I consider myself a huge enthusiast of ice cream. I mean, who doesn't appreciate it?
Indulging in an ice cream cone is undoubtedly one of my cherished summer pastimes, and fortunately, the Portland area offers a plethora of delightful ice cream establishments. Exploring intriguing and distinctive flavors is an absolute delight for me. Ever heard of the concept of pie served in ice cream? It's a culinary adventure worth experiencing.
Without further ado, here's a compilation of 8 indispensable ice cream shops and food trucks in and around the Portland, Maine region (listed in no specific order).
Save this list and share via Instagram story to keep track of which ones you went to this summer.
Portland Twist
Portland
Portland Twist creates its ice cream with real ingredients (no artificial or unknown additives) and removes excess air so that it comes out denser and creamier than regular soft serve. I love the ice cream truck's menu of soft serve ice cream served with interesting toppings like toffee bits or fruity pebbles. They also have fun names like "Pebbles the Red Head" and "Ya Basic."
Pictured below:
"Pebbles the Redhead" - Fruity Pebbles cereal twisted into vanilla ice cream and topped with strawberry dust and sprinkled with more pebbles.
”Coffee Toffee Brickle” - Vanilla ice cream twisted with coffee brew coffee and garnished with toffee bits and salted caramel.
Summer Hours:
Check out the Portland Twist website and/or social media to find out where and when Twist is operating.
Maine Maple Creemee Co.
Portland
Inspired by trips to Vermont, the owner of Maple Creemee Co. serves up sweet and creamy Maple Creemees. Another thing that makes this food truck unique is some of the toppings you can get to customize your ice cream such as chocolate pebbles, walnuts, Maine maple potato chips, or even a maple Eighty8 donut.
Summer Hours:
Most often found Thursday through Sunday on the Eastern Promenade in Portland. The business posts daily updates on Instagram about location, hours, and cancelations.
Maxim's Desserts
Kennebunkport
Home of the "pie cone", Maxim's Desserts gives you the best of both worlds. With your pick of various pie and ice cream options, you get to customize your own decadent dessert. They will mash in pie, ice cream, and more pie into a waffle cone.
Pictured below is the key lime pie with vanilla ice cream (on left) and chocolate creme pie with coffee oreo ice cream (right).
Summer Hours:
Wednesday: 5 pm - 10 pm
Thursday-Sunday: 2 pm - 10 pm.
Check their Instagram for updated hours.
Gelato Fiasco
Portland and Brunswick
"Inspired by Italy. Perfected by Maine" Gelato Fiasco shouldn't be missed on your ice cream to-try list. The gelato is smooth and creamy and made with fresh milk from family farms. One of the best parts is that you can try multiple flavors in any size, there are no limits!
Pictured below is a small dish of the Mascarpone Pistachio Caramel and the Maple Sap Tap gelato from the Gelato Fiasco Ice Cream Truck located at the Eastern Promenade in Portland.
Summer Hours:
Both the Old Port and the Brunswick store location is open seven days a week, from 12 pm to 11 pm.
The Gelato Truck on the Eastern Prom is open every day in the summer from lunch through dinner, weather permitting.
Sticky Sweet
Portland
Sticky Sweet has homemade plant-based ice cream that is 100% vegan and 100% gluten-free. The ice cream is made with ingredients like cashews and coconut. Their hand-made waffle cones are made fresh daily and are a must. Sticky Sweet's ice cream tastes so rich and creamy that you might forget all about dairy!
Summer Hours:
Wednesday: 5 pm - 9 pm
Thursday-Saturday: 3 pm - 9 pm
Sunday: 1 pm - 7 pm
Beal's Old Fashioned Ice Cream
Portland and Gorham
Beal's Old Fashioned Ice Cream handcrafts small batches of ice cream in a variety of flavors. One of my favorite parts about Beal's is the handmade waffle cones and original flavors. Flavors like teaberry, whoopie pie, oreo dough, blueberry cobbler, and chocomania are some of the more unique ones.
Pictured below is a one-scoop order of the Cheesecake ripple (left) and two scoops of the sugar-free chocolate (right). As you can see one scoop is more than enough!
Summer Hours:
Veranda Street, Portland location:12:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Old Port location: 12:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Willard Scoops
South Portland
Willard Scoops is located in Willard Square, South Portland, which is a short walk to Willard Beach. The area is a quiet neighborhood and feels like a hidden gem. I recommend cooling off this summer by getting an ice cream cone and then visiting the nearby beach.
Willard Scoop's ice cream is homemade using natural and fresh ingredients. There are many ice cream flavors to choose from including some out-of-the-box ones like Key Lime Pie and Wild Maine Blueberry.
Summer Hours:
Monday - Thursday: 12 pm - 9 pm
Friday - Saturday: 12 pm - 10 pm
Sunday: 12 pm - 9:30 pm
Kettle Cove Ice Cream and Shack
Cape Elizabeth
Kettle Cove Ice Cream and Shack serves homemade ice cream and food like seafood, burgers, and such. Some of the creamery's flavors include sea salt caramel, mint oreo, peanut butter cup, peanut butter oreo, pumpkin pie and so much more. After you satisfy your sweet tooth, visit Kettle Cove or Crescent Beach Park nearby.
Summer Hours:
Ice cream shack: Open 7 days a week, 11 am - 9 pm
Food shack: 11:30 am - 7:00 pm
Thanks for reading!
- The Maine Chick
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