Going out for ice cream is always a popular summer activity, whether it is because you are craving something sweet (or savory), looking for a cold dish, or seeking something fun to do with family and friends .
National Unique Ice Cream Day has already passed on July 1, but that doesn't mean we can't celebrate and rejoice in the delicious flavors of the Norwich area . (Plus, remember National Ice Cream Day is Sunday, July 21.)
They offer the classics such as vanilla, chocolate and strawberry to unique flavors like Barbie's banana split, blueberry lavender, and campfire s'mores. They offer soft serve to hard scoops or a single scoop of vanilla to ice cream sundaes with all the toppings, there's a little bit of something for everyone.
Which one is your favorite? Voting is open until 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 21. Vote now.
A landmark of Griswold for decades, the ice cream stand is owned by Kim Button and her husband.
The amount of flavors varies over the summer, topping 60 choices at times. The ice cream is made at the farm. The most popular ones are the different peanut butter flavors, Coconut Almond Joy and Cherry Vanilla.
Buttonwood Farm always gives large scoops, so prices range from one scoop for $6, to banana splits and sundaes around $12. Hours are noon to 9 p.m.
Dairy Queen, 159 Norwich Ave., Taftville
Home of the Dilly Bar and the Blizzard, Dairy Queen has been a Taftville staple for 55 years .
In addition to ice cream, the store offers burgers, hot dogs, chicken strips, salads, fries and onion rings. Combo meal options are available.
The store is open daily from 10:30 a.m. until 10:30 p.m.
This longtime Plainfield favorite started in 1957, opened by Hank and Alice Zurowski, which was then sold in the 1980s to their sons, and sold again 2021, said Colleen Champagne, one of the current owners of Hank’s .
While the dinners range from burgers to fried fish, the ice cream menu is focused on six soft-serve flavors; Vanilla, Chocolate, Chocolate-Vanilla Twist , Coffee, Strawberry, and Coffee-Strawberry Twist, the latter three being the more popular flavors.
The smallest cone is the baby cone, at 75 cents. The small is $2.50, and the most expensive ice cream option is the banana split, with three big servings of ice cream topped with hot fudge, whipped cream, strawberry, pineapple and nuts at $9.00. Hank’s is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., closed Mondays.
While Malerba’s Farm and Malerba’s Golf Driving Range have been long time staples of Norwich, Millie’s Ice Cream, opened more recently in 2015. The stand is near the farm, golf course, and ice rink, drawing young and old alike, Owner Julie Malerba said.
The stand has around 30 flavors. While Butter Pecan, Coconut Almond, Peanut Butter Fudge, Cotton Candy and fruit flavors are some of the most popular, Malerba said all of them are somebody’s favorite.
Prices range from $4 for a kiddie cone, to $7 for a pint. The stand also has sundaes, shakes and soft serve, Millie’s is open from noon to 8 p.m. daily.
Ra Ra’s started in Plainfield 20 years ago, but the founders sold the business to Joshua Sandage and Lauryn Hart in 2021.
There are 20 flavors of hard serve and 24 flavors of soft serve. Some of the most popular flavors is the Nightmare on Prospect, with chocolate, cake crunchies, and brownie pieces, and Graham Central Station, which is graham cracker with a graham cracker swirl and chocolate-covered honeycomb. For soft serve, the favorites include cotton candy, banana, and maple.
For a hard serve cone, the kiddie is $3.25 up to $6.25 for the large. The soft serve is $2.50 for a kiddie, and up to $5.50 for a large, plus $1 for flavors. Ra Ra’s is open 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., closed Tuesdays.
The building Mystic Drawbridge is in, right next to the actual drawbridge, has been an ice cream stand at various times through its over 100 year history. This current business was started by the dad of co-owner Colin Desmarais in 1991.
The store has between 32 to 40 flavors, which are made right in the shop. While standard flavors like chocolate, vanilla and coffee are popular, unique flavors like Mystic Mud, full of candy, cookie dough and brownie dough, and Kahlua. The ice cream shop also has three or four vegan flavors, and non-dairy sorbets, using coconut milk.
It’s currently under $6 for a single scoop, a triple scoop is $8, pints are $10 and quarts are $19. It’s open daily from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m.
This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Every ice cream shop has fans. Vote now to tell us the best place in and around Norwich
Most Popular
Comments / 0