12 Best Places to Get Ice Cream in CT
We all crave ice cream from time to time. Whether it is soft serve, gelato, frozen yogurt, popsicles, or milkshakes, there’s a spot in Connecticut that serves exactly what you want.
Below, we put together a list of the best ice cream shops in CT that will satisfy your appetite for frozen treats. So without further ado, these are the best places to get ice cream in Connecticut.
Top Spots to Eat Ice Cream in Connecticut
1. Ferris Acres Creamery – Newtown
Ferris Acres Creamery is among the top places to eat ice cream in CT. Located in Newtown, this family-run business makes a wide variety of delicious ice cream flavors.
You can order classics like chocolate chip, mocha, cookie dough, vanilla, and cookies & cream, along with several seasonal and specialty flavors. The types of ice cream available include traditional, sorbet, no sugar added, and vegan.
In addition to ice cream, Ferris Acres Creamery bakes cakes and pies too. Just know that is creamery is seasonal, so they close down in the winter.
- Location: 144 Sugar St, Newtown, CT
2. Arethusa Farm Dairy – Bantam
Arethusa Farm Dairy is a popular place to grab ice cream in Litchfield County. They serve their frozen treats in fresh waffle cones alongside a lineup of other fresh dairy products produced onsite.
The ice cream here is carefully tested with unique recipes to ensure a rating of super premium at 16% butterfat.
The scoops here are huge, plus they offer flavors like mint chip, coffee, strawberry, chocolate, butter pecan, and raspberry to name a few. Arethusa Farm is also home to one of the best restaurants in Connecticut.
- Location: 822 Bantam Rd, Bantam, CT
3. Buttonwood Farm Ice Cream – Griswold
Buttonwood Farm Ice Cream is a great spot to get some dessert if you live near the Connecticut-Rhode Island border. They have many premium flavors of homemade ice cream that they sell at their farm stand.
The serving sizes are very generous, plus you have the option of ordering a waffle cone. I highly recommend the almond coconut ice cream here if you don’t have nut allergies.
This scoop stand can be a bit hard to get to if you live in the northern or southern part of the state, but it’s an excellent place to try if you live in New London or Windham Counties.
- Location: 473 Shetucket Turnpike, Griswold, CT
4. Collins Creamery – Enfield
Collins Creamery is a popular Connecticut ice cream parlor in the northern part of the state. Located in Enfield, this creamy opens in early Spring every year and continues to serve ice cream through the fall.
The ice cream tastes fresh and comes in a variety of flavors. You can order cookie dough, cotton candy, chocolate, vanilla, mocha chip, banana, and cake ice cream, among other flavors.
You can also order frozen yogurt, low-fat, and sugar-free ice cream as well. The entire creamy is outdoors, so they have picnic tables set up for dining. You can even watch the cows graze as you eat.
- Location: 9 Powder Hill Rd, Enfield, CT
5. Rich Farm Ice Cream Shop – Multiple Locations
Rich Farm Ice Cream Shop is known for its super-premium ice cream, which is made daily on the farm with high-quality ingredients. Each batch of ice cream is slow-churned to ensure the best flavor.
Even the waffle cones are made daily on the farm. The menu features over 100 flavors, including caramel swirl, German chocolate brownie, funfetti, peanut butter brownie, chocolate Oreo, rocky road, and vanilla.
You can order your scoops in cups, sugar cones, soft cones, and waffle cones, but they also have sundaes, milkshakes, ice cream sandwiches, ice cream cakes, soda floats, and quarts & pints to take home.
There’s a wide range of toppings to choose from too, like sprinkles, hot fudge, whipped cream, marshmallows, M&M’s, and gummy bears. Rich Farm Ice Cream Shop has locations in Bristol, Oxford, and Brookfield, Connecticut.
- Location: 409 Hill Street, Bristol, CT
6. Wentworth Homemade Ice Cream – Hamden
Wentworth Homemade Ice Cream is a small ice cream shop found in Hamden. They have a wide range of delicious flavors and it’s super affordable.
The portion sizes at Wentworth a pretty large as they pack each scoop in, plus the toppings are great. I highly recommend the peanut butter and marshmallow sauce.
The staff here is very friendly as well. This is a great place to cool down with some ice cream in the summer since they have outdoor seating.
- Location: 3697 Whitney Ave, Hamden, CT
7. Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream – Mystic
Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream is one of Connecticut’s most popular ice cream shops in New London County. They make all of their ice cream, sorbets, and frozen yogurts in small batches to ensure quality and taste.
The ice cream-making process here starts with local dairy, which is then sweetened with real cane sugar and combined with pure Bourbon vanilla and imported Dutch cocoa. Needless to say, you can taste the difference.
There are numerous flavors and ice cream types available, including classic, fruity, nutty, and non-dairy vegan options. You can order your ice cream online, or in person at their store.
- Location: 2 W Main St, Mystic, CT
8. Gumdrops & Lollipops Candy & Ice Cream – Niantic
Gumdrops & Lollipops Candy & Ice Cream is a highly-rated spot to get ice cream in Niantic. This seaside candy and ice cream shop offers everything from homemade hard ice cream to chocolates, fruit slices, fudge, and other desserts.
Ice cream sundaes, soft serve, sherbets, sorbets, and sugar-free ice cream is available as well. There’s truly something for everyone.
Some of the flavors on the menu include cherry vanilla, banana chip, classic chocolate, classic vanilla, chocolate chip, blueberry cheesecake, and captain cupcake. There are also traditional foods, like burgers, on the lunch menu.
The shop is seasonal as they close in the winter. So keep that in mind when visiting. They are typically open by Spring.
- Location: 334 Main St, Niantic, CT
9. Grassroots Ice Cream – Granby
Grassroots Ice Cream is another one of Connecticut’s ice cream shops found in the northern part of the state. Located in Granby, this shop has plenty of unique flavors.
You’re able to order flavors like banana peanut butter cup, butter pecan, cherry fudge sundae, double Oreo, mint brownie, pistachio, root beer float, and strawberry.
They also have a range of toppings like rainbow or chocolate sprinkles, hot fudge, coconut flakes, whipped cream, almonds, or cookie crumble. The restaurant lets you order your food online so you don’t have to wait in line.
- Location: 4 Park Pl, Granby, CT
10. Cowlick’s Creamery – Waterford
Cowlick’s Creamery is a CT ice cream spot in Waterford. They serve premium hard ice cream, soft serve, Italian ice, frozen yogurt, sorbets, ice cream sandwiches, shakes, frozen drinks, and specialty sundaes.
Some of the flavors featured on the menu include s’mores, cappuccino crunch, cookies & cream, birthday cake, moose tracks, and strawberry shortcake.
This family-friendly ice cream shop even has a spot for kids to play while the adults enjoy their ice cream on the outdoor patio.
- Location: 521 Boston Post Rd, Waterford, CT
11. Salem Valley Farms Ice Cream – Salem
Salem Valley Farms Ice Cream has been making hand-crafted, artisan-style ice cream for over 30 years. Everything is fresh and made-to-order, plus you can customize your own cream creation with a large selection of toppings.
The shop’s menu features over 80 flavors, including almond delight, apple crumb pie, brownie, cherry vanilla, double chocolate chip, cotton candy, vanilla fudge swirl, and mint chocolate chip. You can get your order in a cup or an ice cream cone.
Aside from the traditional ice creams, Salem Valley Farms Ice Cream also serves banana splits, ice cream drinks, sundaes, and frozen yogurt.
- Location: 20 Darling Rd, Salem, CT
12. UConn Dairy Bar – Storrs
UConn Dairy Bar is one of CT’s ice cream parlors located in Tolland County. Found directly on the University of Connecticut campus, this ice cream shop offers a good view into the ice cream-making process.
Some of the flavors here include chocolate, vanilla, coconut, coffee, black raspberry, Oreo, pumpkin, cherry cotton candy swirl, chocolate chip cookie dough, and chocolate peanut butter swirl.
Grabbing a scoop of ice cream here is a must if you’re visiting this Connecticut college.
- Location: 17 Manter Rd #4263, Storrs, CT
Other Excellent Ice Cream Shops in CT
Aside from the spots already mentioned, there are plenty of other local ice cream places in Connecticut. Here are a few honorable mentions:
- Big Dipper Ice Cream Parlour in Prospect
- Milkcraft in New Haven and West Hartford
- Plasko’s Farm Creamery & Cafe in Trumbull
- Smyth’s Ice Cream in Enfield
If you live in New Haven, you’ll also want to check out this article about the best places to get ice cream in New Haven.
Ice Cream CT – Final Thoughts
Those are some of the top spots to eat ice cream with your family in Connecticut. Whether you’re taking your kids for some ice cream or treating yourself to a frozen snack, you can’t go wrong with any of these CT ice cream shops.
If you’re looking for smoothies or milkshakes specifically, you’ll want to check out these articles.
