There is never a bad time for ice cream. Regardless of season, time of day or place in life, ice cream is always a good choice. But there is something quintessentially summer about this frozen treat: the way we race to lick up every drop of our favorite scoop before it becomes a melted mess or rely on it to cool down after a day at the beach.
And while we may not need a reason to indulge, National Ice Cream Day on Sunday, July 15, is the perfect excuse to ask for extra sprinkles. To celebrate this momentous occasion, Carvel is offering customers buy one get one free soft serve, while Baskin-Robbins is keeping the party going all month, offering free delivery through the month of July via DoorDash.
But there are plenty of local ice cream parlors where you can get your frozen fix as well. And while ice cream at these Long Island staples may not come with a special deal, it’s served up with a smile and in flavors as unique as the venue themselves.
Marvel Frozen Dairy
258 Lido Blvd., Lido Beach • 516-889-4232
Sun-kissed customers are the norm at Marvel Frozen Dairy on Lido Beach, which has been doling out fresh and creamy soft serve for decades. Fan favorites include both pistachio and coffee, as well as anything loaded up with sprinkles. Though parking at this ice cream stand can be tricky, customers say it’s absolutely worth it.
Coyle’s Ice Cream
509 Main St., Islip • 631-617-5014
75 Howells Rd., Bay Shore • 631-666-2229
A stop at Coyle’s is the cherry on top of a day spent at Fire Island or the south shore beaches.
Though the ice cream parlor dates back to 1985, the store offers a retro vibe that goes back further with its red booths and white and black checkered floor. All the ice cream is made on premises, so whether you want a cone with one of the 60 available flavors—which includes cookie dough, vanilla fudge, peanut butter Oreo and key lime pie—or opt for a sundae covered in an array of toppings, expect a delightfully indulgent dairy overload.
Hershey’s Ice Cream & More
2890 Hempstead Tpke., Levittown • 516-731-2663
It doesn’t get much more classically cool than Hershey’s Ice Cream & More in Levittown. With a name synonymous with sweet treats, this shop is certainly a must-stop spot for anyone who screams for ice cream. The only standalone Hershey’s store on the island, it brings premium freshness to its classic offerings like mint chocolate chip, decadent sundaes, thick shakes and specialties like Coffeehouse Cookies & Cream, Butter Almond and even a Deep Dish Apple Pie ice cream.
CoolMess
1512 Old Northern Blvd., Roslyn • 516-801-2665
The folks from the Burger Heaven family take a unique approach to ice cream by allowing customers to make it themselves. With myriad ingredients to choose from, patrons choose a base flavor and can go with one of the many suggested messipes. More adventurous ice cream connoisseurs can come up with their own flavors. It all gets tossed into a machine and the result is ice cream unorthodoxy. CoolMess also has baked goods, candy and premade gelato available for sale.
Frozen Cow Ices and Cream
300 Lido Blvd, Lido Beach • 516-665-3997
Creative flavors meet incredible service at the Frozen Cow. This place sets the golden standard for ice cream with rotating menu options that include Ricotta and Fig, Horchata, Apple Pie and Lavender Honey. All the ice cream is homemade and if you can’t pick just one flavor, don’t worry: Frozen Cow employees are happy to let you sample as many flavors as you want.
Scoop du Jour
35 Newtown Lane, East Hampton • 631-329-4883
After a day soaking in the East Hampton sun, take a stop at this beloved ice cream parlor, which offers more than 40 flavors of ice cream and yogurt. While they play it relatively safe when it comes to flavors—the big black chalkboard typically lists offerings including mint chip, cookie dough, coffee and rocky road—every scoop is melt-in-your-mouth perfection. And if you’re feeling especially indulgent, grab one of Scoop du Jour’s freshly made donuts—the perfect bed to a pillow of creamy ice cream.
Pip’s Ice Cream Parlour
250 Woodcleft Ave., Ste 1, Freeport • 516-868-7139
The Nautical Mile has much to offer diners in the way of seafood, but for those looking to cool off with a refreshing scoop, Pip’s is the place to go. Filled with old school charm, Pip’s offers a wide variety of flavors, including chocolate moose tracks, red velvet and s’mores in fresh-baked cones or cups. And since summer is all about relaxing, Pip’s offers plenty of indoor and outdoor seating for guests to enjoy their treats in peace.
Krisch’s Restaurant & Ice Cream Parlour
11 Central Ave., Massapequa • 516-797-3149
Massapequa residents have been reliving simpler times through ice cream since 1955, when the current incarnation of Krisch’s Restaurant & Ice Cream Parlour opened. Chocolate is made in-house and vanilla, the most basic of ice cream flavors, is anything but plain as Krisch’s uses Madagascar vanilla beans instead of squeeze-bottle extract. The menu boasts a vast array of creations, including dark chocolate strawberry, rainbow cookie, fluffernutter, burgundy cherry and much, much more.
Walt Itgen’s Ice Cream Parlour
211 Rockaway Ave., Valley Stream • 516-825-7444
In addition to being a restaurant, this old school ice cream parlor offers up classic flavors like mint chip, vanilla chocolate chip and strawberry. And while the ice cream is good on its own, what really sets Itgen’s apart is its hot fudge. Fans rave about the s’mores sundae, which is big enough to share, but delicious enough to keep to yourself.
Marshall’s Ice Cream Bar
4276 Merrick Rd., Massapequa • 516-798-9723
If you want soft-serve, you have to go to Marshall’s. With a prime spot next to All American Burger, this ice cream stand (previously a Carvel) has scooped up the hearts of Long Islanders with its creamy, sweet soft serve in a variety of flavors. And though you can’t go wrong with the mint or pistachio soft serve, the classic vanilla cone topped with sprinkles screams summer.
