Summertime, and the livin’ in Ithaca is easy — not least because of a bunch of amazing ice cream shops that serve up small batch ice cream in unique flavors. (And yes, you can get vanilla, too.)
I did some research (tough job, but someone’s gotta do it) and rounded up your options for the best ice cream in Ithaca, NY. And, I’d argue, some of the best ice cream in the Finger Lakes.
It makes sense that ice cream in this region would be good. After all, we’re in the middle of a big dairy state.
In 2020, New York had some 3,600 dairy farms, producing over 15 billion pounds of milk. In fact, dairy is the largest single segment of agricultural industry in the state, making New York the fourth-largest producer of milk in the country.
Oh, and we’re fourth in ice cream consumption. (Gotta work on that, folks. We can do better!)
Ithaca ice cream history: the origin of the ice cream sundae
Ithaca also has a more specific, historic role in ice cream history in this country! Ithaca is the home of the ice cream sundae.
(Want more fun facts? Here are some about Tompkins County and the Finger Lakes.)
It happened on a Sunday in April of the year 1892. The Reverend John M. Scott had just delivered his sermon at the Unitarian Church and then went to visit Chester Platt, the owner of the Platt & Colt Pharmacy on State Street. They were chatting at the counter when Platt decided it was time for a refreshment. He asked his clerk for two dishes of ice cream and then, on a whim, placed a candied cherry and some cherry syrup over each.
The friends decided to call it “Cherry Sunday” after the day of the week, and Platt placed an ad in the Ithaca Daily Journal to find more eaters for his invention. It soon became a popular dessert and possibly spread across the country with Cornell students traveling home.
You can learn all the details in another post dedicated to the contested history of the ice cream sundae. (Because of course other towns would come and try to claim the sundae for themselves. Let them try — we have the evidence on our side!)
List of the best ice cream shops in Ithaca
And now, without further ado, my short list of the best ice cream shops in Ithaca!
I’ve put them in alphabetical order and will let you make your own decisions about which one deserves the trophy. (I recommend lots of taste testing!)
Cayuga Lake Creamery
The original Creamery opened in Interlaken on the west side of Cayuga Lake in 2004 and has long been a popular stop along the wine trail (even selling wine-and-fruit sorbets). Luckily for us, a second location moved into the Dewitt Mall in downtown Ithaca a few years ago.
There you’ll find the same rich ice cream that’s made in small batches in Interlaken from 14-percent-butterfat milk produced by the Upstate Niagara Cooperative.
Of the over 200 classic and unique flavors, about 20 to 30 flavors are in rotation at any given time. My favorite so far is pistachio, which is not too sweet and has a satisfying, real pistachio taste.
Numerous flavors are marked as gluten free, and vegans will find several sorbet and soy-based options. Some specialty flavors are 25 cents extra per scoop.
At the shop, choose from scoops, sundaes, milkshakes, floats, sodas, iced and hot coffee floats, and some yummy waffle cone options.
You can either sit inside or head to the small outdoor patio with a few tables. Or purchase packed pints, quarts, ice cream sandwiches, or ice cream cakes to enjoy at home.
- Some Cayuga Lake Creamery flavors to try: Maple Bacon, Seneca Sea Salt Caramel (made with Seneca Sea Salt, as the name implies), Lavender, Jalapeno Popper (if you’re feeling very adventurous)
- Website: cayugalakecreamery.com
Cornell Dairy Bar
The ice cream sold at the Cornell Dairy Bar is about as local as it gets.
It’s made from milk produced by Cornell’s own herd of hundreds of dairy cows and churned in Stocking Hall right on campus.
The Dairy Bar has been around since 1949 but moved into the modern building, which houses the food science department, in 2013. Look for the giant milk bottle sculpture out front.
In case you’re wondering why an Ivy League university is in the business of making ice cream: Cornell is partly a land-grant university, meaning it has been designated by the state to receive federal and state funds to study and promote agriculture and other specific fields.
Eating ice cream at the Dairy Bar, by the way, is a campus tradition — number 11 on the list of 161 things every Cornellian should do, to be exact.
You can do the same, choosing from scoops, sundaes, and floats. There are some interesting flavors (plus a vegan sorbet), though I almost always have my favorite, Bavarian Raspberry Fudge.
Some flavors were designed by students in an introductory food science class for an annual competition. The winning combination, as determined by a panel of expert judges, is available at the Dairy Bar for a while. Past winners include The Berry Great Outdoors (graham cracker swirl, fudge, toasted marshmallow flavor, and berries) and Sweet CORNell (corn and salted caramel).
If you’re in the mood for a meal, the eatery has you covered with a variety of lunch and snack foods, including grab-and-go sandwiches and salads, soups, bagels, hot and cold drinks. You can also buy Cornell Dairy-made yogurt, cheese, and other milk products. Ice cream pints are sold at various campus cafes and stores.
There’s lots of seating inside the spacious hall as well as a few tables outdoors. Or take a walk around campus. The Cornell Botanic Gardens aren’t too far away.
- Some Cornell Dairy Bar flavors to try: Big Red Bear Tracks (vanilla ice cream with brownie pieces and caramel swirl), Triple Play Chocolate (chocolate ice cream with fudge pieces and chocolate fudge swirl)
- Website: scl.cornell.edu/cornell-dairy-bar
Dennis’ Homemade Ice Cream
True to the shop’s name, the ice cream here is homemade in small batches by Dennis Caso.
An energy healer (reiki, acupuncture, tai chi, pranic healing) by training, he has fond memories of growing up on his grandmother’s dairy farm in Pennsylvania and decided to start selling ice cream at the Ithaca Farmer’s Market in the 1990s.
Then Dennis purchased a house in Newfield and set up shop in his driveway — the perfect spot for locals as well as tourists visiting the nearby Treman state park (which is a great place to go for a hike or a stint at the playground, especially if you have an Empire pass.)
The thick, creamy ice cream is served up in generous portions and comes in intriguing (and classic) flavors, including caramel amaretto, chocolate hazelnut, and coconut with real coconut flakes.
Pay with cash, check, or Venmo.
If you’re sticking closer to downtown Ithaca, look for Dennis’ ice cream at the Moosewood Restaurant and, to this day, at the Saturday farmers market, where milkshakes, sundaes, floats, lemonade, iced teas, and cheesecakes are also on the menu.
- Some Dennis’ Ice Cream flavors to try: chocolate mandarin orange, almond toasted coconut, lemon gingersnap
- Website: check the Facebook page for updates (sometimes even in rhyme form)
Note for the 2022 season: Dennis told me a freezer went down right before opening, so as of June they’re temporarily operating out of an ice cream trailer next to the stand.
Purity Ice Cream
Purity is arguably the most famous ice cream shop in Ithaca, and no wonder — it’s been around for a while.
Founded in 1936 by Cornell grad Leo Guentert, Purity moved from a store on First Street to its current location on Cascadilla Street in 1953. It has changed hands a few times since then, but it has always been locally owned.
You can eat indoors, which has a cool retro, black-white-and-red look, or outside at a few tables and seats in front of and next to the building. With the parking lot and Route 13 nearby, it’s not the most relaxing setting, but the ice cream makes up for a lot.
The ice cream is rich (12 percent butterfat) and is offered in about two dozen flavors, including a couple of frozen yogurt options. Flavors are heavy on chocolate.
Choose from scoops, sundaes with classic toppings, hot and cold drinks, and a number of shakes and floats. You can also take packed pints and quarts home.
The separate vegan menu lists half a dozen soy-based flavors, sorbet, and sherbet.
And then there are the bakery items, like cupcakes, cakes, muffins, bars, cookies, brownies etc. I’m partial to the cherry pie myself.
But wait, there’s more — warm food! At a separate counter you can order meals starting at lunchtime. Menu offerings include burgers from fresh beef, veggie burgers, chicken sandwiches and nuggets, fries, and shakes.
Oh, and random find on the website: If you ever need dry ice for a mad science experiment, you can buy it here as well.
Purity ice cream is available at locations throughout town and the region, and look for their eggnog in supermarkets and specialty stores during the holiday season.
- Some Purity ice cream flavors to try: Boomberry (black raspberry ice cream with black cherries, blueberries, and strawberries), Cookie Dough After Dark (chocolate ice cream with cookie dough, chocolate chunks, and a caramel swirl), Madigan Mint (chocolate mint ice cream with Oreos), Sleepers Awake (coffee ice cream with a chocolate swirl and chunks of chocolate)
- Website: purityicecream.com
Sweet Melissa’s Ice Cream Shop
Sweet Melissa’s was started in 2009 by husband-and-wife team Matt and Melissa Kenny. (They met in 2006 in Los Angeles, where Melissa went to learn how to make music videos. Besides the obvious, the shop’s name is based in part on the Allman Brothers song “Melissa.”)
Matt’s family had been in the ice cream making business for 40 years in the Syracuse area, and they opened the soft serve shop when Matt’s dad suggested Ithaca needed one.
People here agree. During the season from April through September, it’s not unusual to see lines at the little window on the end of the Short Stop Deli building, especially on hot days.
Soft serve is at the core of their business. Flavors include vanilla, chocolate, orange sherbet, and black raspberry frozen yogurt with dips, twists and flurries, plus milkshakes, and sundaes. There are usually a couple of hard ice cream flavors, too.
Vegan options include scratch-made fruit sorbets and ice cream made from an organic coconut milk base.
Pay with cash only and have a seat at one of the wooden picnic tables.
I find the best way to stay abreast of the frequently changing flavors is to follow the Sweet Melissa’s Instagram account. There you’ll also see what baked goods and special ice cream sandwiches (tri-layer Italian cookie sandwiches and French macaron ice cream sandwiches sound amazing!) are currently on the menu.
Not too long ago, they also launched a series of pints for purchase in select grocery stores and specialty shops around the region and even into New Jersey. (The packaging features a fun cassette tape retro look.)
- Some Sweet Melissa’s flavors to try: Gorge Trails (dark chocolate ice cream with peanut butter ribbons and peanut butter cups), Tea and Cookies (Earl Grey ice cream with Oreos), lemon ricotta, almond black sesame
- Website: sweetmelissasicecream.com
15 Below Ice Cream
For something a little different head to this hole in the wall on the Ithaca Commons. The place isn’t fancy, but how the ice cream is prepared right in front of you is.
They pour a liquid base onto a cold metal surface and scrape it into rolls as it freezes into ice cream. The rolls are placed upright into a cup and garnished with fruit, candy, and other toppings.
Apparently this practice started in Thailand a little over a decade ago and is also known as stir-fried ice cream. Make sure you stick around and watch while the ice cream is being prepared; after all, you’re paying a premium for the experience. (Note that the minimum charge to use your credit card is $10, so either bring cash or expect to pay a small fee if you use the card for a smaller amount.)
Check the wall menu for about half a dozen flavor and topping combos, based on vanilla or green tea ice cream. Most of the toppings are diced fruit and berries, plus some candy and cookies.
When I ordered Strawberry Field, my server mixed a vanilla base with diced strawberries on the cold plate and chopped them together with metal tools (that look like paint scrapers) for a minute or so until frozen. Then he spread the ice cream into a very thin rectangle and scraped the rolls. He topped them with pieces of kiwi, a couple of chunks of pineapple, and a blackberry. I thought the ice cream tasted like strawberries and cream and was kind of refreshing — very pleasant, not too sweet — with the fruit on top.
Here’s a video of what the ice cream chop and roll looks like (the whole thing is very ASMR!):
The shop also sells bubble tea and steamed pork buns.
There’s no seating, so just take your food out to the Commons for a stroll or to a bench.
Opens after noon and closes late.
- Some flavors to try: Cookie Kingdom (vanilla with Oreos, whipped cream, M&Ms, sprinkles, and gummy bears), Green Chee (green tea ice cream with lychee, raspberry, and kiwi)
- Website: none
I’d love to hear about your favorite Ithaca ice cream shops! Did I miss any?
And if you like sweets, you may also enjoy these posts:
- Chocolate shops in the Finger Lakes (a kind of DIY chocolate trail)
- Where to find artisanal chocolate in the Finger Lakes
Ithaca is Cold and Sweet: The Origin of the Ice Cream Sundae
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