What's The Scoop?

I scream. You scream. We all scream for ice cream. And, apparently, we all drive like maniacs in pursuit of the perfect scoop.

Yesterday, while driving through Bradley, we were momentarily stuck in a "traffic jam" — and if you've been to Bradley, you know how unlikely this is. The holdup? Cars jockeying for a position at Spencer's Ice Cream. Feeling inspired, we all piled into our own car after dinner and headed to Gifford's in Bangor for the first cone of the season. Yes, the ice cream was delicious. And yes, the parking lot was a cluster (and we're not talking caramel-nut).

Sure, it seems early, and yes, there's something a little strange about eating an ice cream cone in the car with the heat on. But we weren't alone. From the look of the packed parking lot, everyone else was ready for a break after a long, cold, dreary winter, too.

In honor of the unofficial start of ice cream season, The Maine Maven introduces the inaugural Maine's Best Ice Cream Stand contest. We'll list all of the nominees, visit the top three, and choose two entrants at random to receive a $10 gift certificate to the ice cream stand of their choice. The only restriction is that the stand be located in Maine, although entries are welcome from anywhere.

To enter, post your favorite stand and the town in which it's located (addresses would be helpful) at the bottom of this entry (please note that you need to post with a username or leave contact information if you post anonymously in order to qualify for the free ice cream drawing); direct message @mainemaven on Twitter; become a fan of Maine Maven on Facebook and drop us a line; or e-mail kristen@mainemaven.com. We'll need your name, hometown and favorite order, whether it's a hot-fudge sundae or a triple-scoop of pistachio. Results will be posted over Memorial Day Weekend, just in time for the official start of summer — and ice cream season.

It'll be a scream.

56 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dorman's. Route 1, Thomaston.

Anonymous said...

Dormans .. ginger ice cream .. need I say more

LMB said...

Beals, Route 25 Westbrook. Yesterday was my first cone of the season. Delicious icecream, homemade waffle cones. Good portions and fair prices.

Anonymous said...

Dormans. Mint Chocolate Chip, chocolate jimmies, heaven.

Silkweeds said...

Wahl's Dairy Port, Main Street in Bucksport
Their coconut dip top, or their Black Raspberry Sofft Serve

Gemstone and Beaded Jewelry by Dianne Culbertson said...

Has to be Giffords, Waterville. I can get my diet stuff and the rest of the family can get their favorite. Service is very friendly too!

Dean said...

1. Toots Ice Cream in North Yarmouth. Homemade ice cream. Old caboose. Working farm.

2. Smiling Hill Farm, Westbrook.

3. Dockside Deli, Frenchboro. Very limited flavors, but 8 miles out into the Atlantic on a working lobster wharf.

Patti said...

Dorman's Raspberry chip ice cream.. or is it the banana with marshmallow? absolutely delicious!

Jennifer Tuell, East Machias ME said...

Dorman's Ice Cream, Route 1, Thomaston/Rockland townline

Hot fudge sundaes to die for.
Banana splits = lunch!

Anonymous said...

Dorman's. Black & white frappe: Vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup. Heaven.

M. Bouchard said...

Spencer's has me! Sexy simple coffee, perfect orange-pineapple, M&M with swirly colors, hardcore chocolate chip, and of course, my husband's favorite peanut butter milkshake!

mainelife said...

Brown's Ice Cream in York Beach. The Wild Maine Blueberry is to die for and the view is almost as good.

Capt. Brenda said...

It has already been said (many times) but...Dorman's. Route 1. Thomaston. !

Carla Ganiel said...

MDI Ice Cream on the village green in Bar Harbor. A scoop of cinnamon, a scoop of salted caramel.

Jen said...

John's Ice Cream
Belfast Augusta Rd
Liberty, ME

Out of this world good and all homemade!

My fav is Cranberry, but they are all so good it is always hard to choose.

A said...

Hi Kristen! I have to say:
Gifford's, Bangor, Peppermint Stick. Heaven!

Anonymous said...

John's Ice Cream
Route 3
Liberty

Chocolate Orange Peel, Toasted Coconut, Ginger, & Stawberry-Rhubarb are a few of my favorites. Handmade ice cream & waffle cones. By far the best I have ever tried!

Eric and Jenny said...

Let the Jen's have it.
John's Ice Cream, Route 3 Liberty
When in doubt, order Chocolate Chip or Quadruple Chocolate. I'm counting the days until Strawberry Rhubarb.

Jane said...

Jordan's Snack Bar
200 Downeast Hwy
Ellsworth, ME 04605

Hot Fudge Sundae

Anonymous said...

Wahl's Dairy Port, Main St., Bucksport. Huge variety. something for everyone. All varieties delicious.

Anonymous said...

Webber's Ice Cream on Maine Avenue in Farmingdale, Maine (between Augusta and Gardiner). They have been in business since 1976, they make their own ice cream and it is the only stand they have. It isn't mass produced, shipped to grocery stores, etc. All flavors are good, but Peanut Butter is my favorite and the Rum Raisin is good as well.

Angie said...

1.Giffords Bangor, two scoops of Maine Black Bear in a waffle cone. It's the best.
2.Dorman's in Thomaston, the pistachio. No one can beat it.

Anonymous said...

York's Dairy Bar in Houlton for soft serve. I can't go by without stopping.

mattsgirl05 said...

Wahl's Dairy Port - Main St in Bucksport. Their Kahlua soft serve in a waffle cone is to die for!! (when it's on the special flavor of the day schedule) - even their plain ole' vanilla has it's own special flavor to it.

LRC said...

John's Ice Cream on Route 3
it's the very best of the best!

LRC

Anonymous said...

Houlton Farms Dairy in the Holler. (For you out-of-towners, follow Military Street toward the Canadian Border. York's isn't even going to be in business anymore. Nothing else competes!!! All you southerners need to make the trip:) No other stand can compare.

George said...

John's Ice Cream
Route 3 Liberty

Never had mint chocolate chip ice cream as good as John's. I'm lucky I haven't gotten a speeding ticket trying to get there before he closes.

Suz & Andy said...

Frozen custard is our fav... Check out Hodgman's in New Gloucester. YUM!

Steve Hoad said...

John's Homemade Icecream Liberty! Sometimes its a rough hitchhike, but the ginger is welllllll worth it! (thanks for the audio verification)

Anonymous said...

Webber's Ice Cream in Farmingdale is the best! All home made ice cream and so many flavors it's hard to choose - so I usually go for coffee or mint chocolate chip.

StephanieU74 said...

Beals, Routes 237 & 25, Gorham (near Westbrook line). My fave is chocolate raspberry truffle in waffle cone. Can't have summer without it! Ice cream was made for this flavor!

Anonymous said...

Morton's Ice Cream (hand made by Melissa) on School St. in downtown Ellsworth, just off Main St. (near Union River Gallery). No one has mentioned, so try it...TO DIE FOR! Melt-in-your-mouth factor is 10+, absolutely no comparison (no, I'm NOT related).

Anonymous said...

Nothing can compare to Houlton Farms Dairy!

Michael Johnson said...

Round Top Ice Cream in Damariscotta. It's all good but I'm fond of the Black Raspberry.

Anonymous said...

Absolutely with no comparison in Maine is Mount Desert Island Ice Cream in Bar Harbor - it's an artisanal ice cream shop with great basic flavors as well as lot's of innovation.

Anonymous said...

John's Ice Cream
Route 3, Liberty

Providing Homemade Delicious Ice Cream to the people of Liberty and surrounding areas for 10 years!

some local favorites: quadruple chocolate, raspberries and cream, ginger, coconut, chocolate orange peel, black raspberry and organic 'sparkle' strawberry to name a few. Yum.

Cindy Canavan said...

John's Ice Cream
Route 3 Liberty, Maine

Homemade with the best ingredients -too many delicious flavors to mention...Ginger, yumm!
Chocolate Orange Peel or Blueberries and Creams or Organic Cantaloupe at John's at Common Ground Fair. Love the waffle cones!

OneWomanStudio said...

I have to second the Morton's Ice Cream vote. Nowhere else can I find my all time fav, Rum Raisin! And the funky retro decor inside the shop makes it taste even better!

Anonymous said...

Tracy's Takeout
Route One
Sullivan

my favorite is Giffords Strawberry

Caitlin, Andrew, and Riley said...

Giffords,I became an instant fan of the Maine Blueberry. The Bangor stand is where I go!

Paula said...

I think that Big Daddy's in Wells has great ice cream!
Paula
www.beagirltoday.com

Anonymous said...

And also, Shains of Maine has great ice cream.
BUT, I know of a new ice cream concession that is opening up at the end of May - with the name of Mobile Cone, and they will be using organic milk and Maine products.

Mark said...

A third rec for Morton's. Ellsworth is often by passed on the way to Bar Harbor despite its many excellent restaurants. Morton's ice cream is as good as it gets. Our favorite is ginger, which is often hard to find in other shops. On School St 1/2 block off Main, kinda behind The Maine Grind.

Allison said...

Dormans Dairy Dream
Rte. 1, Thomaston

All the flavors there are divine ... my favorite is a Hot Fudge Sundae with Grapenut ice cream. Delish!

My husband loves their pistachio!

Leisa from Old Town said...

Definitely Spencer's in Bradley Maine. Or maybe the RoundTop in Damariscotta ...

heid4882 said...

Gillmor's in Lincoln is the best! Pumpkin chocolate chip or any of the cheesecake varieties, all home-made. Making my mouth water just thinking about it! Huge waffle cones, always crunchy!

alicia said...

I nominate What's The Scoop on Maine Ave in Bangor; they serve Spencer's (of Bradley) ice cream, and they have a frozen slab to do mix-ins - plus they are within coffee-break distance from my office. YUM!

Anonymous said...

MDI ice cream in bar harbor is my vote - they make their sauces by hand (as well as the ice cream.) Dulce de leche, blueberry, and a dark chocolate fudge sauce - awesome!

RedwoodRed said...

Shaker Pond Ice Cream, 148 Waterboro Rd., Alfred. Very nicely done. Definitely Red Sox atmosphere!

WeekinRewind said...

Hmmmm.... Maybe the homemade one you'll be having Saturday night.

Kate said...

Spencer's in Bradley. Oh, how I love their cherry walnut ice cream..

Anonymous said...

I'm too late...but The Sugar Shack@ Hattie's Restaurant Biddeford Pool has amazing flavors...Tornado and Maine Blueberry, Maine tracks with whole peanut butter cups!

Anonymous said...

I sincerely appreciate the reviewers' efforts, thus providing a "thinking person's guide" to the most important thing on earth -- ice cream.

I would say, though, that the word "maven" is not associated with the term "freak," even thought the latter term may be construed favorably to mean someone who cheerfully disreguards traditional social codes of thought, speech, dress, etc.

Anonymous said...

I should add that a "maven," in addition to being knowledgeable, also may be a bit vain or self-important -- i.e., such a person may be well aware of his/her intellectual powers and may indeed shape his/her personality around this sense of being smarter, wiser, and better-informed than most people.

Anonymous said...

Although Dorman's is extremely good ice cream, John's Ice Cream in Libert is absolutely the best ice cream on the planet. All his ice cream is hand made with fresh ingredients which is why you can't always get some flavors. My favorites are Chocolate Raspberry swirl, vanilla orange peel, Quad druble chocolate, and oh there's soo many to choose from. Like I said the best. We drive out of our way to go there.

Anonymous said...

John's Ice Cream...the tops...all other places are just ordinary!

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