By Gary Bennett
With all due respect to the “Best of Frederick” rankings put out by this newspaper and Frederick Magazine, they only list the top three ice cream shops in and around Frederick. With temperatures the way they are and ice cream as delicious as it is, that’s just not enough!
Therefore, I list for you below the top ten ice cream spots in and around Frederick city.
This is not just what I say, but also what hundreds of readers say. No, not my readers, but the readers of all media outlets I could find, both print and online, that rank Frederick’s ice cream offerings. My ranking below averages the rankings from all these sources: Frederick News-Post, Frederick Magazine, Trip Advisor, Yelp, Housewives of Frederick, and Frederick’s Child and adds in mine, too.
You may have your own favorite shop that is much closer to your own neighborhood. Nothing wrong with that. I have my neighborhood Bruster’s, which is great in a pinch. But if I’m out on the town or have a few hours to kill, you better believe I’m doing the mental calculations needed to ascertain the closeness and wonderfulness of my favorite ice cream shops.
Please note that I hold nothing against franchises, and I’m willing to also consider frozen custard and frozen yogurt. As for soft serve vs. regular ice cream, I’m a bit partial to regular but hold nothing against soft serve. You may feel differently on all counts.
I have visited all the shops in my top ten. Not all at one time, of course, but if I wanted to, Google Maps says I can do it in one hour and thirty-five minutes, not counting waiting time.
10. North Market Pop Shop – Ice cream plays second fiddle to the amazing pop selection here, but it is still very good.
9. Little Red Barn – Wonderful selection of ice cream served in a pretty, quaint, cozy shop in Jefferson.
8. Frederick Fudge and Ice Cream – A Frederick institution, but it sometimes can be an afterthought. Ice cream shares equal billing with fudge somehow.
7. Bruster’s – my neighborhood shop where everyone knows my name (not really.) Very nice butter pecan with large pecans.
6. Jimmie Cone – the sprinkles on their delicious soft serve cones are colorful and different but work perfectly.
5. Beef N Buns N Paradise – an old standby that screams “Frederick” and eating ice cream at the beach.
4. Hoffman Brothers – Owned by two young brothers. New in town but very good and worth a try. Terrific chocolate chip cookie dough.
3. South Mountain Creamery – very fresh with a nice sampler platter and perhaps the best ambiance of them all.
2. Rita’s – frozen custard so rich and creamy, you don’t lick, you bite it!
1. Rocky Point Creamery – astonishingly fresh, delicious, and with so many flavors. Wonderful cherry-vanilla ice cream. Worth the drive to Point of Rocks.
Honorable Mentions: Baskin-Robbins, Cold Stone Creamery, Dairy Queen, Gateway Candyland, Pizza and Pretzel Creations and Sweeties.
No information Available (if you are willing to provide samples so I can properly rank you, I am amenable): Glamourview Creamery – Walkersville, Happy Cow Creamery – Union Bridge, More Ice Cream – Middletown, Ripleigh’s Creamery – Emmitsburg, Sweet Babe’s Creamery – Urbana, and Woodbourne Creamery at Rock Hill Orchard – Mt.Airy.