Trendy ice cream shop with sugar-dusted pastry cones opens in Steele Creek
Crispy Cones, the trendy ice cream shop serving warm pastry shells swirled high with soft serve, is finally open in Charlotte.
The shop officially opened its doors to ice cream lovers May 8 near the Charlotte Premium Outlets in Steele Creek, according to the brand’s social media channels.
It marked Crispy Cone’s debut in the Queen City; the chain also has spot in Wilmington.
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“At Charlotte Crispy Cones, customers can expect a fun and unique dessert experience,” franchisee Anusha Appana told Charlotte Five. “We wanted to create more than just a dessert stop — a place that feels exciting, social, and memorable for families, friends, and the Charlotte community.”
Expect fresh-baked cones “grilled rotisserie-style” and dusted with cinnamon sugar. The brioche-like pastries are then filled with your choice of spread, soft serve ice cream, fruit, sauce and other toppings.
Classic chocolate and vanilla are on the menu along with limited-time flavors like mango and cookie dough, plus specialty cone creations like “The Blondie.” Flavors rotate on a weekly basis, and new cones debut every month, the shop’s website says.
Inspired by the popular chimney cakes in Prague, Crispy Cones founder Jeremy Carlson pitched his dessert concept on ABC’s “Shark Tank” and landed a $200,000 deal with Barbara Corcoran.
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Today, Crispy Cones has locations in more than a dozen states nationwide.
Charlotte’s Crispy Cones is open Monday-Thursday from noon until 11 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 a.m.; and Sunday from noon to 9 p.m.
Portions of this story previously appeared in CharlotteFive.
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Crispy Cones
Location: 8736 Outlets Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28278
Cuisine: Pastry cones, ice cream and hot chocolate
Instagram: @crispycones
This story was originally published May 19, 2026 at 6:00 AM.