37 replies to this topic

[mzrb]

The hot, sunny weather of today has reminded me of one of my great living-in-Montclair laments...no decent ice cream. I know there are people out there who think Holsten's or Applegate is just the best thing since, well, ice cream, but I don't. I think I can get a better quality ice cream from Breyer's, to be honest....

So maybe someone out there knows of a reasonable ice cream place. Sure, in my dreams it's all homemade and natural and seasonal, but I am a realist...And would love to know where people go 'round here to satisfy their ice cream cravings.

And after my snobby little comment about Holsten's/Applegate, I will qualify my request and say if anyone knows of a good soft-serve experience 'round here, well, I do have the kid-in-me-summer-time side of my palate to satisfy as well.

I am looking forward to your answers!! So are my kids!

[jwjojo]

Ice Cream Charlies in Rutherford. Homemade Ice Cream and soft serve. yummmy

[Josefinajoisey]

Dayummm. You beat me to it. Ice Cream Charlie's it is!

[Cook456]

There's also Applegate Farms on Valley Road in Montclair.

[Curlz]

Denville Dairy!!

[Cook456]

Curlz...he said Montclair!!

[mzrb]

Curlz...he said Montclair!! 

SHE said!!!! (but thanks for defending my need for ice cream in a nearby venue!) (and if i ever get to denville, i know what to do!)

[hitmanoo]

The absolute best ice cream parlor in the Montclair is Holsten's on Broad St. in Bloomfield. There is just no other place in the area that is remotely on the same level. What they lack in variety of flavors, they more than make up for in the quality of their homemade product.

Holsten's is on Broad St. in Montclair, just off the south west corner of Broad St. and Watchung Ave.

I can no longer recommend Applegate Farms on Grove St. as the quality of their product has diminished in recent years. I have no doubt this is due to the mass production of their product for distribution in grocery stores.

Edit: Having gone back and reread your original post, I can't believe you would knock Holsten's. To say that you could get better ice cream from Breyer's is an insult. You're not really looking for quality ice cream, but rather a place to take your kids.
For you, I'd recommend Magic Fountain or Carvel.
Perhaps you'd like to take a ride over to Essex Green in West Orange and hit up Cold Stone Creamery.

Not since Grunnings went out of business long ago has there been a top quality ice cream parlor in the area, but Holsten's comes the closest to any in the area that I've tried.

Edited by hitmanoo, 07 June 2007 - 07:16 PM.

[JoRic]

Try Mark and Julie's in West Orange. They are on Pleasant Valley Way near Eagle Rock.

[mzrb]

The absolute best ice cream parlor in the Montclair is Holsten's on Broad St. in Bloomfield.  There is just no other place in the area that is remotely on the same level.  What they lack in variety of flavors, they more than make up for in the quality of their homemade product.

Holsten's is on Broad St. in Montclair, just off the south west corner of Broad St. and Watchung Ave.

I can no longer recommend Applegate Farms on Grove St. as the quality of their product has diminished in recent years.  I have no doubt this is due to the mass production of their product for distribution in grocery stores.

Edit:  Having gone back and reread your original post, I can't believe you would knock Holsten's.  To say that you could get better ice cream from Breyer's is an insult.  You're not really looking for quality ice cream, but rather a place to take your kids.
For you, I'd recommend Magic Fountain or Carvel.
Perhaps you'd like to take a ride over to Essex Green in West Orange and hit up Cold Stone Creamery.

Not since Grunnings went out of business long ago has there been a top quality ice cream parlor in the area, but Holsten's comes the closest to any in the area that I've tried.

Hey there! We're talking about ice cream here...and I just happen not to love Holsten's. I found there sauces to be really corn syrup-y, etc and the chocolate chunks weren't the good melting kind. (To be honest, Breyer's has the WORST chocolate chunks, so you got me there). Anyway, Breyer's makes a nice vanilla. No need to try to insult me with talk of Magic Fountain or Carvel. And certainly not Cold Stone. or Cold Cash creamery as we call it. I cannot abide the place.

And, while we're talking: Gruning's was one of my favorites growing up. I still dream of the toasted pound cake sundaes with their stellar hot fudge sauce.

[hitmanoo]

The absolute best ice cream parlor in the Montclair is Holsten's on Broad St. in Bloomfield.  There is just no other place in the area that is remotely on the same level.  What they lack in variety of flavors, they more than make up for in the quality of their homemade product.

Holsten's is on Broad St. in Montclair, just off the south west corner of Broad St. and Watchung Ave.

I can no longer recommend Applegate Farms on Grove St. as the quality of their product has diminished in recent years.  I have no doubt this is due to the mass production of their product for distribution in grocery stores.

Edit:  Having gone back and reread your original post, I can't believe you would knock Holsten's.  To say that you could get better ice cream from Breyer's is an insult.  You're not really looking for quality ice cream, but rather a place to take your kids.
For you, I'd recommend Magic Fountain or Carvel.
Perhaps you'd like to take a ride over to Essex Green in West Orange and hit up Cold Stone Creamery.

Not since Grunnings went out of business long ago has there been a top quality ice cream parlor in the area, but Holsten's comes the closest to any in the area that I've tried.

Hey there! We're talking about ice cream here...and I just happen not to love Holsten's. I found there sauces to be really corn syrup-y, etc and the chocolate chunks weren't the good melting kind. (To be honest, Breyer's has the WORST chocolate chunks, so you got me there). Anyway, Breyer's makes a nice vanilla. No need to try to insult me with talk of Magic Fountain or Carvel. And certainly not Cold Stone. or Cold Cash creamery as we call it. I cannot abide the place.

And, while we're talking: Gruning's was one of my favorites growing up. I still dream of the toasted pound cake sundaes with their stellar hot fudge sauce.

What can I say? I have a passion for ice cream!

[rooftop1000]

Whats Magic Fountain?

[Busboy]

Is there still a place in Clifton called "The Farm" or something similar to that? Some of the great memories of my childhood involved hot summer nights and long walks to "The Faaahhhm," as my Massachusetts-born grandma would call it. Where I lived, out in the Maryland 'burbs there was no such place, and it was considered a highlight of summer vacation.

[Curlz]

Busboy, you MIGHT be thinking of the aforementioned Applegate Farm, which is (still) on Grove Street in Montclair...huge red barns...and it's right on the border of Montclair and Clifton. Could that be it?

In other news, we could really use your D.C. input and knowledge on this thread...

And Cook, I just can't help but mention Denville Dairy in any north Jersey ice cream discussion!

[mzrb]

Busboy, you MIGHT be thinking of the aforementioned Applegate Farm, which is (still) on Grove Street in Montclair...huge red barns...and it's right on the border of Montclair and Clifton.  Could that be it?

In other news, we could really use your D.C. input and knowledge on this thread... 

And Cook, I just can't help but mention Denville Dairy in any north Jersey ice cream discussion! 

Now you've whetted my appetite.. Tell me more about the Denville Dairy already! Stop teasing me!

[Curlz]

I'll say up front that I'm not an ice cream expert, but when it comes to food, I generally know good stuff ...

Denville Dairy is partially my favorite because I grew up going there (when it was a tiny, free-standing, walk-up only shop) with our (big) dog riding on the boot of the convertible. And partially because I just love their ice cream! It's all handmade on the premises; the same family has owned the place for at least 25-30 years (just saw the website--it's 40) that I've been going, and while they have a ton of flavors, they've stuck to essentially the same ones. You won't find basil/saffron gelato here, but then again, you don't always want that ('tho I actually DO love both)!

I tend to get hard ice cream (black raspberry is a ripple through vanilla; coffee almond fudge is also a major favorite), but their soft serve is also excellent. Their cakes are great! The crunchies in their cakes are awesome. Their hot fudge is as well. Portions are huge, so you should definitely take note of what people order and then see what they look like. Dogs are welcome (outside) and the place is always packed in the evenings, but I will say that they know how to move it along. Go. Take a number (inside) and stand around while neighbors and kids catch up. Once you get your ice cream, sit on a bench out front, or walk around and look in the windows of the (mostly) mom 'n pop stores in Denville. It's very small-town in a lot of ways. Maybe that's what I like about it, too...but the ice cream is THE reason to go.

34A Broadway
Denville NJ
973-627-4214
Sun-Thurs 11am-9:30pm
Fri-Sat 11am-10pm
DD's very basic website

[Busboy]

Busboy, you MIGHT be thinking of the aforementioned Applegate Farm, which is (still) on Grove Street in Montclair...huge red barns...and it's right on the border of Montclair and Clifton.  Could that be it?

In other news, we could really use your D.C. input and knowledge on this thread... 

And Cook, I just can't help but mention Denville Dairy in any north Jersey ice cream discussion! 

That could be it. Even if the ice cream isn't as good as I remember, please don't tell me!

I will weigh in on the other thread after lunch.

[mzrb]

I'll say up front that I'm not an ice cream expert, but when it comes to food, I generally know good stuff  ... 

Denville Dairy is partially my favorite because I grew up going there (when it was a tiny, free-standing, walk-up only shop) with our (big) dog riding on the boot of the convertible.  And partially because I just love their ice cream!  It's all handmade on the premises; the same family has owned the place for at least 25-30 years (just saw the website--it's 40) that I've been going, and while they have a ton of flavors, they've stuck to essentially the same ones.  You won't find basil/saffron gelato here, but then again, you don't always want that ('tho I actually DO love both)!

I tend to get hard ice cream (black raspberry is a ripple through vanilla; coffee almond fudge is also a major favorite), but their soft serve is also excellent.  Their cakes are great!  The crunchies in their cakes are awesome.  Their hot fudge is as well.  Portions are huge, so you should definitely take note of what people order and then see what they look like.  Dogs are welcome (outside) and the place is always packed in the evenings, but I will say that they know how to move it along.  Go.  Take a number (inside) and stand around while neighbors and kids catch up.  Once you get your ice cream, sit on a bench out front, or walk around and look in the windows of the (mostly) mom 'n pop stores in Denville.  It's very small-town in a lot of ways.  Maybe that's what I like about it, too...but the ice cream is THE reason to go. 

34A Broadway
Denville NJ
973-627-4214
Sun-Thurs  11am-9:30pm
Fri-Sat 11am-10pm
DD's very basic website

I feel I am in a safe place! Able to talk about ice cream so soon after breakfast; and I know none of you would flinch if I told you that I wanted to eat ice cream right now, instead of lunch. If I didn't need to be at a meeting this afternoon, I would be mapquesting my way to Denville. Thanks for the write-up.

[hitmanoo]

Whats Magic Fountain?

There is a Magic Fountain on Broad St in Bloomfield across the street from the Nevada Diner. This is one in a chain of several, though I'm not sure how many are in the chain or if they all fall under the same umbrella. They operate along the same lines as a Dairy Queen with mass produced soft serve ice cream.

Nothing special, but not worst ever. Just a dime-a-dozen.

As for Denville Dairy, I really wish I'd tried it. I used to work in an office right down the street from there, but I only worked there for a week or two, and it was in Feb or March--not quite yet ice cream season. I don't even think I had a chance to explore that far down the street yet!

Perhaps I'll have dinner at Hunan Taste one of these days and follow it up with some Denville Dairy for dessert.

Edited by hitmanoo, 08 June 2007 - 10:46 AM.

[Cook456]

Busboy, you MIGHT be thinking of the aforementioned Applegate Farm, which is (still) on Grove Street in Montclair...huge red barns...and it's right on the border of Montclair and Clifton.  Could that be it?

In other news, we could really use your D.C. input and knowledge on this thread... 

And Cook, I just can't help but mention Denville Dairy in any north Jersey ice cream discussion! 

Curlz,

I just had to tease you!!

I also love Denville Dairy, but have not had it in years.. Guess that means a trip!!!

[Casey]

I have to echo Curlz' recommendation of Denville Dairy. I also grew up in that area, and still visit the store whenever I can while seeing family! Thankfully, my nieces and nephew are willing accomplices to my escapes from family gatherings.

Its also nice to see that this business has stayed in the family, and continues to do well.

Casey

[lano]

Speaking of Holsten's, according to last nights Soprano's episode, they have the best onion rings.... anyone ever try anything other than ice cream here?

[Josefinajoisey]

I love Holsten's. It's a throwback in time, and should be preserved as a kind of landmark (besides the whole Sopranos connection). Besides the ice cream, there's candy, too.
The food is very, very basic....burgers, sandwiches. Very simple, and the prices are right. My husband was euphoric when I took him there, waxing rhapsodic about similar places from his childhood in Jersey City.

[Curlz]

I thought Holsten's was a fun place to take my niece for a sundae at the counter, but didn't think much of the food or the ice cream. But what do I know?

I did take a friend to Denville Dairy yesterday, as we were out that way. I finally settled on a small cup of Oreo Cream with hot fudge. She went with the chocolate chocolate chip. (Did I mention she's not only a chocoholic, but also a chocolatier?) She declared it "Fabulous--it's not overly sweet at all!" and I have to concur. The small cups are ridiculously large.

I'll admit that I was a tad dismayed at DD to see a lot of what I think of as overdone flavors--a bananaramadingdong or something, a caramel waffle flavor that was, iirc, caramel ice cream w/a caramel thread running through it, with caramel-covered something AND choc-covered waffle pieces in it. I hope DD doesn't fully turn in to one of those places, as they do the 'basic' flavors SO well!

[hitmanoo]

Speaking of Holsten's, according to last nights Soprano's episode, they have the best onion rings.... anyone ever try anything other than ice cream here?

The Sopranos took many artistic liberties with Holsten's last night. One of many is the fact that they don't have tableside juke boxes there. I haven't tried the onion rings there but the food in general is just average fast cooked and way too greasy.

[Amy Eber]

Make your own ice cream. Easy, easy and cheap. I am teaching a FREE, one hour technique class at the Upper Montclair Williams-Sonoma store on Sunday, June 24th. You do need to call the store and sign up if you and your kids want to attend. 973-783-1799. We will be using the very inexpensive Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker (see link below) and showing attendees how to make custard-based ice cream as well as the quick Philadelphia method that only take 3 minutes to put together before adding to the machine. I love my machine and everyone can personalize their own bowl.

If you don't feel like making your own, kids enjoy Cold Stone on Bellevue Avenue just around the corner from the store. I have never been there but the place is often packed with families. Customers pick their ice cream flavor and stir-ins.

http://www.williams-.....am&cm_src=SCH

[Curlz]

PLEASE. Don't go to Cold Stone if you can help it. I don't even care if the ice cream is good or not...all CS seems to do is push out the local ice cream stores wherever they go! I know the kids like it, but they can enjoy Holsten's, Applegate Farms, or any of the other individually owned places just as much--without the sanitized store experience.

Rant over.

Your class sounds great, Amy! I'm going to pass that info along to friends who own an ice cream maker but have never used it.

[jon777]

PLEASE.  Don't go to Cold Stone if you can help it.  I don't even care if the ice cream is good or not...all CS seems to do is push out the local ice cream stores wherever they go! 

That's exactly what happened in Hoboken. We had 2 local stores -- one that was good (although not great) but that had been around forever, and another new one that was outstanding. Ben & Jerry's and Coldstone drove them both out of business. With rents what they are on Washington St, the local places can't handle it. A shame as Jordan's (one of the places now out of business), had the best ice cream of any of them. Now we have B&J, Coldstone and Rita's Water Ice within a 5 block radius. Next comes the Gap and Banana Republic.

[mzrb]

not to mention, imho, that the flavor of coldstone ice cream is just plain odd.

[Rebecca263]

There is an Applegate Farm ice cream place near us in Freehold. We tried it the last time I was at Centra State. I'm sorry to report, it was terrible. The soft serve was incredibly chemical, but the hard serve was so disappointing that we were floored by the poor quality! I don't like my ice cream very rich, but this stuff was almost like gummy ice milk. The sweetness was the main flavor profile, other than a chemical offtaste, in both the vanilla and the cookies'n'cream that daughter HAD to try. We saw a good number of people not finishing their orders, so it's probably a great place to go if you are on a diet. Which, I SHOULD be!