America’s Most Nostalgic Ice Cream Parlors

Bassett’s Ice Cream (Philadelphia)

Opened in 1861 when the first batches were churned by mule power, Bassett’s is America’s oldest ice cream company and a fixture in the Reading Terminal Market since 1892. Stepping inside feels like entering a bygone era, with its original marble counter and tiled floor. Generations of Philadelphians have grown up on Bassett’s famously creamy scoops that use just sugar and cream from Pennsylvania cows but no egg yolks — Philadelphia style. The ice cream is made off-site, but with original family recipes to create its 35 flavors. Still family run after six generations, Bassett’s is as much a piece of Philly history as the Liberty Bell.

Fentons Creamery (Oakland, California)

An East Bay institution since 1894, Fentons Creamery is as beloved for its heaping banana splits as it is for its old-fashioned counter service. Featured in Pixar’s film UpFentons is known for housemade ice cream churned in 10-gallon batches using high butterfat content for a creamy, dense texture. Signature flavors like toasted almond, Swiss milk chocolate, and rocky road — all invented here — are scooped into towering sundaes that defy gravity. Today, the parlor still turns out those iconic flavors on-site, alongside such novelties as pistachio raspberry swirl, butter pecan butterfinger, and bubble gum using only premium ingredients. No wonder families flock here for celebrations, where kids can watch ice cream being made through big glass windows.

Zaharakos Ice Cream Parlor (Columbus, Indiana)

Walking into Zaharakos is like entering a turn-of-the-century throwback. Established in 1900 by three Greek bothers, this ornate marble-and-mahogany parlor features Tiffany glass lamps, onyx soda fountains, ornate stained glass, and a restored 1908 Welte orchestrion. Not to mention the largest collection of pre-1900 soda fountains on public display. That’s thanks to a 2009 restoration, which added a Museum Room, Soda Fountain Library, and Mechanical Music Library. Zaharakos’s sodas, floats, milkshakes, malts, and sundaes are served with homemade ice cream festooned with sauces, syrups, or toppings, as they have been for more than a century. It’s a must-visit for ice cream lovers and history buffs alike.

Wilson’s Restaurant & Ice Cream Parlor (Ephraim, Wisconsin)

Step back in time at Wilson’swhich has been serving ice cream lovers in the waterfront village of Ephraim, Wisconsin, since 1906. Its red-and-white striped awning and jukebox-playing booths give it a nostalgic beach-town vibe, perfect for a root beer float after a day at the lake.

A beloved seasonal restaurant, open from May to October, it is known for its home-brewed draft root beer and annual ice cream eating competition. You can walk on the wild side with flavors such as Firecracker (strawberry ice cream with pop rocks) and Playdough (blue moon ice cream with colored sugar cookie dough pieces). Or indulge in the showstopper: Wilson’s Banquet, a mammoth five-flavor sundae generously blanketed with three customer-chosen toppings plus whipped cream, crunchy pecans, and quintessential cherries on top. Call it the epitome of a Midwest summer tradition.

Leopold’s Ice Cream (Savannah, Georgia)

Founded in 1919 by three Greek immigrant brothers, Leopold’s is a time capsule of soda-fountain charm, known for original family recipes and Art Deco flair. With black-and-white checkered floors, an old-fashioned neon sign, and soda jerks in retro bow ties, its current location feels like a film set — not surprising since Hollywood producer Stratton Leopold now runs it. Props and posters from his blockbuster films adorn the shop today. Its signature flavor and Savannah favorite, Tutti Frutti — rum ice cream with roasted Georgia pecans and candied fruit — is a nod to the parlor’s early days, while flavors like vegan chocolate keep things current. You can customize an ice cream sandwich with baked-from-scratch cookies flanking your choice of ice cream flavor. Expect a line — and a wait well worth your while.

Angelo Brocato (New Orleans)

While technically a gelateria and bakery, Brown angel has been operated by the Brocato family since Sicilian Angelo Sr. founded it in 1905. Relocated to its present Mid-City neighborhood from its original French Quarter spot, this third-generation family business serves authentic Sicilian gelato, Italian ice, cannoli, and spumoni in an Old World café with slowly turning ceiling fans and rows of glass apothecary jars.

Its signature lemon ice and torroncino (vanilla gelato with cinnamon and ground almonds), introduced to New Orleanians, are fan favorites. Meanwhile, its gelato uses a slow-churned custard-based mixture with less milk fat and air than American ice cream, creating a dense intensely flavored product. Stepping into Brocato’s is like being transported to Palermo, with a NOLA touch.

Petersen’s Ice Cream (Oak Park, Illinois)

Since 1919, Petersen’s has been drawing customers to its Oak Park location just outside Chicago with waffle cones piled high with award-winning ice cream. Just ask the judges at the Illinois State Fair, who have awarded Petersen’s the blue ribbon no fewer than nine times (proudly framed on the walls). The shop still uses its original slow-churn method to create ultra-rich ice cream with up to 18% butterfat for a texture closer to frozen custard. Crowd-pleasers include turtle sundaes, loaded with swirls of rich caramel and butter-roasted pecans in chocolate ice cream, and turtle pie, with seven scoops of vanilla ice cream, drizzled in Petersen’s fudge and hot caramel, topped with roasted pecans, and tucked into a graham cracker crust. Its hammered tin ceiling, onyx countertops, and round marble tables make it an enduring favorite among locals who remember their first scoop as fondly as their last.

Doumar’s (Norfolk, Virginia)

We have Doumar’s to thank for inventing the classic ice cream cone. During the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, former souvenir salesman Abe Doumar encountered an ice cream vendor who had run out of paper bowls to serve the confection. Struck by inspiration, he noticed another vendor who made waffles and decided to roll one up and fill it with ice cream. Voilà, the waffle cone was born. He went on to custom build a cone machine, still in use at Doumar’s today, and open an ice cream stand in Norfolk in 1907, which moved to its current location in 1934.

The Hampton Roads landmark is still family run today, churning out custom-made ice cream in an iconic red-roofed drive-in with distinctive curved architecture. Red vinyl stools and black-and-white checkered floors complete the time machine feel. And those cones? They even show up crushed as the topping for a signature hot fudge sundae called the Ringo.

Fair Oaks Pharmacy and Soda Fountain (Pasadena, California)

A historic Route 66 stop, Fair Oaks Pharmacy dates back to 1915, when pharmacies added soda fountains for customers to chase down bitter-tasting medications with more palatable sweets. Today, it maintains the charm of a classic apothecary, which it still is, with the flair of a retro ice cream parlor. With its green-striped awnings, chrome swivel stools, and vintage Coca-Cola signage, it’s a blast from the past in this Southern California city. Old-fashioned phosphate sodas, thick hand-dipped malts, and enormous banana splits attract sweet tooths of all ages. Fair Oaks is the kind of place where nostalgia comes in a tall frosty glass.

Eddie’s Sweet Shop (Queens, New York)

This old-school ice cream parlor has been welcoming patrons to its Forest Hills neighborhood in Queens for exactly a century, though it’s been called Eddie’s only since 1968 when Italian immigrant Giuseppe Citrano bought it. Inside, though, it feels like 1925 never ended: pressed tin ceilings, vintage enameled refrigerator, worn wood-topped stools, and a marble counter. Forget about the latest hipster trend. Eddie’s is classic all the way.

The family-run business makes from-scratch ice cream using traditional recipes. The limited flavors hew classic, except for pistachio pineapple. The whipped cream is still hand-whipped daily, and milkshakes and malts are made with original mix-in blenders. The hot fudge sundaes, loaded with housemade toppings, are legendary. Plus, it serves some of the best old-fashioned egg creams in New York. In a constantly changing city, Eddie’s is a timeless community touchstone.