Maine’s best ice cream: Here’s where to find fresh, Maine-made ice cream statewide

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a collage depiciting Maine's best ice cream
Looking for Maine’s best ice cream? I’ve done the research for you. Here’s where to find Maine-made ice cream, gelato, and frozen custard in traditional as well as creative flavors statewide. ©Hilary Nangle

I scream, you scream for Maine-made ice cream

Bar Harbor is a bonanza for those who love Maine-made ice cream ©hilary nangle
Yes, you can even get Maine-made lobster ice cream at Ben & Bill’s in Bar Harbor. ©Hilary Nangle

Summertime, summertime, sum-sum-summertime…

Years ago, when I edited a national specialty food publication, the president of one large out-of-state gourmet ice cream manufacturer called me to pitch his new super-premium line and asked for the address to send samples. When I replied with the Maine address, he was crushed. “Oh forget it,” he said. “We don’t even try to sell our ice cream in Maine. Maine has the best ice cream.” He’s right.

My first job was scooping ice cream at long-gone Deering Ice Cream in South Portland. Since then, I’ve been an ice cream aficionado. I’m not a fan of commercial ice creams or from-away concoctions. The truth about ice cream is, the closer you get to the source, the better the product will be, and in Maine, that’s easy to do. Like jimmies (a.k.a. sprinkles) on a cone, dairy bars serving Maine-made ice cream dot the state.

Where to find ice cream made in Maine

Here are Maine’s best shops: Each makes-its-own ice cream, gelato, or custard. Let me know if I’ve missed one of your faves; this remains a work in progress and I can use your input. Remember, to qualify a shop must make its own ice cream or gelato. (FYI: Shain’s, Gifford’s, Pugnuts, Shaker Pond, and Roundtop are Maine ice cream brands that also can be found in many other small Maine ice cream shops).

—Just in case you might want to immerse in Maine’s favorite foods, here’s a link to my favorite Maine lobster shacks.

—And if chocolate is your favorite ice cream flavor, than check out my Maine Coast Chocolate Trail for artisan chocolatiers.

Bailey's Ice Cream in Scarborough makes its own ice cream. ©Hilary Nangle
Bailey’s Ice Cream is adjacent to a clam shack, so you can enjoy a double treat: fried clams and Maine-made ice cream. ©Hilary Nangle

Southern Coast

In southwestern Maine, get homemade ice cream at Shaker Pond Ice Cream in Alfred or Sanford. ©Hilary Nangle IMG_4198
Lookng for Maine’s best ice cream? One place you can find it is at Shaker Pond Ice Cream in Alfred and Sanford. The sea salted caramel is divine. ©Hilary Nangle
Yorks
Alfred
Sanford
Ogunquit
Wells
Kennebunkport
Biddeford
Saco
Old Orchard Beach
Scarborough

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Willard Scoops in South Portland makes its own ice cream. ©Hilary Nangle
Find Willard Scoops Ice Cream, one of Maine’s best ice creams, on Willard Square in South Portland. ©Hilary Nangle

Greater Portland

Portland
South Portland
Cape Elizabeth
Gorham
Westbrook
Yarmouth

Honeycone Ice Cream Social

North Yarmouth
Freeport

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Fine one of Maine's best ice creams at the Down East Ice Cream Factory in downtown Boothbay Harbor. ©Hilary Nangle
Get an ice cream at The Down East Ice Cream Factory in Boothbay Harbor. ©Hilary Nangle

Mid-Coast

Brunswick
Edgecomb

Blanchard’s Creamery

Boothbay Harbor
Damariscotta

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Find Wild Cow Creamery on the waterfront walkway, just off Main Street, in downtown Belfast. ©Hilary Nangle
Get a scoop or two at Wild Cow Creamery, on the waterfront in Belfast. ©Hilary Nangle

Penobscot Bay

Rockport
Rockland
Belfast

Searsport

Liberty

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Candy-maker Ben & Bill's in Bar Harbor serves its own Maine-made ice cream flavored with its own candies. ©hilary nangle
Lobster lovers take note: Ben & Bill’s in Bar Harbor serves lobster ice cream. ©Hilary Nangle

Acadia

Pair a classic ice cream flavor with a wild one for some fun. ©hilary Nangle
Maine-made flavors range from classic to wild at Mount Desert Island Ice Cream, one of Maine’s best ice creams, with shops in Bar Harbor and Portland. ©Hilary Nangle
Surry
Ellsworth
Bar Harbor

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Down East

 

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Kennebec Ice Kreamery is a cool find in Madison. ©Hilary Nangle

Kennebec Valley

Randolph
Deb’s Ice Cream & Mini Golf
Manchester
South China

Back’s Dairy Bar

Winthrop
Fast Eddy’s
Wayne
Waterville
Skowhegan
Madison

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Sandy River Farm makes custard-style ice cream. ©Hilary Nangle

Western Lakes & Mountains

Gray
New Gloucester
Raymond
Casco

Oxford

Norway

Dolce Amici

South Paris
Sabattus
Auburn
Lisbon Falls
Lisbon
Farmington

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Butterfield's Ice Cream, Dover-Foxcroft @Hilary Nangle
Butterfield’s dishes out delicious, creamy, homemade ice cream in Dover-Foxcroft. @Hilary Nangle

Maine Highlands

Bangor
Bradley
Dover-Foxcroft

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Aroostook County

Mmmm! Houlton Farms Ice Cream. Find it in Aroostook County. (Houlton Farms photo)
Houlton
Presque Isle
Caribou

 

6 COMMENTS

  1. My Mother, who sadly passed away in 2013, was born and raised in Maine but moved to Florida during her later school years. During my childhood we often vacationed in Maine and during the last years of her life she and I would visit Maine every fall. A must do for every single trip was a drive to Bradley’s for Spencer’s ice cream. Her very favorite was the orange pineapple – sometimes she would force two cones knowing she would not have the chance for another until the next year. My husband and I still make the trip to Maine from our home in Florida often and we still drive to Bradleys for the best ice cream in the country. Thank you for your article -we will visit some of the other favorite ice cream shops you have listed.

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