April 5, 2023 by Maggie Trautner (‘25)
Step into spring with Saratoga’s impressive ice cream shops! The arrival of the spring season brings many exciting things: different sports, nice weather, and most importantly, ice cream.
Shops offering a wide range of hard ice cream flavors include places like Ben & Jerry’s, Stewart’s, and Kilwins. Located downtown near Congress Park, Ben & Jerry’s offers ice cream with a view–especially if you choose to sit on their wooden swings that are perfect for people-watching. On Monday, April 3, Ben & Jerry’s had their annual “free cone day,” bringing together the community for ice cream on a pleasant spring day. Just a block away is Kilwins, a Saratoga classic that is no ordinary ice cream shop. Kilwins has a vast assortment of chocolate as well as delicious ice cream and sorbet. There are always the most pleasant aromas to be smelt when walking past Kilwins’ doors. Saving the best for last, Stewart’s is an Upstate New York staple. As well as having delectable ice cream, milkshakes, and sundaes, you can get gas as an excuse for your ice cream trip.
If you prefer soft ice cream, Farmer’s Daughters’, Dairy Haus, and Humpty Dumpty’s are for you. Farmer’s Daughters’ lies on the outskirts of town and is a bit of a hidden gem. With a beautiful location near a huge field, the sunsets there are unreal. To go along with the gorgeous setting is their delectable ice cream and variety of food options. Dairy Haus has a great assortment of soft-serve flavors including black raspberry and lemon. Their dips are to die for, and they even have ice cream cakes. Finally, Humpty Dumpty’s, a well-known ice cream shop with a great locality–Humpty’s is right down the street from Saratoga Springs High School (SSHS). With a wide range of flavors and toppings galore, it’s hard to go wrong.
While all these places are delicious and unique in their own ways, there is a clear favorite for locals. A random poll of 300 SSHS students concluded that Dairy Haus makes the best ice cream in Saratoga, winning by thirty votes to the runner-up, Stewart’s. With Dairy Haus being a large employer of high school students over the summer and offering a huge selection of everything from soft serve ice cream to root beer floats, it comes as no surprise that they would be SSHS’ favorite. The size portions are ginormous, and a kiddie cone is equivalent to a normal medium at other ice cream shops. With its convenient location down the street from Maple Avenue Middle School, Dairy Haus is a clear fan favorite and an item you should add to your bucket list.
Although Saratoga Springs offers a boatload of attractions, its ice cream cannot be passed over. If ice cream is not your cup of tea, or you have dietary restrictions, Ben & Jerry’s offers sorbet as well as gluten-free ice cream options. Menchie’s offers amazing frozen yogurt with a notable selection of toppings. You could also take a trip to the slightly overpriced, yet tasty Saratoga Gelato. This local business is worth the extra few bucks and is conveniently located on Broadway, giving a nice variety to the assortment of frozen deserts in the Saratoga area.