South Carolina’s North Myrtle Beach is part of the Grand Strand, a 60-mile string of Atlantic beaches. The Grand Strand ranges from Little River down to Georgetown, South Carolina. The sandy stretch includes Murrells Inlet, Surfside Beach, Garden City, North Myrtle Beach, and Myrtle Beach.
North Myrtle Beach is a nine-mile stretch of a grand arc of soft sand and oceanside adventure. Apart from dream vacation homes just steps away from the sand, there are plenty of great bars, restaurants, and shops to entertain yourselves at any time, day or night.
A summertime mecca, in addition to the surf and sun, North Myrtle Beach’s downtown, Main Street, is lined with shops, eateries, and bars. And with all this sun and fun, why not look past the old Ben & Jerry’s standard and sample dessert with a little local beach flare.
North Myrtle Beach has cornered the market on craft ice cream and homemade dessert shops for those end-of-day treats.
Sweet Molly’s Creamery
4728F Hwy 17 S, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
(843) 663-4373
Sweet Molly’s Creamery is a family-owned ice cream store that has been a local favorite for almost two decades. The store is named after a rescue dog who serves as the mascot and official taste-tester.
Famous for its fresh daily ice cream, frozen yogurt, and creamy sorbets, the creative chefs at Sweet Molly’s mix sundaes and shakes to order with over 50 mix-ins, fruits & syrups.
G’s Ice Cream & Grill
310 17th Ave S, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
Mr. G’s Ice Cream & Grill is a seasonal eatery that serves delicious ice cream and specialty sundaes. Choose from Rocky Road or Black Cherry for your shake. And grab a foot-long hotdog or sandwich with a side to go.
Original Painter’s Homemade Ice Cream
2408 Hwy 17 S #4344, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
(843) 272-6934.
Original Painter’s Homemade Ice Cream has been in business since 1952. This small stand is a local go-to spot for hand-crafted ice cream with changing flavors. Located just blocks from the beach, this local favorite also serves banana splits and sundaes with made-from-scratch vanilla ice cream.
Melt
204 Main St, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
(843) 273-0284.
Melt is a small informal dessert shop featuring ice cream & waffle cones, smoothies, and sundaes. Melt also offers vegan dessert options. Named South Carolina’s Best Ice Cream by Food & Wine Magazine, this craft ice cream shop is just steps from McClean Park and North Myrtle Beach’s soft sand.
OD Pavilion Ice Cream Shop
90 S Ocean Blvd, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
(843) 249-2785.
Giant sundaes big enough to share and delicious shakes are a hallmark of the OD Pavilion Ice Cream Shop. OD’s is a seasonal store with dozens of ice cream flavors that serves dessert in North Myrtle Beach style. Just look for the pink awnings on Ocean Boulevard, just steps from the sand.
River Street Sweets
4912-A Hwy 17 S #4912-A, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
(843) 361-9545
Savannah’s original candy store, famous for its homemade pralines, River Street Sweets, is located in Barefoot Landing. This quaint shop also sells sweet treats such as bear claws and sorbet. The glazed pecans make an excellent gift for friends back home.
Native Joe’s Scoop & Grind
801 Conway St, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
(843) 273-4939.
Native Joe’s is a family-friendly coffee bar and ice cream shop where visitors can relax with their pups and enjoy sweet, hand-crafted creations. Housed in a Cuban cabana and located just minutes from Barefoot Landing, Native Joe’s offers premium coffee and tea. Delicious homemade desserts, ice cream, and a daily menu are available from early morning to late at night.
A believer in fair trade, Native Joe’s only offers the best, Pure Vida Fair Trade Organic Coffee, seven days a week.
Wee-R-Sweetz
4820 Hwy 17 S, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
(843) 272-0891.
A family business, Wee-R-Sweetz, was established in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1978, with the first North Myrtle Beach location opening in Barefoot Landing in 1988. This small candy shop has a vast selection of hard candies and chocolate treats.
This beloved candy shop has a little for everyone, including salt water taffy, fruit slices, and brittle. The shop even has homemade dog treats.
Whit’s Frozen Custard of North Myrtle Beach
691 Main St, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
(843) 663-1000
Partial to ice cream? Try Whit’s Frozen Custard of North Myrtle Beach. Locals considered it to be North Myrtle Beach’s yummiest frozen dessert shop. And while this is a franchised dessert chain, Whit’s Frozen Custard of North Myrtle Beach acts like an old familiar friend.
The menu includes custard specials, homemade cookies, and gluten-free and vegan dessert options. Don’t forget to try a Whittie of the month.
Sweet Frog
254 Hwy 17 N, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
(843) 663-3456
Sweet Frog is a national soft-serve yogurt chain with dozens of froyo flavors and topping options. The shop also offers daily sorbet specials, fresh fruit, and gluten-free and vegan options at a reasonable price.
Main Sweets
215 Main St, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
Main Sweets is a cornucopia of all things sugar and sweet. They have hundreds of prepackaged candy options to complement their homemade desserts and ice cream.
Come for a scoop and spend the afternoon browsing. Main Sweets is a great place to find a quirky gift for that special friend with an unquenchable sweet tooth.
Ella’s Ice Cream
1516 Hwy 17 N #6, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
(843) 281-0427
Ella’s Ice Cream is located just off Highway 17 in the Coastal North Town Center. Ella’s offers hand-crafted milkshakes, soft-serve cones, and ice cream cakes. Try a waffle banana split sandwich or a hot fudge brownie sundae for an unforgettably creamy experience.
This locally-owned shop was voted North Strand News’ Best Ice Cream in North Myrtle Beach in 2020 and 2021.
Pass the Pudding
10177 N Kings Hwy, Myrtle Beach, SC 29572
(843) 273-0552
Pass the Pudding is arguably one of the best places for dessert North Myrtle Beach has to offer. Famous for their great Southern Style Banana Pudding, Pass the Pudding owner Rene Nero makes this delicacy by hand. Originally from North Carolina, Rene found South Carolina a perfect location for her closely guarded recipe.
Just south of North Myrtle Beach, Pass the Pudding is a crave-able treat that is easy to order and pick up with car-side service.
Ricciardi’s Italian Ice
10835 Kings Rd, Myrtle Beach, SC 29572
Technically in Myrtle Beach, Ricciardi’s Italian Ice is too good not to mention. Visitors can find Ricciardi’s in the Tangier Outlet Mall or grab a scoop from a small Italian Ice stand on the pier.
North Myrtle Beach residents consider this to be some of the best Italian Ice in the area. Dozens of refreshing flavors and friendly service are essential to Ricciardi’s continued success.
The Fudgery
4722 Hwy 17 S, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
(843) 361-1228
The Fudgery is a confection store located in Barfoot Landing. This candy store has some of the creamiest homemade fudge in the area. Various fudge flavors, milkshakes, and chocolate-covered pralines are just a few of the treats available at this national store.
In 1980, Papa Fudge, A.C. Marshall rang a copper bell to tell beachgoers that his batch of fudge was ready to taste. That retail showmanship still permeates the atmosphere at This unique beach dessert shop.
Duck Donuts
779 Main St, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
(843) 663-3825
Are you craving an old-fashioned donut shop? Why not stop by Duck Donuts just off Main Street in North Myrtle Beach? Duck Donuts offers fresh coffee and shakes to complement a peanut butter paradise donut. Dozens of seasonal choices, like the chocolate glazed with coconut and walnuts or the more eclectic maple bacon donut, are available seven days a week.
Croissants Bakery & Bistro
8014 N Kings Highway, Myrtle Beach, SC 29572
(843) 448-2253
An American bistro and full bakery in an intimate setting, Croissants Bakery & Bistro is also a great stop after dinner for a late-night piece of cheesecake or baklava. Just far enough to be in Myrtle Beach, this restaurant is a hidden gem and the perfect place for brunch.
With an extensive menu, bistro chicken crepes, and grits with shrimp, are only a couple of the delicious choices. Try a chicken salad croissant sandwich, and for dessert, the key lime pie for two.
The Hot Dog Works
223 Sea Mountain Hwy, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
(843) 273-4861
Surprisingly, this tiny, fast food restaurant has a delicious hand-baked dessert menu. Voted as the #2 restaurant according to reviews, Hot Dog Works has a full quick order grill menu, including tacos and foot longs. Desserts such as cherry tarts and Lemon Meringue pie round out the meal. Online orders are available for delivery or easy pick-up.
The Crazy Mason Milkshake Bar
1105 Hwy 17 S, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
Creative hand-crafted desserts, sundaes, and milkshakes are the Crazy Mason Milkshake Bar’s specialty. Located in 810 Billiards & Bowling, this unique shop offers heaven in a cup with the giant Sweet Cheesus Milkshake – a cream-cheese cake in a mug. Daily presentations from the dessert menu elevate simple treats to a full-course meal. Try a specialty creation such as the Crazy Colada or Crazy Waffles, and you will never look at dessert the same way again.
Butter and Whisk
613 Main St, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
(843) 663-9475
This eclectic bakery serves cakes and cookies in a mason jar. Lindsay Rollins, Butter and Whisk’s baker extraordinaire, whips up some of the beach’s best desserts, including chocolate cakes and specialty wedding cakes. A North Myrtle Beach favorite is the much-heralded, Salted Caramel cake.
With these 19 delicious dessert spots in North Myrtle Beach, you’ll have options aplenty to satisfy your sweet tooth whether you’re a Grand Strand local or just passing through.