5 ice cream spots to celebrate the summer
Geoffrey Wilson
Summer has returned to the Hudson Valley, bringing the heat and sunny skies with it.
And that makes it the perfect time to indulge in the ice cream of the area.
While milkshakes and soft-serve are readily available at most fast-food joints, these shops boast some of the best ice cream in the region.
There are plenty of great spots for ice cream in the mid-Hudson, but here are five places to visit while kicking off the season.
ICE CREAM: Dutchess Fair milkshakes provide a local taste
Zoe's Ice Cream Barn
Zoe's Ice Cream Barn lives up to the name, with the red-and-white farmhouse and metal silo making it appear as though a barn had been displaced onto Route 55. But come inside and you'll be treated to some of the richest ice cream in the Hudson Valley. The LaGrangeville restaurant boasts its cow-to-cone ice cream, using dairy with a high percentage of butterfat to make the dessert smoother and more creamy. The restaurant offers some food, including burgers and tacos, but the ice cream cones, sandwiches and sundaes remain the highlight. Customers can try a homemade waffle cone with any of the shop's rotating flavors, such as white chocolate, raspberry and graham cracker ice cream.
Go: 1181 Route 55, LaGrangeville; 845-454-7108; zoesicecreambarn.com
Joe's Dairy Bar
This roadside stop bustles with customers when it opens for the summer season. Joe's Dairy Bar may not stand out while driving Route 82, but the shop offers some of the best treats in Dutchess. With outdoor tables and benches surrounding the stop, customers can relax with a cold cone on a hot, summer day. The shop offers 32 flavors of Perry's ice cream along with homemade creations, such as ice cream bars, chocolate chip-cookie sandwiches and ice cream sandwiches.
Go: 550 Route 82, Hopewell Junction; 845-221-0488; joesdairybar.com
Moo Moo's Creamery
Moo Moo's Creamery brings its own take on homemade ice cream to Cold Spring. The simple shop is decorated with black-and-white cow print on the walls as well as the window and door frames. Black-and-white tiling on the counter brings the theme together. Moo Moo's offers a rotating list of flavors from the classics to specialty choices, such as caramel cashew, honey-cinnamon-walnut and fig ice cream.
Go: 32 West St., Cold Spring; 845-554-3666; facebook.com/moomooscreamery
Mapleview Cafe
Mapleview Cafe had big shoes to fill when opening in the former Debra T's Ice Cream Cafe, but the year-round ice cream shop earned its reputation in Poughkeepsie. The restaurant features a full menu, as well as a selection of delectable desserts. And the miniature playground made the former business a haven for parents looking for a place to take their kids. A highlight among the ice cream is the Elvis Waffle Sundae, which is built on a waffle and topped with peanut butter sauce and bananas.
Go: 141 Overlook Road, Poughkeepsie; 845-849-0259; mapleviewcafe.net
Holy Cow's Ice Cream
Holy Cow's is a staple of Dutchess County ice cream, having been featured as one of the best ice cream shops in the U.S. by Huffington Post. And for good reason. Simplicity and consistency are at the heart of what makes the Red Hook shop a local favorite. Holy Cow covers all the basics alongside its specialty Holy Cow mix of vanilla, peanut butter and peanut butter cups. First-timers should stick to the basics: a chocolate and vanilla soft-serve twist coated with rainbow sprinkles.
Go: 7270 S. Broadway, Red Hook; 845-758-5959; facebook.com/pages/Holy-Cow-Ice-Cream/149943388357288.
Geoffrey Wilson: gwilson@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4882, Twitter: Geoff_LW