Ice Cream Stands in Boston, New England, and Beyond

Posted by By Marc Hurwitz on: 2005-06-18 02:30:02

Everyone in the Boston area who likes ice cream knows about ice cream stands and parlors such as Ben and Jerry's, Kimball Farm, Richardson's, and JP Licks. But you may not know about some of New England's best ice cream stands that are off the beaten track. While there are literally hundreds of great ice cream stands in New England, below you will find the cream of the crop, so to speak! Note: This Boston and New England Ice Cream Stands page is part of the special features section of Boston's Hidden Restaurants.

Ice Cream Stands North of Boston:

Docksider Restaurant
14 Sea Street, Northeast Harbor, ME 04662
(207) 276-3965
Want spectacular ice cream in a spectacular setting? The Docksider Restaurant, in the shadows of the mountains of Acadia National Park, is a great place to enjoy an ice cream on a picnic bench while enjoying the clean Maine air. Oh, and the clams and lobster at the Docksider aren't bad, either.

The Ice House
112 Wentworth Road, Rye, NH 03870
(603) 431-3086
Tucked away between the charming towns of New Castle and Rye, The Ice House is a classic ice cream stand that is so close enough to the ocean that you can feel the salt from the waves. The Ice House also has great food and snacks. This is simply a great place to relax after enjoying the nearby beaches or wandering around nearby Portsmouth.

Ice Cream Stands West of Boston:

Bedford Farms
18 North Road, Bedford, MA 01730
(781) 275-6501
Some say that Bedford Farms has better ice cream than nearby Kimball Farm in Carlisle. This writer will let you decide for yourself, but it is no exaggeration to say that Bedford Farms has some of the best ice cream in the Boston area.

Bubbling Brook Restaurant
1652 High Street (Route 109), Westwood, MA 02090
(617) 762-9860
Bubbling Brook has excellent sandwiches and seafood, but the ice cream is the thing here. Lounging on the picnic tables next to Bubbling Brook while enjoying an ice cream cone on a Sunday afternoon is always a memorable experience here.

Dairy Joy
331 North Ave, Weston, MA 02493
(781) 894-7144
Dairy Joy is a total shock to people who first discover it; a truly old-fashioned ice cream stand in a town known more for its million-dollar homes and famous residents. The Dairy Joy has it all, from old picnic tables to humming fluorescent lights to greasy hot dogs and hamburgers...and ice cream, of course.

Erikson's Ice Cream
12 Great Road (Route 117), Maynard, MA 01754
Erikson's is a great place to go on the way back from apple picking, since its Maynard location is a bit of a gateway to the orchards just west of here. If the ginger ice cream is available, get it; there is nothing quite like it, and it's worth a special trip to Erikson's just for this yummy flavor.

Great Brook Farm
984 Lowell Road, Carlisle, MA 01741
(978) 369-6312
Yes, there is another ice cream stand in Carlisle; and while the ice cream stand at Great Brook Farm State Park may not quite reach the greatness of Kimball Farm, the scenery around here is simply beautiful. The petting zoo is a lot of fun, too.

Johnson's Drive-In
164 Boston Road, Groton, MA 01471
(978) 448-6840
Johnson's has a bit of everything; outstanding steak and cheese sandwiches, excellent burgers, tasty root beer floats and other drinks, and a lot of other items. The ice cream at this little family restaurant is particularly good, though (especially the raspberry ice cream).

Ice Cream Stands South of Boston:

Cool Licks Creamery
1808 Smith Street, North Providence, RI 02911
(401) 353-2615
Cool Licks is a simple little ice cream stand in a close-knit, old-fashioned community. No frills here, just delicious ice cream. This is a fun place to come after a Pawtucket Red Sox game or a day of shopping in Providence.

Dairy Barn
892 N Main Street, Randolph, MA 02368
(617) 986-4456
The Dairy Barn in Randolph is easy to drive by, and it never seems to be crowded. But what ice cream they have here. From Richardson's brand ice cream to excellent soft serve to chocolate-coated ice cream bars, The Dairy Barn is well worth going to, especially since you don't have to wait 45 minutes to get an ice cream.

Four Seas Ice Cream
360 South Main Street, Centerville, MA 02632
(508) 775-1394
Ok, Four Seas may not be hidden to those who live on Cape Cod, but for the rest of us, it is not all that well-known, which is a shame. The ice cream here is some of the best on the Cape. This is one of the oldest ice cream stands in New England (and the oldest on the Cape). Try the cantaloupe ice cream if they have it!

Hallet's Store and Soda Fountain
139 Main Street (Route 6A), Yarmouth Port, MA 02675
(508) 362-3362
Hidden on the "quiet" side of Cape Code, Hallet's Store is a throwback to the days of soda fountains and leisurely Sunday drives with the family to get some tasty ice cream. Hallet's started out as a drug store, and still has a soda fountain (as well as a museum upstairs).

Oxford Creamery
98 County Road (Route 6), Mattapoisett, MA 02739
(508) 758-3847
Oxford Creamery is yet another classic, old-fashioned ice cream stand that is a great take on a hot summer night. What separates this Mattapoisett gem from other ice cream stands is the fact that the ice cream is some of the best in Southern Massachusetts.

Peaceful Meadows Ice Cream
114 and 170 Water Street, Plymouth, MA 02360
(508) 746-2362
A pair of great ice cream stores midway between Cape Cod and the Greater Boston area, Peaceful Meadows is a treat, with some truly terrific ice cream. Peaceful Meadows has been around for a long time, but not many people know about it outside of Plymouth.

Ice Cream Stands Outside of New England:

Custard, Mustard 'N Brew
50 Saranac Avenue, Lake Placid, NY 12946
(518) 523-9626
Custard, Mustard 'N Brew is a place to be relished (no pun intended). Hot dogs, ice cream, and a whole lot more can be enjoyed while savoring the cool mountain air of Lake Placid. The Adirondacks have their fair share of great ice cream stands; Custard, Mustard 'N Brew is one of the better ones, for sure.

Mountain Mist
260 Lake Flower Avenue, Saranac Lake, NY 12983
One of the best things about Mountain Mist is its location on beautiful Lake Flower, just outside of Saranac Lake. For anyone who has been to the Adirondacks, you know the allure of a custard stand on a pristine mountain lake. Mountain Mist is quite simply a place that will bring you back to a more innocent age.

Boston's Hidden Restaurants is a restaurant guide that features top little-known dining spots in Boston and New England. The original ice cream stands page can be found on our site.