Ice Cream
Here are truly some of the very best. Remember, our Devon has a taste for everything first-class and spectacular. And, we’re not just talking about her wardrobe and home décor.....
Her taste buds are pretty savvy too. CHECK out some of her swoon worthy suggested ice-cream shops.... we’re melting at the thought...no pun intended....
Massachusetts:
Toscanini’s Ice Cream (aka Tosci’s)
Locations:
899 Main St, Central Square, Cambridge
159 First St, Kendall Square, Cambridge
🏆 Reputation & History
Founded in 1981 by Gus Rancatore (now his own again in Belmont) and friends, Tosci’s was soon called “the world’s best ice cream” by The New York Times
It’s won multiple Best of Boston awards (1997, 2009, 2010) and has a loyal fan base
The shop is lovingly run by the family behind iconic Boston ice cream culture.
🌟 Standout Flavors
B3 (Brown Butter, Brown Sugar, Brownies): The current fan favorite—rich, nutty, with brownie chunks. It even inspired its name before the flavor existed.
Burnt Caramel: Born from a happy accident, it remains a classic
Belgian Chocolate: Made from Callebaut chocolate—smooth and indulgent
Kulfi: Inspired by the Indian frozen dessert, rich with cardamom, almonds & pistachios—one of the top-requested flavors
More unique choices: Cardamom Fig, Miso Peanut Butter, Goat Cheese Honey Walnut, Spicy BBQ, Mango Sticky Rice, Blackberry Fluff—rotating often
🍨 Experience & Ambience
The shops blend a laid-back, industrial-chic vibe with communal tables ideal for friends studying or chatting
They serve breakfast at “the big table” on weekends at Main St—a true local ritual.
Known for sampling before scooping—staff are passionate and helpful.
📚 Extra Flavor Fun
Tosci’s has played host to hundreds of flavors—up to 300 per year—taking inspiration from MIT students and global influences
Their ice cream even featured in MIT’s “Kitchen Chemistry” series, blending taste and science.
MORE...
Holy Cow Ice Cream Cafe (Peabody, Gloucester, Salem, Dennis Port)
Frequently praised for scratch-made flavors. Henry frequents the Dennis port location. Keep an eye out for him!
Gerly’s (formerly Tipping Cow, Somerville)
Homemade cookies & cream standout
📝 Maine
John’s Ice Cream Factory
Reddit's top pick, dubbed “the best…in the entire world” reddit.com
Gifford’s Ice Cream
Legendary Maine brand noted for farm-fresh quality
The Gelato Fiasco (Mid-Coast area)
TripAdvisor’s #1-rated shore spot tripadvisor.com
New Hampshire
Richardson’s (Boscawen)
Reddit favorite in NH
Jordan’s Ice Creamery (Belmont)
WMUR’s viewer-selected best for 2024
Axel’s Ice Cream (Nashua)
Featured in NH Magazine’s tour
Vermont
Canteen Creemee Company (Waitsfield) – creative creemees & soft-serves
Island Homemade Ice Cream – traditional, local dairy flavors
The Scoop (Shelburne) – handcrafted in-house small-batch creamery
And, Dev wanted to make sure we include Ben & Jerry’s....
So, here’s the scoop on Ben & Jerry’s in Vermont—an ice cream mecca born of quirky ideals, chunky textures, and a sense of activism:
🍦 The Roots in Burlington
Origins (1978): Childhood friends Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield transformed a dilapidated gas station in Burlington into their first scoop shop on May 5, 1978. They funded the venture with $12,000 (half borrowed) after taking a $5 correspondence course in ice cream-making at Penn State.
Signature style: Cohen’s impaired sense of taste led them to emphasize “chunk” and mouthfeel—hence the big chocolate chunks, cookie dough, and mix-ins that define their ice creams.
Creative flavors & free cones: Iconic flavors like Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (debuted in 1984) and Cherry Garcia followed soon after. They also started Free Cone Day in 1979 to celebrate their first anniversary—and it's still a global tradition. Dates change every year so be sure to check.
🏭 Factory & Tour—Waterbury, VT
Historic home base: Their main manufacturing plant, built in 1985 in Waterbury, remains the only factory open to the public
Factory Experience: The 30-minute guided tour includes:
A fun “MOO-vie” intro
Walk on the mezzanine overlooking vats and production lines
Chunk and ice cream samples in the Flavor Room
Playground, gift shop, and the whimsical Flavor Graveyard featuring retired flavors with mock tombstones
Visitor details:
Open daily from ~10 a.m.–6 p.m.; last tour ~5 p.m.
Tickets ~$6 adults, $5 seniors, $1 kids (ages 2-12); book ~2 weeks in advance.
ADA accessible with parking, elevator, and facilities.
Rhode Island
Inside Scoop (North Kingstown) – Reddit users rave: “homemade and absolutely phenomenal”
Lincoln Creamery (Lincoln) – local favorite with roots back to 1986
Like No Udder (Providence) – acclaimed vegan soft-serve truck
Connecticut
Ferris Acres Creamery (Newtown) – seasonal favorite, in top-100 U.S. list
Ashley’s Ice Cream (Branford & multiple CT locations) – long-time “Best of” pick
Fish Family Farm (Bolton) – Reddit’s local standout: “chocolate milk is beyond heavenly”
Our Chronicle Favorites:
Tangerini’s Spring Street Farm (Millis, MA)
A charming, family-run farm stand known for fresh produce and locally made hard-serve ice cream from Maple Valley Creamery in Hadley
Ice cream stand is open daily (11 am–7 pm in season) alongside their farm stand and café .
Fun extras: U-pick fields, greenhouse, farm-to-table restaurant, cider donuts—great spot for families or a casual outing.
🍦 Sundae School (also calls itself Sunday School) (Harwich Port & Dennis Port, MA – Cape Cod) Dev says: “🧡🧡”
Serving homemade ice cream, frozen yogurt, and sorbet since 1976
Nationally acclaimed: named a “Best Ice Cream Spot in the U.S.” by Food & Wine, ranked #5 by USA Today, top 10 in Massachusetts by MassLive, and Gold winner in Cape Cod Life awards.
The Harwich Port location is iconic (established 1998), recently under new ownership—but there's a plan to build condos which has alarmed fans
Popular flavors (according to Boston.com) include classics like the “Bass River Mud” (coffee with almonds, chocolate chunks, fudge stripe)
Randall’s Farm & Elsie’s Creamery (Ludlow, MA)
Farm-fresh charm: A family-owned farm and greenhouse (45+ years) with a cozy creamery serving homemade ice cream in small batches on-site.
Local specialties: In strawberry season, they serve strawberry ice cream, pies, and shortcakes made from their own produce.
Seasonal fun: Hosts community events like “Ice Cream for Breakfast Day,” featuring discounts on half-gallons and pints
Bonus features: Combine your ice cream run with a visit to the bakery, deli, u-pick fields, greenhouse, or fall corn maze/pumpkin patch
In the wild: Yelp reviews praise the ice cream, along with produce, donuts, and bakery goods
🍨 Christina’s Homemade Ice Cream (Inman Square, Cambridge, MA)
Iconic since 1983: Housed in a no-frills shop next door to Christina’s Spice & Specialty Foods, the menu reflects its spice-filled roots
Flavor creativity: Around 30–40 rotating ice cream flavors, yogurts, and sorbets—from classics like Burnt Sugar and Carrot Cake to exotic ones like Khulfi, Green Tea, Adzuki Bean, and Lychee.
Burnt Sugar: Made by caramelizing sugar over an open flame—“intensely flavored…like crème brûlée”.
Khulfi & Ginger Molasses: Unique spice-driven choices beloved by regulars
Atmosphere & value: Cozy benches, friendly counter service, $6.50 for a pint—packed with mix-in options plus take-out/family sizes.
Well-loved locally: Featured frequently on Roadfood and recommended for their smooth texture and adventurous flavors.