7 Ice Cream Shops To Try This Summer

Check out new flavors and old favorites at these sweet spots all over Morris and Essex.

What sweet treat rules the summer months? A good argument can be made for lemonade (and grown-up twists on it), but don’t overthink it—the real answer is ice cream.

You can’t go wrong with chocolate, vanilla or mint chip but, if you’re craving something new, ice cream shops all around our counties are ready to show off. Try newly unveiled flavors at any of these spots, some of them nods in our 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards and all of them highly rated:

Applegate Farm. The sundaes and shakes at this Upper Montclair spot are famous, but don’t skip on their scoops either. New to try this season are Madagascar vanilla, butter pecan, white pistachio and Colombian coffee.
*616 Grove St., Montclair, 973.744.5900

Denville Dairy. Often at the top of “Best of the State” lists, the shop unveiled a creamy matcha ice cream flavor earlier last month, made in collaboration with fellow Denville business The Barn Coffee Shop.
*34A Broadway, Denville, 973.627.4214

Diane’s Dairy. In Towaco, you can pick up Diane’s newest flavor: tiramisu cheesecake. According to the shop’s socials, it’s going fast!
*446 Main Rd. Suite #8, Towaco, 973.265.4620

Holsten’s. New Jersey’s most famous ice cream shop (yes, this where that last scene of The Sopranos was shot) is more than just reputation. Two seasonal flavors back in rotation are peach and banana.
*1063 Broad St., Bloomfield, 973.338.7091

Last Licks. Pick up both hard and soft serve ice cream here. New on the soft serve menu is raspberry Dole Whip, which the shop recommends you twist together with vanilla.
*134 Ridgedale Ave., East Hanover, 973.585.7988

Lake Hiawatha Dairy. Our 2024 Readers’ Choice winner for Best Ice Cream, this local staple rolls out new flavors and alternates menu items constantly, depending on what’s popular. Right now, what’s popular is their newest flavor, chocolate Nutella crunch.
*79 N Beverwyck Rd., Lake Hiawatha, 973.316.6686

Nasto’s Old World Desserts. This spot is one of Newark’s favorite ice cream shops (and it’s been around since 1939). It recently rolled out a peanut butter & jelly flavor you can try out for yourself.
*236 Jefferson St., Newark, 973.589.3333

What’s your go-to local ice cream shop? Tell us all about it in Instagram @morrisandessexmag!