7 Rhode Island Ice Cream Spots to Hit Up this Summer

A birthday cake ice cream cone from Udder Delights. Courtesy of Udder Delights.

Coming from someone who’s lactose-intolerant (help!) this was quite the frosty frolic. The weather is hot, the days are long, and what better way to end the night than in a summer sweatshirt and shorts with a cone (or cup!) of your favorite flavor in hand? We all have a favorite ice cream shop, but sometimes, when you’re on the road, you have to stop at the nearest location. If you’re lucky, it’ll surprise you and turn into a go-to destination.

Jane and Russell Kisseberth opened the shop in 1977 out of their one-car garage with the help of their daughter, Kim, then a senior in high school. Russell retired at age forty due to multiple sclerosis and saw it as a way of pursuing his dream of starting his own business while providing for his wife and three children.

At the suggestion of a neighbor who worked at HP Hood (yes, of the Hoodsie Cups and milk fame), they began creating their own handmade ice cream. The family made their dream come to life with just three windows, one Emery Thompson ice cream machine and thirty flavors.

Today, under Kim’s management, the Ice Cream Machine has grown to six windows with multiple ice cream machines and homemade fudge, ice cream cakes, pies and a candy store. The list of flavors has expanded to more than sixty decadent ice cream, yogurt and sorbet varieties, along with sundaes and shakes.

“The best moments are the stories from customers who have been coming here since we opened, and now bring their children and grandchildren,” Kim says. “Some remember my parents, which is very heartwarming.” 4288 Diamond Hill Rd., Cumberland, 333-5053

Courtesy of Like No Udder.

Karen Krinsky’s vegan ice cream food truck was born out of necessity in 2010. The longtime vegan couldn’t find an ice cream shop that offered dairy-free options.

“My love for soft serve runs deep from my childhood, it makes people so happy,” she says. “No one was filling that niche.”

After about five years, business took off and she and her husband found a brick-and-mortar location on Ives Street. “It’s all about location,” she says. “We were incredibly lucky to find where we are now.” The truck that started it all was retired a year-and-a-half ago so the owners could focus more on the shop.

What makes Like No Udder different is that the vegan and dairy-free options are the focus of the business, not just alternatives. You can choose between hard or soft serve — or both. The hard serve comes in fourteen flavors using a cashew, coconut or peanut butter base, while soft serve comes in vanilla, chocolate or a swirl of both made of an oat or soy base. Mint chip, cookies and cream and coffee Oreo are the most popular flavors.

The no-cow shop offers whimsical sweet treats like unicorns (soft serve blended with your choice of mix-ins), ice cream sandwiches, shakes, affogato and baked goods like cookies, waffles, magic bars and Rice Krispies treats. You can also find knishes and challah bread, traditional Jewish comfort foods, on Fridays.

Over time and through trial and error, Like No Udder has found its place in Providence. Students from Brown University and Rhode Island School of Design are regular customers, as are non-vegan folks who go to taste the variety of guilt-free treats. 140 Ives St., Providence, 228-3880, like-no-udder.com

Courtesy of Lincoln Creamery.

For Joseph Tashash, transitioning from accounting to owning an ice cream shop wasn’t entirely unusual. Growing up in an Arabic community in Rhode Island, entrepreneurship was a way of life. Having a diverse working experience was common, and big jumps from one job to another had been ingrained in him, Tashash says.

The shop was first established in 1986, and Tashash purchased it in 2015.

“It’s always been in our blood,” he says, adding that his mother owned the former Maplehurst Farm Dairy (Raymond Bros.) in Lincoln.

While Lincoln Creamery offers traditional scoops, shakes and splits — and more than fifty flavors — it’s constantly evolving. When you order a cup of ice cream with sprinkles, you’ll find sprinkles layered at the bottom, middle and top of the cup to get a bite with every spoonful. The stuffed milkshakes are on another level — a chocolate chip ice cream sandwich decorates the Cookie Monster shake and a strawberry crunch bar adorns the top of the Pinkie Swear Shake, named after the collaboration with Laura Afonso-Russillo from Buns and Bites Instagram fame.

While Lincoln Creamery doesn’t make its own ice cream, it supports local creameries such as Warwick Ice Cream and Windsor Dairy in Johnston. “Ice cream in Rhode Island is truly a community,” Tashash says. 276 Front St., Lincoln, 724-1050, lincolncreamery.com

If you ever see a squat building with an extended roof hovering above the ordering counter, odds are it was part of the Tastee Freez franchise from the 1950s, just like Middletown’s Frosty Freez.

Leo and Grace Cassidy opened the Middletown location in 1956, complete with Tastee Freez plans and recipes. At some point they bought out the franchise and renamed the independent, family-owned shop to Frosty Freez.

Ray and Solange Roppe bought it in 1977, handing it over to daughter Martine and her husband Gary in 1990. Kim and Mark Pachico took over the business in 2000 without any knowledge of the ice cream industry. Thankfully, the Roppes stayed on and taught the Pachicos everything they needed to know.

To bring the shop into the twenty-first century, the Pachicos installed a walk-in freezer to expand their flavor capacity. They haven’t switched to online ordering, however, and the shop remains cash-only. It’s the little things that keep the town’s forever residents coming back, sometimes even calling it by its original name.

“It doesn’t change, it’s nostalgic,” Kim says. “It’s part of Middletown.”

Frosty Freez offers soft serve, hard ice cream and frozen yogurt as well as other novelties such as banana splits (remember those?), ice cream sandwiches, shakes, floats and Nor’Easters, a candy-filled treat. The most popular item is the coffee and vanilla swirl soft serve.

Although the ice cream steals the show, it’s the sense of community that has stolen Kim’s heart. The staff are more than likely to know the customers’ orders just by seeing their faces, even those who pop by during lunch for a daily single scoop cone.

Pachico and her husband pride themselves on their seasonal staff. “We teach kids hustle,” Kim says. “Most can be taught, but it trickles down.”

Some employees have stayed well throughout college and even while earning master’s and doctorate degrees. One of their most loyal workers finally hung up her scoop after seventeen seasons, paying her way since she was fifteen years old. Recently, they welcomed their fortieth Frosty Freez grandchild, and keep in touch with most former employees.

“We’re a real family,” Pachico says. 496 East Main Rd., Middletown, 846-1697, frostyfreez.com

Courtesy of Gray’s Ice Cream.

Celebrating its 100th anniversary is more than just a milestone for Gray’s Ice Cream; it’s a community statement. Since 1923, the Tiverton Four Corners’ flagship location has been slinging scoops for East Bay residents.

Original owner Annie Gray began selling ice cream from the back window of her own house. Legend has it that she initially sold ice cream made in Fall River, Massachusetts, from Tiverton milk. At some point, the flavors expanded to vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and coffee, a Rhode Island favorite. When she died in 1938, her daughter, Florence “Flossie” Brow added rum raisin and frozen pudding to the lineup.

After her tenure, Gilbert Pontes and David Sylvia owned the business, with current owner Marilyn Davol taking the helm in 1981.

The shop knows what works and sticks with it. Scoops of your favorite flavors in a homemade waffle cone, rich hot fudge sundaes, a frosty coffee frappe (using homemade coffee syrup) or refreshing root beer float can still be found on the menu after all these years.

“Celebrating 100 years is remarkable,” Davol says. “In our humble opinion, nothing says more than withstanding the test of time.” 16 East Rd., Tiverton; 259 Thames St., Bristol, 624-4500, graysicecream.com

Ice cream served in cups fromGray’s Ice Cream. Courtesy of Gray’s Ice Cream.

Whenever anyone in South County thinks of ice cream, they think of Brickley’s. Despite having two locations — one in downtown Wakefield, the other in the northern end of Narragansett — there’s always a line.

The business began back in 1995 when Stephen Brophy, and his wife, Chris, opened their first store on Ten Rod Road in North Kingstown in a former doctor’s office. The first order of business for the Brophys was to make great tasting homemade ice cream. From there, it took off.

It’s a family affair: Their children, Ryan and Kerry, can be seen behind the counter at any given time along with Stephen’s sister, Maureen, and brother, Len. His nephews, Brendon and Mark, helped behind the counter as teenagers and still pop by to help once in a while, despite having moved on to other careers.

Both Brickley’s locations are landmarks, and opening day is practically a holiday in South County. No matter the weather or temperature, the shops continue to serve local residents and seasonal tourists. The flavors are classic and simple, and all made on-site. There are three varieties of coffee ice cream alone, along with frozen yogurt, sugar-free flavors and sherbet.

Long gone are the days of a one-way winding line at the Narragansett location and the crowded interior of the Wakefield shop (don’t forget the signs to keep the doors shut!). Nowadays, both locations have outdoor ordering systems and updated point-of-sale systems that make it faster to receive and fulfill orders, but we’ll never forget the good ol’ cash registers. 921 Boston Neck Rd., Narragansett, 789-1784; 322 Main St., Wakefield, 782-8864, brickleys.com

If you’re looking for high quality ice cream, this is the spot. A relatively new kid on the block, Udder Delights opened its Cranston and Coventry locations in May 2019. Brothers Michael and Stephen Celio were looking for a business that would merge their hospitality and construction backgrounds.

When their father died in 2017, Michael left his hotel industry job to care for his mother and realized he didn’t want to go back to work for anyone but himself. His brother was entirely on board, and after some research, they landed on ice cream while reflecting on the fond memoriesassociated with the summer treat.

What was intended to be a seasonal spot has morphed into a year-around endeavor, offering ice cream cakes and frozen desserts that can be enjoyed anytime.

“If we closed down for the winter, we’d have to reinvent ourselves each summer we reopened,” Michael says. “Besides, with our ice cream cakes, people have winter birthdays, too!”

Along with custom ice cream cakes and pies, Udder Delights offers more than fifty flavors of ice cream. Celiac sufferers, rejoice: More than thirty of the flavors are gluten-free, with vegan and dairy-free options available as well. The newest items are ice cream cupcakes — ice cream scooped into a Belgian chocolate cup with whipped cream and all the fixings.

When the brothers were deciding on a menu, quality beat quantity. They decided on Praline’s Own Made ice cream, a super-premium brand made in Wallingford, Connecticut.

Both locations are conveniently located near the Washington Secondary Trail bike path, making it an irresistible pit stop. Besides, it’s a long trail, and you deserve a break. 1426 Park Ave., Cranston, 472-9283; 1373 Main St., Coventry, 337-3277, udderdelightsri.com

Rhode Island Monthly editors spill on their favorite shops for sweet treats.

KAIT’S PICK: Three Sisters, Providence, threesistersri.com

HER ORDER: Purple Cow, homemade black raspberry ice cream with cookie dough and fudge

WHY: “Three Sisters somehow managed to combine three of my favorite ice cream flavors in one — how could I resist?”

KERRI’S PICK: Brickley’s, Wakefield and Narragansett, brickleys.com

HER ORDER: Coffee chip in a housemade waffle cone

WHY: “Growing up a soft serve gal, I looked forward to decadent scoops of ice cream in a warm, crisp, waffle cone at the end of a sleepy beach day. Definitely worth the wait in line.”

DANA’S PICK: Josie’s Ice Cream, Cumberland, facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063443035108

HER ORDER: Graham Central Station or Key lime pie in a sugar cone

WHY: “Josie’s is the cutest little place, and we look forward to it opening every year. The Graham Central Station (by Bliss Dairy) is graham-flavored ice cream with a swirl of graham cracker crumbs and crispy honey-chocolate pieces. So good! And the Key lime pie is a homemade flavor that’s so refreshing on a hot day.”

JAMIE’S PICK: The Ice Cream Barn, Swansea, Massachusetts, theicecreambarn.com

HER ORDER: Black raspberry berry in a waffle cone

WHY: “The ice cream at this spot located in nearby Swansea uses milk from the cows raised on site and as many local ingredients as possible. My kids and I love the bucolic surroundings and indulging in a taste of summer berries with cream inside a freshly pressed waffle cone.”

LAUREN’S PICK: The Keep, Cumberland, facebook.com/thekeepri

HER ORDER: Honey Bee in a sugar cone

WHY: “The crispy honeycomb mix-ins and sweet honey flavor. This medieval-themed creamery is a favorite for unique, loaded flavors, plus you can pack a pint to go!”

EDELINDA’S PICK: Newport Creamery, various locations, newportcreamery.com

HER ORDER: Crazy Vanilla and cookies and cream in a classic sundae

WHY: “Not only do the colors bring me pure happiness, the combined flavors along with the hot fudge, whipped cream and multiple cherries make me wish the dish was never-ending.”