes to small batch unique flavors, the bar has been raised and they need to keep up. If you go to their downtown shop expect a line and a wait - use your time in anticipation. read more

This place was temporarily closed for a period of time, and so, when I heard that they would be included in the Food Truck Rodeo at Durham Central Park, I was stoked! Plenty of people had recommended this place to me, so my expectations were pretty high. However, it may have been too high. First of all, the line was crazy long, which I expected, but it also happened to be a warm, sunny day. As I'm waiting as patiently as possible in line, all I can think is, "I hope this is worth it," especially since I had convinced someone to suffer the long wait with me! Eventually, I make it close enough to the front to see the menu options. I was pretty bummed to see a limited list of flavors, and none that particularly piqued my interest. After a few quick samples, I make my decision. I opt for 2 Scoops (Beginner, $3.70) - one scoop of Vietnamese Coffee, and one scoop of Birthday Cake in a waffle cone (additional 75 cents). Vietnamese Coffee has a coffee flavor to it, but it's subtle. Birthday Cake tastes like a familiar Asian candy that I can't quite put my finger on - not too sweet, but distinct. Overall, the ice cream is good, but not spectacular. It's not worth the price. I love ice cream, but I was not impressed by my experience. read more

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So excited to find a place to grab a quick dessert so close to our hotel (21c Museum Hotel - we could see it from our window), and really impressed that they had a special sundae the proceeds of which went to refugee relief. The rose water ice cream in the sundae was delicious, though for the size it had too much hot fudge which drowned out the subtler flavors. I also got a cookie, which tasted pretty good but was a bit firm (maybe a little older). Overall I am a fan. Will be back. read more

The Parlour - Pro-refugee sundae special. So Durham. We got it of course. - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Fast service today despite high heat and long lines. This was only my second visit to the Parlour in about 4 years and I wish I'd gone back sooner! You can tell the ice cream is homemade, so rich and creamy. I highly recommend the Cookies and Cream. Funny thing, my first visit many years ago I was going through a vegan phase and was able to score a vegan chocolate ice cream from this local gem. I would recommend that as well. I'm not sure when/if they'll be bringing it back. Note: they were not accepting cash today, not sure if that's a temporary thing or when they will be accepting cash again, so be sure you have a credit card or debit card with you. read more

Love the parlour! A bit pricey but the product is awesome. I like the fact that they rotate some flavors and also offer pints to go. Favorite flavor is the buttermilk blueberry read more

Salted butter caramel. The most flavorful ice cream I've ever had had and comparable to artisan ice cream establishments in Los Angeles & San Francisco. Häagen Daz, etc. are bland and as flavorless as water compared to the salted butter caramel flavor here. Their top two flavors by sales and a by a wide margin (I know because I asked) are the Vietnamese coffee and salted butter caramel. I tried the former and it was good but nothing to write home about. The latter is worth singing about. read more

I've never met an ice cream that I didn't like and the ice cream at The Parlour is no exception. I seem to always end up here whenever I am in Durham, and with good reason. It is a very open and nicely decorated building and the smell of freshly cooked waffle cones welcome you as soon as you open the door. Their flavors are always rotating around. Today I chose the lavender-vanilla and the blueberry buttermilk. I came with a couple other friends and tried other different flavors too (what are friends for, right?). These included tiramisu and coconut cream pie. Each flavor was perfect to its description and even more deliciously light and creamy. The staff are always super helpful and friendly and they know how to work their scoops. Aka they make sure that you get a good scoops worth of ice cream. They Also have different toppings, baked goods, and an assortment of coffee drinks. read more

The Parlour - Top to bottom: Lavender-vanilla and blueberry buttermilk - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

A little pricy for ice cream, but handmade so you know this shit gonna be good! Also it doesn't hurt to TREAT YO SELF!! So my friend and I shared 4 scoops! Ice cream: Rosemary and olive oil - very sweet and light ice cream. Didn't taste much of the Rosemary, but it had a great creamy flavor that could compliment many of their others. Vietnamese coffee - can never go wrong with coffee. Great pungent coffee flavor! Salted butter caramel - so good and im drooling just writing about. If you love salty and sweet, this is the perfect mix! No wonder everyone keeps raving about it! Key lime pie - I love the graham crust pieces and very sweet lime flavor. Personally was a little too similar to the Rosemary so would not suggest pairing those together, but it was great by itself!! The staff was super nice and let you sample as much as you wanted. I also tried the matter cinammon - tastes like captain crunch, vegan caramel - didn't realize it was vegan bc it had a milky consistency - so good. Overall they have a good set of flavors and selection. Will come back next time I visit! read more

The Parlour - Cute storefront - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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First of all the store is just too cute, both the exterior and interior it has a certain vibe to it. And really cool funky paintings inside so every corner is different and unique. Ok now for the ice cream ... CREAMIEST ICE CREAM EVER!!!! I don't think I can emphasize this enough!!!!! Seriously - I had the salted caramel (and I tried it before I got it) it was delicious and creamy and perfect. I got it with a waffle cone and it was perfectly crunchy. read more

The Parlour - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Affogatto chocolate with decaf espresso was delicious. Friendly staff. No frills and yummy ice cream.

Talk about some great Ice Cream and a Great location in the Center of Downtown....This is definitely a amazing place and I love supporting our local businesses...They have also been doing it correctly in terms of following protocols but also providing some great food and relief during these hard times...Come to think of it I might need to go there next week and get some of that great snack........ read more

This place has been on my radar for quite some time and I was so excited to finally try it out! This place is easy walk from Bulls stadium and downtown Durham. There was a pretty good line that went pretty fast. I like that they had fun flavors (with vegan options!). I enjoyed trying the Vietnamese coffee but ended up getting salted butter caramel ice cream sandwich with Mexican chocolate cookies. The cookies provided a good bit of heat and were delicious! Fair warning, there are ladles hanging by the checkout area you use to get in to the restroom. read more

The Parlour - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Parlour is a cool ice cream spot in downtown Durham that looks to always be crowded from what I've seen, but the staff was very quick at getting everyone through the line. I went with my girlfriend and we both ordered "The Junior" with 2 scoops of ice cream. I got a cup of cookies & cream and salted butter caramel; my girlfriend got a cone with coffee and chocolate. The cookies & cream was by far the best of the four flavors and we both loved it. I don't really like coffee flavored ice cream so I didn't care for that much, but my girlfriend liked it quite a bit. The chocolate and caramel flavors were both good but not mind blowing. I also sampled "peach cardamom" but it had way too much spicy cardamom taste for an ice cream in my opinion so I passed on that. The flavors were all good, but I was disappointed in the size of the scoops when we both received only 2 small scoops for almost $4. read more

The Parlour - The Junior with cookies & cream and salted butter caramel - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Great ice cream shop in downtown Durham! This line goes fast--don't worry. You'll need those four minutes to google the flavors anyway! Some of the flavors are classics (chocolate, vanilla, a few fruit flavors) and others are more out there (Irish coffee with ACTUAL alcohol, koseret). I'd recommend getting the "beginner"--two flavors in a cup or cone. They let you try flavors in case you're feeling indecisive! I got the koseret, which was so so cool (it tasted like a really interesting tea) and the malted chocolate. The latter just tasted like regular chocolate, but it was still good. Plenty of seating room inside, and it's all very cute and clean. A Durham dessert staple! read more

The Parlour - Koseret on top, malted chocolate on the bottom - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

The Parlour is a very spacious ice cream store with a lot of seats. I ordered their sized junior Kabirisi (basically coffee) flavored ice cream inside a cone for $3.75. They didn't charge additional for tax and also gave a very generous scoop for the price. What I appreciated the most though, was that they gave my friend his exact order after he accidentally dropped his ice cream. +1 for understanding! read more

The Parlour - Kabirisi Junior ($3.75) - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Stopped by this place 2 nights ago. Place is fine, but not 4+ stars. I've travelled all around, so I have a lot of comparison to review from. Place is a bit rundown, and the ice cream isn't as creamy as great ice cream. I would get it again, but only if we were in the area and didn't have other options. read more

I like how unique the flavors here are such as the sweet potato and the honey apple butter! That being said, the milkshakes are a bit underwhelming and I am not sure it is worth the parking hassle. Would recommend if there is not a line bur will not be going out of my way to come back. read more

My family and I had dessert recently at The Parlour, and it was great. My wife and I had the "dark" chocolate ice cream, my daughter and son in-law had vegan friendly options; chocolate and strawberries and cream. We will definitely return on future visits to Durham NC. read more