Top 10 Best Ice Cream Brands in North Tyneside

Few things are more tied to North Tyneside's identity than an ice cream eaten on the seafront with the wind coming off the North Sea. The coastline from Tynemouth Longsands through Cullercoats to Whitley Bay and St Marys Island supports a thriving ice cream trade that runs well beyond the summer months, and the region has real dairy heritage to draw on with Northumberland and Durham farms supplying cream and milk of excellent quality.

This guide profiles ten of the best ice cream brands available across North Tyneside, from long established regional names to modern gelato makers and dairy free specialists.

Why the North East does ice cream so well

The region's ice cream tradition owes a great deal to Italian families who settled in the North East in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, bringing recipes and cafe culture that became local institutions. Mark Toney, founded in Newcastle by an Italian immigrant family, is the best known example and remains a benchmark for classic vanilla and its distinctive lemon flavour.

Alongside that heritage sits a strong farmhouse ice cream movement. Northumberland dairies producing on farm ice cream have built serious reputations, supplying cafes, farm shops and delis across Tyneside. The combination of Italian technique and local dairy quality gives the area an unusually strong offer for its size.

The 10 best ice cream brands in North Tyneside

1. Mark Toney

A North East institution with deep Italian roots, Mark Toney is loved for its dense, clean tasting vanilla and its famous lemon flavour. Widely available in the wider Tyneside area and a regular presence at coastal outlets, it remains the reference point against which many locals judge everything else.

2. Doddington Dairy

Made on a Northumberland farm using milk from the family herd, Doddington Dairy ice cream is known for a rich, natural dairy character and flavours that use recognisable ingredients rather than heavy syrups. It appears in cafes, farm shops and delicatessens across North Tyneside and is a strong choice for anyone prioritising provenance.

3. Beckleberrys

A County Durham producer with a long standing regional reputation, Beckleberrys makes ice cream and sorbets used widely in hospitality as well as retail. Its dessert focused range, including rich chocolate and praline styles, is a favourite for restaurant menus and event catering.

4. Tynemouth Gelato Company

Producing Italian style gelato in small batches, this brand offers lower fat, more intensely flavoured scoops with an emphasis on pistachio, hazelnut and seasonal fruit. Its coastal counter is busy year round, and the rotating flavour board encourages repeat visits.

5. Whitley Bay Seafront Ices

A traditional seafront operator serving cones, sundaes and the classic ninety nine with flake, this brand focuses on getting the fundamentals right for a family audience. Reliable soft serve, generous portions and quick service define the experience near the Spanish City area.

6. Cullercoats Creamery

A small independent producing dairy ice cream with local ingredients, Cullercoats Creamery is known for salted caramel, honeycomb and berry flavours made in limited runs. Its seasonal specials, including winter spice varieties, have built a following beyond the summer trade.

7. Northumbrian Sorbet Works

Specialising in dairy free frozen desserts, this brand produces fruit sorbets and coconut or oat based alternatives suitable for vegan and lactose intolerant customers. The intensity of its fruit flavours has won over plenty of customers who eat dairy without issue.

8. Wallsend Artisan Ice Cream

An urban producer supplying independent cafes and restaurants across the borough, Wallsend Artisan Ice Cream focuses on collaborations, developing bespoke flavours for local venues using regional biscuits, chocolate and even beer. Its adaptability makes it popular with chefs.

9. Killingworth Frozen Yogurt Company

Positioned as a lighter alternative, this brand makes tart frozen yogurt with live cultures alongside fruit and nut toppings. Family friendly self serve counters and lower sugar options have helped it appeal to health conscious customers.

10. St Marys Island Ice Cream Co

Named after the local landmark, this brand serves the walking and cycling traffic along the coast with classic scoops and takeaway tubs. Simple, well made vanilla, strawberry and mint choc chip, plus dog friendly frozen treats, have made it a popular stop on coastal routes.

How to judge quality ice cream

Beyond personal taste, several indicators separate excellent ice cream from ordinary product.

• Check the ingredient list. Real cream, milk, sugar and identifiable flavourings beat long lists of stabilisers and vegetable fats.
• Look at texture. Good ice cream is dense rather than airy, since excessive overrun means you are paying for whipped air.
• Taste the vanilla. It is the hardest flavour to hide behind and the fastest way to judge a maker.
• Ask about production location. Locally made batches tend to be fresher and better handled.
• Watch storage. Ice crystals and freezer burn indicate temperature fluctuation and poor handling.

Trends shaping the ice cream market

Plant based frozen desserts have improved dramatically and now sit alongside dairy rather than beneath it, with oat and coconut bases delivering convincing texture. Lower sugar and higher protein options are expanding, particularly in retail tubs. Meanwhile provenance storytelling has become a genuine purchasing factor, with customers increasingly interested in which farm the milk came from.

Seasonality has also extended. Warm weather remains the main driver, but coastal footfall in autumn and winter, boosted by walkers and dog owners along the promenades, has encouraged operators to stay open year round with hot drinks and spiced flavours alongside cones.

Final thoughts

North Tyneside offers a genuinely rewarding ice cream trail. Start with the heritage names to understand the local benchmark, then explore farmhouse dairies and small batch gelato makers for depth of flavour. Whether you take a cone along Longsands or a tub home from a farm shop, the borough's combination of Italian technique and Northumbrian dairy quality is hard to beat.