As soon as the temperature gets warm, my kids get excited for “ice cream season.” We have compiled a list of Fairfield County’s tastiest ice cream shops to aid your quest for a cool treat. We are giving you the scoop on the best flavors, mom hacks, and dietary info to make your ice cream bucket list this summer!
1. Wells Hollow Creamery {Shelton}
A favorite family-run creamery is probably Wells because it is awesome, and it is one of the places to get ice cream while seeing cows at the same time. The ice cream shop is in an old chicken barn that has been in the family for five generations. Open seasonally, they have great ice cream, and on the farm, they have a fun corn maze for the kids (and young at heart).
Flavor Rec: Their strawberry ice cream has huge berries inside, and their vegan cookies and cream tastes like Oreo goodness.
Mom Hack: They have ample seating on their patio and an awesome life-sized wooden bear to keep you company. They will send you coupons if you sign up for their email list.
Dietary Info: They have no fat, no sugar, and vegan ice cream options in addition to their sorbet and Italian ices.
2. Ferris Acres {Newtown}
A family-owned and operated creamery that serves the most delectable homemade ice cream. They serve a wide array of flavors, all made on the premises. The picturesque setting out of a Norman Rockwell painting allows you to eat your ice cream while looking over cow fields. This one-of-a-kind ice cream mecca is not to be missed.
Flavor Rec: Route 302 Chocolate Moo for chocolate lovers and PBC2 for Reese’s lovers or, my favorite – one scoop of each!
Mom Hack: The portions are LARGE. Like very, very generous with their scooping, and small children may be unable to manage their cone without it toppling over (just sayin’ from experience). Also, bring a cooler to take some of their pre-packaged ice cream pints home!
Dietary Info: They have gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan options.
3. Rich Farm Ice Cream Shop {Oxford and other locations}
The ice creamery is part of a wonderful farm where you can snack while checking out the cows. They make the ice cream fresh daily and never use high fructose corn syrup, growth hormones, polysorbates, or phosphates. All the flavors are super creamy, and the portions are huge. While most farm shops don’t open until summer, they open in March with seasonal flavors year-round.
Flavor Rec: Check out their honey ice cream (made with local honey) or the Devil Dog (chocolate with marshmallow sauce and brownies).
Mom Hack: List the flavors starting with your favorite since it will be on the bottom and is the largest scoop.
Dietary Info: No gluten-free or vegan options. It is all cow milk and whatever they think to mix in.
4. Mr. Frosty’s {Norwalk}
Something about being near the water makes ice cream taste even better. Mr. Frosty’s is now open year-round and is located less than one mile from the Maritime Aquarium and right down the street from Veterans Park. This seaside establishment and East Norwalk staple specializes in serving premium soft-serve custard and hard ice cream made locally. They also now have a food truck, catering, and amazing treats like deconstructed cannoli and ice cream stuffed “smash donuts.”
Flavor Rec: Brookie Dough (vanilla with brownie chunks, cookie dough, and chocolate cookies) or combining the vegan Chocolate Pudding and vegan Toasted Coconut. Even non-vegans will love this rich flavor.
Mom Hack: Grab a cone and eat in their ample picnic area or get their Slider/Ice Cream truck to come to your next event so you can party in the comfort of your home.
Dietary Info: They feature gluten-free, non-dairy, and vegan options.
5. Tabitha’s Ice Cream {Fairfield}
Now open year-round in Fairfield, after years in Captain’s Cove in Bridgeport (where they are still open seasonally, May through September). Tabitha’s is a great spot for your Instagram photoshoot while satisfying your sweet tooth. They serve amazing flavors of Praline’s Own Made Ice Cream, which is super delicious.
Flavor Rec: Check out the Espresso Ripple Bean or Tabitha’s exclusive flavor, Sail Black Rock. Also great are the Italian ices that come in four different flavors.
Mom Hack: For one of those OMG family moments where everyone in your house is blissfully happy, try SURPRISING your kids with an ice cream trip post-dinner in their PJs. I can tell you from experience their shock, exuberance, and joy are palpable from this routine-breaking sugar high.
Dietary Info: They feature multiple dairy-free and vegan options.
6. Crystal and Cones {Georgetown}
Open seasonally from about Memorial Day through Labor Day, this is a great destination for ice cream and much more. This place is out of your child’s sweetest dreams, with great goodies and eye-popping decor. It was opened by a pair of sisters excited to bring you to Georgetown/Redding.
Flavor Rec: The raspberry ice cream with dark and white chocolate chunks is out of this world!
Mom Hack: This place is a kid’s dream: ice cream, toys, jewelry, gifts, shakes, sundaes, and classic egg creams! Come on, your family’s “Yes Day.” And don’t forget to get a picture with Sprinkles™, the ice cream-loving unicorn!
Dietary Info: Traditional ice creams and vegan and allergy-friendly options.
7. Il Bacio Ice Cream {Danbury}
With new homemade flavors every day, Il Bacio is the best ice cream in Danbury. This place makes you feel like family while feeding you their made-with-love ice cream.
Flavor Rec: Make sure to check out their Cookie Monster. You’ll also love Cardiac Arrest if you can’t get enough chocolate.
Mom Hack: This is where first impressions can be deceiving (the location in a strip mall hides the charm of this local ice cream shop). They also have few seats, so it is a good place to grab and go.
Dietary Info: They feature a few sugar-free flavors and many amazing Italian ice flavors that are worth a try.
8. Plasko’s Farm {Trumbull}
Plasko’s Farm is a great destination for ice cream and so much more. They have coffee, pastries, ice cream, homemade Italian ice, apple cider donuts, pies, scones, and more.
Flavor Rec: The “Gone Fishing” filled with M&M’s, Cookie Dough, Chocolate Chunk, and Cake Fudge is super tasty. They have a Sweet Peaches & Cream flavor that is heavenly.
Mom Hack: These guys are making it easy for you to get your sweet fix since they have online ordering and DoorDash deliveryhave pup cups if you bring your four-legged children.
Dietary Info: This is an all-dairy place with no skimping on ingredients.
9. Brendan’s 101 {Rowayton}
We can’t get enough of this local all-natural ice cream shop. There is something about enjoying ice cream while enjoying the picturesque views of nautical Rowayton. I always feel like I am on vacation when we go, but in reality, we only drove 15 minutes.
Flavor Rec: The famous Moose Tracks is super tasty. They have a lemon sorbet for people who want to be dairy-free.
Mom Hack: Make an evening of it by going to Rowayton Pizza for dinner (outside dining and BYOB for the win), followed by some delicious ice cream at Brendan’s.
Dietary Info: They feature dairy-free sorbet and a low-fat black raspberry chip frozen yogurt.
10. Gofer {Greenwich, New Canaan, Stamford & Darien}
This ice cream shop has become a local favorite with three convenient Fairfield County locations. They offer various premium hard and soft-serve ice cream flavors and their famous “razzles.”
Flavor Rec: Because sometimes high sugar and fat are not enough for kids’ taste buds, our kids love to add plenty of food coloring to their flavor choice and order Blue Monster or Cotton Candy.
Mom Hack: Avoid wearing white or light-colored clothing when going on an ice cream excursion (including ALL family members). However, two to three wash cycles with Oxyclean and Shout will remove Blue Monster stains.
Dietary Info: Certified Kosher, plant-based, egg and soy-free options are available in both hard scoop or soft-serve options.
11. Heibeck’s Stand {Wilton}
This is one of our favorite roadside dining options,, and it also has delicious ice cream! In addition to the variety of ice cream flavors and frozen treats available, they are known for their hot dog options and their tacos (my favorite are the Baja Fish tacos). This is a great option for kids to have ice cream for dinner while the adults eat real food, followed by ice cream, of course.
Flavor Rec: Oatmeal Cream Pie or the edible cookie dough.
Mom Hack: They are closed on Mondays (before you make the drive). The seating is behind the stand and is limited.
Dietary Info: Simply dairy-filled ice cream.
12. Deborah Ann’s {Ridgefield}
Deborah Ann’s Sweet Shoppe is located in downtown Ridgefield and features fun homemade chocolates and ice cream, bulk candy, and nostalgic gifts for all ages.
Flavor Rec: For the chocolate lovers out there, you have to try CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER. It is a rich Belgian chocolate ice cream with a peanut butter swirl!
Mom Hack: Have the kids pay! Have your older child “guesstimate” the cost of your sweet treats and tell you which bills and coins to use. Having them guess how much change you will get back is also fun.
Dietary Info: Many dairy-free options, including a Pineapple Dole Whip, remind me of a Disney trip.
13. Sweet Ashley’s {Norwalk}
This fun and flavorful sweet shop is better known for its breathtaking decorated cakes. However, the popular family-owned spot makes great ice cream cakes and takes custom orders. All ice cream is homemade daily and always fresh.
Flavor Rec: Cookie Dough! Does anyone else dig through to find the largest chunks?
Mom Hack: Don’t forget the camera. Ice cream-covered faces or, better yet, chocolate-covered faces are the best photo memories!
Dietary Info: They have a great selection of sorbets, no sugar added (created with a sugar substitute), and frozen yogurt flavors if you aren’t in the mood for ice cream.
14. Walnut Beach Creamy {Milford}
They claim to have “Milford’s only hand-crafted gourmet ice cream.” Every batch of ice cream is made by hand using the best and freshest ingredients. You and your minions can enjoy your cone in their backyard garden, one block from the beach.
Flavor Rec: Morning Jolt – coffee ice cream with chocolate-covered bacon. Seriously, chocolate-covered BACON!
Mom Hack: Make sure every family member orders a different flavor so you can try all the different flavor combos.
Dietary Info: They have flavors that are a little nutty (one asterisk) and a lot nutty (two asterisks), depending on how many nuts you want in your flavors.
15. Timothy’s Ice Cream {Black Rock/Bridgeport}
This place offers a rotating cast of flavors from a nearby dairy with very happy cows. Timothy’s offers 12-20 flavors of ice cream, yogurts, and sorbets each week each week. All their flavors are homemade at their store location with care and creativity.
Flavor Rec: Peppermint. Don’t knock it until you try it. Also, check out their ready-to-go and multi-tier ice cream cakes for special occasions.
Mom Hack: If you want your kiddo to enjoy ice creamy goodness without the inevitable sticky mess on their face, hands, and clothes, order a kid’s shake. This is also a good trick if you need to get back in the car quickly and don’t want your car to smell like hot dairy products the next day.
Dietary Info: Traditional ice creams made with love.
16. MilkCraft {Fairfield and they also have a food truck and locations in New Haven and West Hartford}
Milkcraft specializes in made-to-order ice cream frozen with liquid nitrogen. The company describes its ice cream-making process as beginning with milk from New England farms before adding ingredients and making each scoop with food-grade liquid nitrogen frozen below 300 degrees. The company is also known for its large Japanese-inspired “Bubblecone,” a caramelized waffle cone made to order.
Flavor Rec: We have tried the Frosted Flakes cone and the Salted Carmel Crunch, which were truly outstanding. No matter what flavor you pick, the homemade bubble-style waffles that are made from scratch to order are the true shining STAR.
Mom Hack: They are open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and come when your schedule is flexible because they make everything TO ORDER, and it was well worth the wait!
Dietary Info: They have ice cream containing alcohol (Bourbon Breakfast) and multiple gluten-free options. They have a great Fresh Strawberry Sorbet that is all-natural, dairy, and gluten-free.
17. Holy Cow Ice Cream Shop {Newtown}
For the best homemade ice cream in Newtown, look no further than Holy Cow Ice Cream Shop, a vintage American ice cream shop located in the center of Newtown. It is open seasonally until they run out of their homemade batches of ice cream. The name came from its location across the street from St. Rose Church, combined with the source of the ingredients.
Flavor Rec: Salted Caramel Chip is my favorite, with the special flavor, “Uncle Matt’s Dirt Bomb,,” featuring Uncle Matt’s Bakery (down the street) dirt bomb doughnuts as a close second.
Mom Hack: Follow the arrows to the line (left of the front of the store), bring quarters for the fun ride-on toys out front, and be prepared to not pay until AFTER you have your complete order.
Dietary Info: Made with locally sourced dairy, ice cream is available in hard scoops and soft serve in 29 different flavors! They are a huge draw for vegans due to the variety of flavors available.
18. Stew Leonard’s {Norwalk & Danbury}
Yes, I know this is a mecca for fresh produce and animatronics of signing cows and bananas, but they also serve some pretty tasty frozen custard, aka really yummy soft-serve ice cream. Visit this one-stop shop for groceries, spend $100 (which is ridiculously easy to do), and your receipt is good for a small ice cream or coffee.
Flavor Rec: We stick with the CLASSIC here, chocolate and vanilla swirl. EVERY.TIME!
Mom Hack(s): I have a couple for Stews. Receipts NEVER expire, so if you are not in the mood for ice cream, you can save your receipt for next time. Also, you can use multiple receipts to add up to a cool Benjamin. For every $100 you spend, you get a free ice cream; however, we all know that each child requires their own treat because sharing ice cream leads to no problems. So take your receipt for a FREE generously portioned ice cream and ask for TWO bowls. That is right, two for ONE. No tears for the kiddos, and mommy smiles for you.
Dietary Info: Traditional ice creams, fresh from the cows.
19. Dairy Queen {numerous locations}
It is a classic—an oldie but a goodie, and who doesn’t enjoy the pure dependence of a Blizzard?
Flavor Rec: Go big or go home with my fave, the Peanut Buster Parfait.
Mom Hack: Ice cream for dinner counts. This is a judgment-free zone.
Dietary Info: At locations that are also an Orange Julius, you can get smoothies and other fruity options that are gluten and dairy-free.
20. Shortt’s Farm {Sandy Hook}
Brand new in 2024,, offering The Big Dipper’s homemade ice cream with a bucolic view of goats, gardens,, and ride-on toys for the kids. The ice cream is made in small batches with locally sourced ingredients in Prospect, CT, at the original Big Dipper Ice Cream Parlour.
Flavor Rec: Hot fudge sundae with chocolate chip ice cream.
Mom Hack: A perfect location for get-togethers. The kids can raom androamy while parents their chat uninterrupted.
Dietary Info: They offer a few vegan-dairy-free flavors as well!
heibecks! the best!