Ice cream, a classic staple of the American diet, and a crucial part of beating the heat. It’d be difficult to find a Long Islander whose childhood summers weren’t soundtracked by a Mister Softee familiar jingle. According to the International Dairy Foods Association, the average American eats about 20 pounds of ice cream a year. The busiest months for ice cream production are, not surprisingly, from March to July – a.k.a. spring and early summer.
You can get it from a truck, at the store, or at ice cream parlors. While the convenience of the former two cannot be denied, it’s also worthwhile to go out for this sweet treat. Long Island has plenty of parlors to choose from and, who knows, you might just create new memories with your loved ones.
Why buy it from the store when you can make an experience of it?
Coyle’s
Founded in 1985 and with two locations, Bay Shore and Islip, Coyle’s Ice Cream is a self proclaimed neighborhood ice cream parlor. Coyle’s Islip location is at 509 Main Street, at the main Bay Shore one is at 75 Howells Road, as per their website. They’re open seven days a week, but times do vary.
Flavors consist of traditional favorites, like vanilla and chocolate, and new age creations, like Cherry Garcia, which is chocolate chip vanilla with frozen cherries. Coyle’s also makes specialty cakes, sundaes, and shakes; flavors ranging from rich chocolate fudge delicacies to sweet gummy bear topped treats. Altogether, Coyle’s provides around 60 different flavors. With fresh ingredients and ice cream created on site, Coyle’s provides a tasty treat guaranteed to beat the summer heat.
For more information about Coyle’s Ice Cream, be sure to visit their Facebook and Instagram.
Old Fashioned Ice Cream Shoppe
Located at 1025 Straight Path in West Babylon, Old Fashioned Ice Cream Shoppe provides more than just the standard. According to their Facebook, Old Fashioned Ice Cream Shoppe was founded in 1973 by Bob and Dennis Stoehrer, and continues to be family owned and operated 50 years later. They are open every day of the week from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Old Fashioned offers traditional ice cream, cakes, sundaes, Italian ices and a premium banana split, among many others. Cakes come in many forms and can be customized. For a limited time, they are offering a watermelon-flavored sherbet for the summer.
Long Island
What better place to make memories with your family than at this local family run business. For more information about the shop, visit their Facebook.
Swirl Bliss Frozen Yogurt
While it might seem like sacrilege to discuss frozen yogurt in an ice cream article, the treats are not all different from each other, and are just as delicious as their ice cream cousins. Located at 1777 Grand Ave. in Baldwin, Swirl Bliss is a Black locally owned frozen yogurt shop that offers much more than just yogurt. According to their website, Swirl Bliss provides frozen yogurt, acai bowls, bubble tea, shakes, frappes and much more. They are open Monday to Saturday, from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sundays from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Swirl Bliss offers catering, delivery and even can host taste and paint parties. Kids can invite friends, enjoy the myriad of desserts offered, and paint a picture they will have forever.
Swirl Bliss is perfect for those looking for a healthy alternative, but still want a great experience. For more information be sure to visit their Facebook and Instagram pages.
Ice cream, or any cold dessert for that matter, can be a welcomed reprieve from the summer heat. Visiting the mentioned shops, or any locally owned ice cream shop, is more than just getting a cold treat though: it’s about supporting a local business, supporting your community, and it could potentially create a memory with people you love
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