York Street, just behind Bath Abbey, has two ice cream parlours within a few doors of each other, and Kingsmead Square has a third. Between Swoon, The Real Italian Ice Cream Co and David Thayer's, you're never more than a short walk from a decent scoop in the city centre.
Bath doesn't have a huge ice cream scene, but what it does have is concentrated, independent, and easy to fold into a walk around the main sights. Here's where to go and what sets each one apart.
Swoon Gelato
At 15 Kingsmead Square, Swoon is a family-run gelato bar that's been going since 2016, made by the Forte family who've been in the ice cream business since the 1920s. It's all made on site, with organic milk sourced from Bruton Dairy in Somerset, and there are vegan and gluten-free options alongside the standard flavours. It's open from midday, and Kingsmead Square itself is a pleasant spot to sit outside with a cone if the weather's playing along.
The Real Italian Ice Cream Co
A few minutes from the Abbey at 17 York Street, this one leans into a wide, slightly unusual flavour range alongside the classics, plus sundaes, crêpes and milkshakes if ice cream alone isn't enough. It runs long hours, from mid-morning into the evening, which makes it a solid after-dinner option when some other spots have already shut.
David Thayer's Ice Cream
Round the corner at 8 York Street, David Thayer's is one of the older ice cream shops in the city, trading for over 30 years and sourcing from a handful of local suppliers. It's a smaller, simpler operation than its York Street neighbour, and worth comparing the two if you're doing a proper taste test, since they sit close enough together to do both in one stop.
Comparison at a glance
| Shop | Address | Style | Notable for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swoon Gelato | 15 Kingsmead Square | Family-run gelato bar | Vegan & gluten-free options, outdoor square seating |
| The Real Italian Ice Cream Co | 17 York Street | Wide flavour range | Long opening hours, sundaes & crêpes too |
| David Thayer's | 8 York Street | Traditional parlour | Over 30 years trading, simple and reliable |
All three sit within a few minutes' walk of the Roman Baths and Bath Abbey, so any of them makes an easy stop on a things to do in Bath day, or a cooling-off point between the Baths and a walk down to Pulteney Bridge and the Weir. If you're planning a full day around the centre, our Bath in one day guide has a wider route to slot an ice cream stop into.