Call it Denver’s sweetest Sweet 16 ever.

After a week of voting, Denver Gazette readers have narrowed the 32 best Denver ice cream shops down to 16 in our annual March Madness-style bracket.

And perhaps fittingly, every ice cream shop with the word “sweet” in its name advanced to the Sweet 16. Sweet Cow, Sweet Action and Sweet Izzy Ice Cream all were victorious in their first-round matchups.

A total of 1,669 ballots were cast in the first round. The top overall vote-getter was Little Man Ice Cream, with 901 votes to defeat Dulce Neveria, 901-354.

In the closest matchup of the week, God Save the Cream advanced past Pint’s Peak Ice Cream, 497-426.

Round 1 Final Scores

Little Man Ice Cream defeats Dulce Neveria, 901-354
Nuggs Ice Cream defeats Magill’s World of Ice Cream, 588-403
Liks Ice Cream defeats Em’s Ice Cream, 640-377
Gelato Boy defeats Butterfield’s Ice Cream, 630-348
Bonnie Brae Ice Cream defeats The Little Michoacana, 802-299
Colfax and Cream defeats SNOWL, 540-363
Right Cream defeats Ba-Nom-A-Nom, 701-306
Sweet Izzy Ice Cream defeats Darlene’s Ice Cream, 541-358
Sadboy Creamery defeats Scrumptious, 642-467
God Save the Cream defeats Pint’s Peak Ice Cream, 497-426
Sweet Action defeats Thick’s Gelato and Chocolates, 722-277
Fat Batter Ice Cream defeats Power Cone, 547-375
Sweet Cow defeats Glacier Homemade Ice Cream, 838-277
Happy Cones Co defeats Stir-Pan Creamery, 607-315
High Point Creamery defeats Scoops Homemade Ice Cream, 662-351
Heaven Creamery defeats Polar Bros. Nitro Ice Cream, 628-355

Vote now on the Sweet 16

Voting for the Sweet 16 matchups is live now. Polls close at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, March 17, 2026.