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Best Ice Cream in Connecticut - Tastiest Ice Cream

1. Ferris Acres Creamery - Newtown

There’s a reason you will always find a line at Ferris Acres Creamery; it's that good!. Ferris Acres Creamery gives customers the full farm experience. The creamery has been in the Ferris family for three generations. Every family member contributes to the business, making their ice cream a true labor of love. Enjoy flavors like Campfire, Cookie Jar, and Parent Trap while watching farm animals amid a beautiful farm landscape. Sorbet, No Sugar Added, and Vegan selections are available, as well as seasonal flavors such as Pumpkin Pie and Reindeer Food.

2. Rich Farm Ice Cream - Oxford, Bristol, and Brookfield

This might be the biggest scoop you can find! Prepare yourself (and your belly) for Rich’s large portions. Opened in 1994, Rich Farm is a full family operation with endless rotating flavors, especially for Oreo and Chocolate fans. With hard, soft serve, diary-free, and Italian ice options, the variety will make it hard to choose. An even harder decision might be between cup, cone, or home made ice cream sandwich! With three locations in Connecticut (and even one in California), Rich's shouldn't be missed.

3. Be Chocolat - Fairfield

Chef Benoit and his wife, Sylvie, offer artisanal Belgian chocolate and new for 2022, ice cream! Be Chocolat’s in-house flavors include Vanilla, Stracciatella, Salted Caramel, Biscoff, Peanut Butter, and Chocolate. Pick from a waffle cone, cup, or Belgian waffle (weekends only). Each scoop comes with a piece of Belgian chocolate and a Pirouli!  Don’t forget to pick up chocolate for the way home!

 
Go on–make a mess and have fun! Photo courtesy of Ashley's Ice Cream, Facebook

4. Ashley's Ice Cream - Hamden, New Haven, Branford, Madison, and Guilford

Named after owner Alex Stein's beloved dog, Ashley’s Ice Cream has been a winner of “Best Ice Cream in New Haven” by New Haven Advocate's Readers Poll for over 30 years! You can find homemade ice cream as well as ice cream pies! Don’t forget to add their famous Bittersweet hot fudge to your order! Besides serving ice cream, Ashley’s goes beyond by giving back to the community; using environment-friendly cups and napkins in all locations, donating to fundraisers, and hosting collection drives. 

5. Walnut Beach Creamery - Milford

Painted green and pink, it is hard to miss this cute ice cream shop down by the beach. Walnut Beach Creamery offers an in-house full rotation of flavors as well as sorbets. Additional menu items include vegan ice cream, sugar-free ice cream pops, and pup cups for your four legged friends! Currently running their 16th annual employee flavor contest, the ice cream shop gives employees a chance for their creation to become a permanent menu addition. Lick your order while walking Walnut Beach, located one block away! 

6. Wentworth Homemade Ice Cream - Hamden

Located by Quinnipiac University, Wentworth's lets you view the scenic beauty of Sleeping Giant State Park while indulging in ice cream. This local gem has over 25 flavors such as Chocolate Oreo Brownie Batter, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, and Cookie Monster to name a few. Gluten free sugar cones are also available. With a rotating selection of Flavors of the Moment and special Lightning Flavors available for limited periods of time, Wentworth is a must stop on your ice cream tour.

 
With such amazing ice cream in Connecticut, it can be hard to choose! Photo courtesy of Arethusa’s Farm.

7. Arethusa Farm - New Haven, Bantam, and West Hartford

Smell freshly made waffle cones as you walk into one of Arethusa’s three locations, all with an old school vibe. Using milk from their farm’s cows, Arethusa serves homemade ice cream with flavors like Old Fashioned Vanilla and Old Fashioned Mint Chip, as well as other specialty and seasonal varieties. Winner of 2021 Food and Wine Magazine’s “The Best Ice Cream in Every State”, even First Lady, Dr Jill Biden, had to try Arethusa in their New Haven location over the summer. Besides ice cream, grab from their full line of dairy products including cheese, yogurt, milk, butter, sour cream, and seasonal eggnog. 

8. Milkcraft - Fairfield, Bridgeport, New Haven, and West Hartford

A total ice cream experience! Watch your order being made like a science project at Milkcraft, where they serve all natural ice cream made with liquid nitrogen. Fun options include “Milk and Cereal” which is all natural vanilla served with your selection of Fruitee O’s, Choco Puffs, or Frosted Flakes cereal. Choose between a homemade bubble cone (Hong Kong caramelized waffle), creamee bun (sweet glazed bun), or classic scoops in a cup. Milkcraft even has their Milktruck, a mobile food truck to rent for ice cream!

 
The best ice cream in Connecticut comes in spectacular packaging. Photo courtesy of Big Dipper.

9. Big Dipper - Prospect 

Learning to make ice cream from makers around the world , while at Rutgers University, founder Harry Rowe Jr, believes the best ice cream comes from love instead of recipe books. Big Dipper has over 50 homemade delicious ice cream flavors including Graham Jam, Icebox, M & M and Toasted Almond (their signature flavor). Be sure to go during the holidays for Christmas Cookie ice cream!

10. UConn Dairy Bar - Storrs

A beloved staple of UConn students, the Dairy Bar has been around since 1953! Using milk from their herd of cows, this ice cream shop is still making ice cream with original recipes. Dairy Bar offers over 24 rotating flavors such as Husky Tracks and Salted Caramel Crunch. Additionally, there are unique monthly milkshakes and sundaes. You can’t go wrong ordering a Dairy Bar’s ice cream sandwich! It is beyond huge in portion and made with homemade chocolate chip cookies!

11. Grassroots - Granby

Serving super unique flavors inspired from global cuisines and cultures, Grassroots is the place to see! Thirty- six in house natural flavors rotating daily including Samoa, Goat Cheese & Blueberry, German Chocolate Cake, and more. Offering 1 ½ scoops because it’s hard to choose one flavor, enjoy ice cream right on Granby’s town green. Grassroots’s menu even has Dream Your Own Hot Chocolate with a scoop of your choice and endless toppings!

 
Cheers! The best ice cream in CT is perfect for sharing and celebrating. Photo courtesy of Honeycone

12. Honeycone - Chester

Located in downtown Chester, Honeycone is beyond delicious! Using fresh local ingredients, Honeycone’s ice cream flavors include Cinnamon Honey, Creme de Menthe Chip, Olive Oil, and yes, classics too. Flavors rotate to represent the seasons throughout the year. Fun in house toppings including baklava pieces, toasted marshmallows, and vegan chocolate sauce.  Decorative cones even include dark Ghirardelli chocolate dipped with sprinkled sea salt. Kids will love their own menu with sundae flavors such as Unicorn, Worms n’ Dirt, and Oreo!

Best Ice Cream in Connecticut - Fun Ice Cream Parlors

13. Saugatuck Sweets - Westport and Fairfield