Top 10 Ice Cream Shops
Summer is finally here, which means ICE CREAM! We have made it easy for you and created a list of our top ten favorite spots to get ice cream from the bottom of Rutland County to the top.
Otter Creek Fun Center
Located at 1800 US-7 in Danby, Otter Creek Fun Center is just off Route 7. The center offers dipped cones, soft serve (which many Vermonters call creemees), ice cream sundaes, hard ice cream, smoothies, shakes, and more! While you are there check out their arcade, bounce house, and driving range.
The Wells Country Store
Located a little further North, on the Western side of the county is The Wells Country Store at 1450 Vermont Route 30. This charming general store was bustling at lunchtime with people getting sandwiches before going to Lake St. Catherine. On the other side of the store is an ice cream window with seating outside, pictured to the left. I got toasted coconut ice cream with little bits of chocolate. It was delicious. And if you are a fan of iced lattes, I ordered the special of the day, Iced Honey Lavender Oat Milk Latte. They use local honey!
Robo’s Creemees & General Store
Continuing North to Castleton is Robo’s Creemees & General Store located at 33 Creek Road. This is a fan favorite, especially for those spending the day on Lake Bomoseen. The store has a rotating creemee flavor schedule found here. Be sure to see what flavors are available before you go!
Roxie’s Fries
A little East is Roxie’s Fries, located at 151 Route 4A East in Castleton. Their fries are some of the best around and may be added to a future blog 😉. Some people have even been known to dip their fries in their vanilla ice cream.
The Village Snack Bar
On your way toward Rutland City is The Village Snack Bar, located at 389 West Street. This is a local favorite for many Rutlanders. The line may be long, but it is worth the wait. They offer soft-serve, hard ice cream, milkshakes, and smoothies. The Village Snack Bar also cooks up other favorite snack bar foods, which you can order online and pick up at the window.
Seward Family Restaurant 
Also, in Rutland is the Seward Family Restaurant, located at 224 North Main Street. Their walk-up window is busy most summer nights and it is no wonder. The restaurant has over forty flavors of hard ice cream to choose from. Like many others, their creemees/soft serve flavors are on rotation, but if they have maple available, I strongly recommend it.
Mendon Mini Golf & Snack Bar 
As you leave Rutland City and drive through Mendon via Route 4, Mendon Mini Golf & Snack Bar will be on your right, located at 2556 US-4. This snack bar is open later than most snack bars in the area and you can pick from about two-dozen flavors of Hershey’s ice cream. True to the name, they have some go-to snack bar menu items. I like the chicken sandwiches, but I was told their “Now That’s a Burger,” which is ½ a pound, is a must. There is also a full mini-golf course and batting cages!
Mad Hatters Scoops 
If you take a trip further East to Killington, make your way up the mountain to Mad Hatters Scoops, located at 40 Summit Road. Offering specialty sundaes like the “Wonderland’s Mocha,” complete with coffee ice cream with hot fudge, double chocolate chip cookie, and chocolate sprinkles, and “The Vermonter,” made up of maple walnut ice cream with Rice Krispie Treat, maple syrup, and rainbow sprinkles, you cannot go wrong. Mad Hatters Scoops has hard ice cream as well, that is kid approved.
Scooby’s Scoops Ice Cream 
Heading North in Chittenden is Scooby’s Scoops Ice Cream, located at 50 Chittenden Road, in a more-so rural part of Rutland County. It is the perfect location to stop if you are on your way to or from the Chittenden Reservoir. The owners, pictured to the left, are serving up Bliss Ice Cream, made in small batches in Massachusetts. I ordered the coffee chip cookie dough, and it is my new all-time favorite. Scooby’s Scoops Ice Cream is cash only, but doggie dishes (vanilla ice cream) are only $1 and human-size dishes range from $2.00-4.00, add 50 cents for a waffle cone.
Virgil & Constance Home & Garden 
Our most Northern Rutland County ice cream stop is Virgil and Constance Home & Garden, located at 2473 Franklin Street (US 7) in Brandon. This shop may look like it only sells plants and home goods from the outside, but they also sell creemees and Wilcox Ice Cream, which is made in Southern Vermont. Fun fact: Virgil and Constance are the owners’ middle names!
These are some of our favorite spots across the county, but no matter where you go, you are bound to leave with a smile and most likely, some ice cream on your face. Make Rutland your home and try all of these ice cream locations yourself!
