Here's a concise roundup of the best ice‑cream brands to try in the U.S. in 2025, organized by category and with short notes on what each brand is known for.

Premium / small‑batch favorites

• Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams — top artisanal/pint pick for creative, custard‑style flavors and frequent product awards in 2025. (people.com, foodbev.com)
• Salt & Straw — highly creative, locally sourced flavors and rotating collaborations; a favorite for adventurous eaters. (forbes.com)
• Van Leeuwen — silky pints and one of the best vegan lines (oat/cashew bases) as well as excellent dairy options. (forbes.com, goodhousekeeping.com)

Big national / premium grocery brands

• Häagen‑Dazs — longtime premium staple with wide retail availability and several 2025 product launches (including new sorbets and snack bars). (foodbusinessnews.net, prnewswire.com)
• Talenti — widely available gelato-style pints and sorbets that many shoppers turn to for a gelato-like scoop at home. (en.wikipedia.org)
• Ben & Jerry’s — iconic, flavor-forward brand (also a major player in non‑dairy pints); still prominent in 2025 amid corporate restructuring headlines. (reuters.com, peta.org)

Regional & reliable grocery favorites

• Tillamook — fast‑growing family‑size brand praised for rich, classic flavors and recent awards/expansion in 2024–25. Great for value and big tubs. (prnewswire.com)
• Breyers / Dreyer’s (Edy’s) — dependable, widely distributed classics for everyday scooping (vanilla, chocolate, family tubs). (widely stocked; see major grocery lists.)

Non‑dairy / vegan leaders

• Van Leeuwen and Jeni’s (dairy‑free lines) — both earn repeated taste‑test praise for creamy, convincing plant‑based pints. (goodhousekeeping.com, learnervegan.com)
• Ben & Jerry’s non‑dairy line — broad selection of almond/sunflower‑based versions of their classic flavors. (peta.org)

Light / diet‑friendly options

• Halo Top — still the go‑to for low‑calorie, high‑protein pints in 2025 (note: the brand refreshed its flavor lineup in 2025, retiring some flavors while introducing new ones). (thedailymeal.com, allrecipes.com)

Specialty / international picks (if you want to branch out)

• Gelato Messina (Australia), Salt & Straw (U.S.), and quality regional scoop shops (look up local best‑of lists) — great if you can find them or order for delivery. (forbes.com)

Quick buying tips

• Want artisanal: order Jeni’s, Van Leeuwen or Salt & Straw pints online or visit a shop when possible. (people.com, forbes.com)
• Want wide availability/premium grocery: Häagen‑Dazs, Talenti, Ben & Jerry’s are in most supermarkets. (prnewswire.com, en.wikipedia.org, reuters.com)
• Want vegan: check the Good Housekeeping / taste‑test roundups for the top non‑dairy pints (Van Leeuwen, Jeni’s dairy‑free, Ben & Jerry’s non‑dairy are consistently recommended). (goodhousekeeping.com)

If you want, I can:

• Make a shorter “top 5” ranked list based on flavor/generally available pints, or
• Suggest specific flavors to try from any of the brands above (e.g., Jeni’s Brambleberry Crisp, Van Leeuwen Sicilian Pistachio, Häagen‑Dazs New York Strawberry Cheesecake).