From the National Geographic book Food Journeys of a Lifetime

Capogiro Gelato, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Made with the freshest ingredients (such as milk from Amish grass-fed cows), the artisan gelatos and sorbettos handcrafted each day at Capogiro Gelato include flavors not seen anywhere else—Madagascar bourbon vanilla, melograno (pomegranate), nocciola Piemonte (hazelnut), Saigon cinnamon, Thai coconut milk (with a dash of rum), and zucca (long-neck pumpkin).Planning: Capogiro has four cafés in Philadelphia.

Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, St. Louis, Missouri

Made from fresh cream, eggs, and sugar, frozen custard is a midwestern dessert that looks, tastes, and acts like its close cousin, ice cream. The stand on Grand Boulevard has been open since 1931, serving frozen custard in cones, shakes, root-beer floats, and house specialties, such as Hawaiian Delight and Crater Copernicus.Planning: Drewes has several locations in St. Louis.

Bombay Ice Creamery, San Francisco, California

Some of the planet’s best Indian ice cream can be sampled here, in the Hispanic Mission District. On offer are flavors such as chiku (sapodilla), cardamom, chai-tea, saffron, rose, and ginger, rarely found beyond the Indian subcontinent. Traditional kulfi (a frozen milk dessert) is also on the menu, plus lassi (yogurt drinks).Planning: The opening hours change with the seasons, so check before planning a visit.

Devon House, Kingston, Jamaica

Built in the late 19th century as the home of Jamaica’s first black millionaire, Devon House is a masterpiece of Caribbean Victorian architecture and home to the island’s most celebrated ice-cream stand. The 27 flavors run a broad gamut from traditional cherry and pistachio to exotic island treats like mango, coconut, and soursop. There is even an offbeat, beer-based ice cream called Devon Stout. Grab a cone and recline in the sprawling gardens.Planning: Devon House is in central Kingston. Admission includes a tour of the house and access to the gardens.

Heladeria Cadore, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Argentina's capital has no shortage of ice cream shops. Heladeria Cadore, in the busy theater district, is a favorite. The Olivotti family brought their generations-old process from the village of Cadore, Italy, to Buenos Aires in 1957 and have occupied the same storefront ever since. Try the chocolate with Cointreau, dulce de leche granizado, or lemon mousse. The best part? Heladeria Cadore delivers.Planning: Heladeria Cadore is at Avenida Corrientes 1696.

Ice Cream City, Tokyo, Japan

With dozens of stands selling more than 300 flavors between them, Tokyo’s appropriately named Ice Cream City offers some of the planet’s more unusual ice creams, from soy chicken and orchid root to sea-island salt and unagi (eel). If you have more conventional tastes, Italian gelato and American ice cream sundaes are also available.Planning: Ice Cream City is part of the food-themed section of the Namja Town amusement park in the Sunshine City shopping complex 15 minutes’ walk from Ikebukuro station.

Glacé, Sydney, Australia

Glacé is celebrated for its cutting-edge, ice-cream-based desserts, such as bombe Alaska, checkerboard terrines, and chocolate-dipped petit fours. Rose petal, vanilla bean, strawberry pistachio, and Belgian chocolate count among its signature flavors.Planning: Glacé has one retail outlet, at 27 Marion Street in Sydney’s Leichhardt district.

A’jia Hotel, Istanbul, Turkey

There is nothing more romantic than a summer evening beside the Bosporus, especially when you are having ice cream on the outdoor terrace of the A’jia Hotel. The dessert menu includes fried vanilla ice cream, passionfruit sorbet, and traditional Turkish dondurma (ice cream) made from goats’ milk.Planning: Located on the western shore of the Bosporus, the A’jia is a 19th-century mansion transformed into a hip new waterfront hangout.

Vaffelbageriet, Copenhagen, Denmark

Tivoli Gardens amusement park is the venue for this century-old ice-cream outlet. The specialty is ice cream served in a large waffle cone, called the Amerikaner, which takes up to four scoops plus syrupy topping, whipped cream, and chocolate-covered meringue puff (rather than a maraschino cherry).Planning: Tivoli Gardens is in central Copenhagen, and is open from mid-April through late September. The entertainments include concerts, rides, and 40 restaurants.