Aug 10, 2023 —

Last week we asked NCPR listeners to share their favorite places to get ice cream and other sweet treats around the region. Lots of you responded, and the results are in! We got 47 total ice cream recommendations (and lots of repeats), from all over the North Country, from the Pied Piper in Old Forge to Mary’s Dairy in Lowville, The Scoop in Clayton to Harrigan’s Ice Cream in Morrisonville. 

We mapped them all out below. Red stars are 3+ votes, yellow cones are 2 votes, and blue cones all got one recommendation. 

And it’s not too late to suggest another place! Just text ice cream to 315-978-6277, and submit your recommendation.

Top voted ice cream spots 

(16 votes) Donnelly's Ice Cream in Saranac Lake 

• "Very rich soft serve. It is legendary. Lines at certain times can be a block long." - Phil Newton. 
• "No choices - just vanilla swirled with one of their daily flavors, chocolate, fruit or nuts! You can tell it's delicious by the line out the door!" - Joan Grabe. 
• "Just took my granddaughter, making 4 generations that have eaten ice cream there." - Linda. 

(10 votes) Twisters Ice Cream in Eagle Bay

• “You can feel the love flowing through the mom and pop shop as soon as you step foot on the property and are greeted with a cheery ‘hello’ and a huge smile.”
• “It is the center of town and as locals we couldn't be happier we can go there after a swim.”

(7 votes) Stewart's, across the North Country 

• "We stay at home cause there is nothing better than Stewart's Philly Vanilla with our own homemade maple syrup." - Mary. 
• "Stewart's of course is a year-round option found throughout the North Country." - Eileen Raymond. 

(4 votes) Bokie's Drive In in Malone 

• "Perfect 50's style drive up with homemade hard ice cream as well as soft and an old fashioned soda fountain."

(4 votes) Cowlick Ice Cream in Watertown 

• "Lots of new takes on old favorites. Their waffle nachos are particularly delightful!" - Danyelle Brown. 

(4 votes) Hazel's Ice Cream in Norfolk  

• "Handmade waffle cones, tons of flavors, lots of options, and a sweet hometown kind of feel. The owner and employees are so kind and the park it is next to is the ideal place for a little stroll while you eat your treats."
• "There is always big band, swing and crooner music playing at the stand to transport you back decades." - Romi. 

Trevor Cole (R) with his son, Fischer Cole (L), and daughter, Kiah Cole (C). Photo courtesy of Trevor Cole.

Nelson Spratt sent in this picture of his kids, Stormcrow and Galena Spratt, in front of Cowlick Ice Cream in Watertown.

All the ice cream spots by region 

Thousand Islands / Watertown area

• Gal’s Place in Alexandria Bay
• The Guzzle in Thousand Island Park
• The Scoop in Clayton
• The Palace in Clayton
• Twist of Cape in Cape Vincent
• Twisted in Theresa
• Good Ol’ Wishy’s in Croghan
• Family Ice Cream in Lowville
• Mary’s Dairy in Lowville
• Old Mill Ice Cream Shop in Copenhagen
• Treats and Tiques in Natural Bridge
• Taylor Marie’s in Pulaski
• Lickety Split in Dexter
• Jodi’s Dairy Bar in Dexter
• Blizzard Barn in Black River
• Frosty’s in Watertown
• Cowlick in Watertown
• Strader's Saturday's, Sundaes, and More in Sackets Harbor

St. Lawrence Valley

• Hazel’s in Norfolk
• The Hometown Cafe in Norwood
• Yum Yum's Chilly Delight in Potsdam
• Scoops in Potsdam
• Morgan’s Ice House in Canton
• NOLA's General Store in Canton
• Sprinkles in De Kalb Junction
• Rolling Cones in Edwards
• Town Line Market in Brasher Falls
• The Window in Ogdensburg
• Nadine’s Ice Cream in Ogdensburg
• Custard Cottage in Gouverneur
• Ice Cream Bowl in Gouverneur
• Main Street Perc in Waddington
• Red Pine Cone in Colton
• What’s the Scoop in Star Lake
• Tilly's at Stone Manor in Cranberry Lake
• Kunoco Food Mart in Parishville

Malone and Plattsburgh area

• Bokie’s Drive In in Malone
• Uncle Sankie’s in Malone
• Linda & Mike's in Malone
• Leonard's Cherry-Knoll Restaurant in Burke
• Happy Pike Ice Cream & Snack Bar in West Chazy
• Harrigan’s Soft Ice Cream in Plattsburgh
• IceBurgh Creamery in Plattsburgh
• sweetFrog in Plattsburgh
• Sweet Treat in Peru 
• Harrigan's Fast Food & Soft Ice Cream in Chateaugay
• Devyns Creemee Stand in Swanson, VT
• Buxton's Store in Orwell, VT

Adirondacks

• Sky Line in Tupper Lake
• The Pine Cone in Ray Brook
• The Trading Post in Saranac Lake
• Mountain Mist Custard in Saranac Lake
• Donnelly’s in Saranac Lake
• Teddy's in Bloomingdale
• Emma’s Lake Placid Creamery in Lake Placid
• Noon Mark Diner in Keene Valley
• Custard’s Last Stand in Long Lake
• Shonie's Soft Serve in Elizabethtown
• Giuseppe's Pizza in Keeseville
• Farmer's Cone Creamery in Essex
• Black Brook General Store in Black Brook
• Whitebrook Dairy Bar in Wilmington
• Ethel's Dew Drop Inn in Willsboro

Southern Adirondacks

• Benny’s in Old Forge
• Pied Piper in Old Forge
• The Hungry Crow in North Creek
• The Crossroads in Chestertown
• Main St. Ice Cream Parlor in Chestertown
• Stone Bridge Ice Cream in Pottersville
• Bon’s Ice Cream in Lake Luzerne
• Rob and Deb’s Frozen Dreams in Glens Falls
• Martha’s Dandee Creme in Lake George
• Sprinkles Ice Cream Shoppe in Queensbury
• Mercer’s Dairy in Boonville
• Kayuta Drive In in Remsen
• Twisters Ice Cream in Eagle Bay
• Cree-Mee Freeze in Northville
• Speculator Creamery in Speculator
• King of the Frosties in Speculator

Ice cream order recommendations 

 Some of you got quite specific about what you like to order at your favorite spot, and quite passionate about why your spot's the best spot. Here are some of the highlights. 

"Nadine's Ice Cream Shoppe in Ogdensburg has theeee best soft serve ice cream and hard ice cream! The owners make sure to clean their machines 2-3 times/week and that makes all the difference! They also buy quality soft serve mix!" - Emma

“They have a donut cone! What’s better than soft sere ice cream in a donut cone.” - Brody. 

“NOLA’s in Canton has these neat snowballs that are kind of a snow cone/ice cream float combo that are great on a hot day.” 

"We love the Gal's Place on Route 12 [in Fisher's Landing]! They have Hershey's ice cream, make anything you want, they're nice and open year round with delicious sandwiches and salads inside." - Julia 

"IceCream Bowl", Route 11 in Gouverneur. Great homemade soft ice cream flavors and hard ice cream. Wonderful service and perfect location." - Duane

"Harrigan's ice cream in Morrisonville (near Plattsburgh). The smoothest soft serve I've ever tasted. (Nothing too fancy, just three flavors: chocolate, vanilla, and black raspberry.)" - Peter Wilson

"Sprinkles Ice Cream, De Kalb Junction, - they have great sundaes, & even have delicious non-cow milk alternatives like goat milk, etc. Really nice for those with milk allergies! And, their peanut butter topping is the best!"