Covington, Kentucky has two standout independent ice cream shops — Golden Gelato and Piper's Soft Serve Bar — and both are worth a special trip. Just across the river from Cincinnati, about 10 minutes from downtown, Covington's ice cream scene is one of the most underrated in the greater Cincinnati area. If you haven't made the drive specifically for ice cream, you're missing out.
Two Ice Cream Shops in Covington, KY Worth Crossing the River For
Covington has two independently owned shops that couldn't be more different from each other. One is a refined Italian gelateria with small-batch rotating flavors. The other is a playful soft serve bar with 70+ flavors and thousands of possible combinations. Together, they make for a perfect afternoon.
Golden Gelato — 130 W Pike St, Covington, KY
Tucked near Duveneck Square on Pike Street, Golden Gelato is doing something you don't find everywhere: authentic Italian hot-process gelati made from scratch in small batches, every single day. The menu rotates constantly, so what's in the case today won't necessarily be there next week. That's by design. They source local ingredients and let the seasons drive the flavors.
The sorbettos are 100% vegan. The coffee comes from Deeper Roots, a local Cincinnati roaster. The lounge space gives the whole experience a sit-down, savor-it vibe that most ice cream shops skip entirely.
It's rated 4.9 out of 5 across nearly 400 reviews. That's not an accident.
Hours: Tue–Thu and Sun noon–9pm, Fri–Sat noon–10pm. Closed Mondays.
Website: goldengelatocovington.com
Piper's Soft Serve Bar — 503 W 6th St, Covington, KY
Located in MainStrasse Village just a mile from Golden Gelato, Piper's plays a completely different game. This place runs 70+ soft-serve flavors — and when you start combining them, you're looking at thousands of possible blends. Signature sundaes, showstorms, waffle bowls. Open daily noon to 10pm.
They offer a vegan oat vanilla soft serve, and their regular soft serve is lactose free. Outdoor patio seating with a view of the MainStrasse clock tower makes this a great warm-weather stop.
The tagline is "a world of ridiculous possibilities" — and it delivers.
Hours: Daily noon–10pm
Website: piperssoftservebar.com
Do Both in One Trip
Golden Gelato and Piper's Soft Serve Bar are roughly a mile apart in the same walkable stretch of Covington, Kentucky. If you're doing both in one trip — and you should — Golden Gelato's refined Italian vibe and Piper's playful soft-serve-everything energy make for a pretty perfect contrast. Plan about 2 hours, bring cash as a backup, and go hungry.
Both shops are listed in the Cincinnati Ice Cream Guide at cincinnatiicecream.org, where you'll find maps, hours, and 90+ more independent shops across the greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky area.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Golden Gelato located in Covington, KY? Golden Gelato is at 130 W Pike St, Covington, KY 41011, near Duveneck Square. It's about a 10-minute drive from downtown Cincinnati across the Roebling Bridge.
Where is Piper's Soft Serve Bar located? Piper's Soft Serve Bar is at 503 W 6th St, Covington, KY 41011, in MainStrasse Village near the iconic clock tower.
Does Golden Gelato have vegan options? Yes. Golden Gelato's sorbettos are 100% vegan and rotate seasonally with locally sourced ingredients.
Does Piper's Soft Serve Bar have vegan or dairy-free options? Yes. Piper's offers a vegan oat vanilla soft serve. Their standard soft serve is also lactose free.
What are Golden Gelato's hours? Golden Gelato is open Tue–Thu and Sun noon–9pm, Fri–Sat noon–10pm. Closed Mondays.
What are Piper's Soft Serve Bar's hours? Piper's is open daily noon–10pm.
How far is Covington, KY from Cincinnati? Covington is just across the Ohio River — about 10 minutes from downtown Cincinnati. Both ice cream shops are easily accessible from I-75 or via the Roebling Suspension Bridge on foot or by car.
Are there more ice cream shops in the Cincinnati area? Yes — cincinnatiicecream.org lists 90+ independently owned ice cream shops across greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, with maps, hours, and shop details.
