BY JESSICA STERN & ANNABEL LEVIN
As the summer heat continues, there is no sweeter way to beat the heat than with a nice scoop of ice cream. Westchester is home to a variety of ice cream parlors, each offering unique flavors and experiences. We found six different ice cream places around Westchester to indulge your sweet tooth for these last licks of summer!
The first stop was Longford’s in the heart of Armonk. Having opened just a week prior to our visit, we were excited to try this new spot! Right off the bat, Longford’s was appealing with its energetic interior and fun music. This definitely felt like an attraction for a young audience, which we appreciated. We began our tasting with Oreo Bomb, which featured vanilla ice cream with chunks of Oreo throughout. This super sweet and creamy dessert had the perfect ratio of crushed Oreo to ice cream and satisfied our taste buds.
Next, we explored some of the non-dairy options, specifically the Raspberry Sorbet. With chunks of fresh raspberry. We recommend you try some of the fruit sorbets from Longford’s – along with their other delicious flavors.
Then, we visited Village Creamery in Valhalla, NY where we tried mint chocolate chip ice cream. This spot was essentially a wall with flavors galore and a few people working to serve the ice cream. While this isn’t the place for sitting down with friends, the huge variety of flavors makes up for the lack of space. Even though we tried a simple flavor, we call it the ideal mint chip ice cream. It’s white color and perfect ice cream to chip ratio, was the highlight of our trip. They didn’t hold back on the mint flavor, so while it looked like simple vanilla with some chocolate chips, in reality it was a minty delight!
We also tried the Blue Raspberry Italian ice – which unlike the mint chocolate chip – seemed to lack some flavor. However, the texture of the Italian Ice was very smooth which we loved. We agreed that the Village Creamery is a great place as there is sure to be a flavor for everyone.
Right in the heart of White Plains was Ice Cream Social, which was our favorite atmosphere. The room radiated with bright and happy energy, and the ice cream was unique and delicious. First, we tried the Cappuccino Kahlua, which was a coffee ice cream base filled with crispy coffee beans – a fabulous mix of creamy and crunchy.
We were excited to try the variety of dairy free ice creams that they offered. The Coffee Cookie Oat Milk ice cream was silky and decadent. The coffee flavor was strong yet not overpowering. Good dairy free ice cream is difficult to come across. Check out Ice Cream Social if you are a coffee lover like we are!
We then tried Frannie’s in Chappaqua. Our go to flavor is Tarte Original, occasionally with chocolate. Frannie’s offers a wide variety of yogurt flavors, along with a colorful array of toppings to load on top.
Though they are usually tasty, the dairy free options at Frannie’s often change. Frannie’s also serves traditional ice cream from Longford’s, which we know and love. The welcoming atmosphere and friendly staff make each visit enjoyable, whether you’re grabbing a quick treat or savoring your frozen yogurt in their cozy parlor.
Our next stop was King Kone in Katonah. For our first soft serve of the trip, we got a classic chocolate and vanilla swirl. Twisted to perfection, this treat is the definition of soft serve ice cream. It is creamy and delicious, and the chocolate and vanilla complement each other to a tee.
Next on the non-dairy ice cream was a classic vanilla flavor which was perfectly sweet and creamy. Oftentimes, dairy free ice cream can be watered down because of the different milk used, but this wasn’t the case at King Kone! We are typically topping lovers, but this flavor can stand alone. King Kone is definitely one of our go-to places as they also sell hotdogs, hamburgers, and chicken fingers which makes dinner and dessert in one spot easy for a night out with friends or family!
Last but certainly not least, we arrived at Venchi in the Westchester Mall. Sticking with the classics, we first tried the Stracciatella. This dessert was velvety and rich with chocolate flakes, making it a masterpiece. The presentation of this ice cream deserves a shout out, as it was topped with a piece of chocolate.
After a long day of ice cream travels, we felt refreshed as we tried the Passion Fruit Mango Sorbet. Equally sour and sweet, this sorbet was a cold and creamy treat. It won the dairy free ice cream award in our book! Though a tad pricey, Venchi deserved every penny in our pockets.
These six ice cream shops are worthy of your “to try” list as this summer season nears its end. With locations and flavors for all, the end of summer will be sweeter with these cold treats.
Jessica Stern and Annabel Levin are rising seniors at Horace Greeley High School where both are also columnists for the Greeley Voice. In their spare time, Jessica swims for the Girls Varsity Swim team and Annabel enjoys traveling and spending time with friends.
