8 Best Ice Cream Shops in West Hartford

“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Crumbl Cookies is excellent! The cookies are always fresh, soft, and full of flavor. I love how they have different flavors every week, and every cookie I’ve tried has been amazing. The staff is friendly, the store is clean, and the desserts are definitely worth it. Great experience overall — highly recommend!“

“I recently moved to Hartford not too long ago from Manchester, and this is the best Rita’s I’ve ever ordered from. Though I’ve never been in the store myself yet, they have been super accommodating and sweet through DoorDash. The management team is very kind! If they don’t have something they will let me know as soon as I place the order. All in all, please order from them. You won’t regret it.“

“I’m literally only giving it 5 stars because the old owner Harvey was a good guy and very business savvy. He knew my name and what I always wanted. And he connected with his customers. And that kept a HUGE clientele.

The new owners don’t know my name and are unfriendly. They are not exactly cheap and I still support. It’s a nice spot in town. Residents in West Hartford frequent there. It would be nice for them to be friendly, adaptable, relatable, down to earth and get to know their regulars who support them.

I personally will try to continue to support.

Let’s hope it’s only up from here! (Please get to know your customers!)“

“Overall, Ben & Jerry’s is a great spot to stop by for a scoop of ice cream! it’s been a staple of W. Hartford Center for many years now, and I’m grateful that it’s maintained such a long-term presence. The staff are always friendly, kind, and very efficient! The price is a little steep, but so is everything in West Hartford these days.

Overall, there’s a good selection of ice cream! I consume only dairy free ice cream, and usually they will have at least 2 to 3 flavors. The selection of dairy ice cream flavors is more expansive, and they truly have something for everyone in terms of taste. Their shakes and smoothies also looked delicious as well!

Unfortunately, the line is usually extremely long in the summer. The last time I was there, in late June, the line stretched all the way out the door. There were only two employees working, and they seemed quite young. They were doing a wonderful job, but it looked like a lot to juggle. In the warmer months, it may be helpful to staff more people due to the sheer volume.

I wanted to mention something that occurred at my last visit that concerned me. The line was extremely long. The couple in front of us had two medium-large sheepdogs. The dogs were extremely anxious and nervous being in such a long line and in a small and cramped space. They were clearly not doing well. A staff member kindly asked the couple to bring the dogs outside. They were obviously not service dogs as they had no vest or badge and were clearly not trained to be calm in stressful situations. The couple then proceeded to lie and say they were service animals. The staff dropped it, but I feel that a sign may be helpful for the front door stating service animals only. It was uncomfortable to see these dogs in distress in such a small shop, they were whining and very anxious.

Just wanted to give my feedback! Keep up the good work (-:“

“A.C. Petersen Farms Restaurant has been a favorite of mine for years whenever I come back home to visit Connecticut. It's one of those places that brings back great memories, and their ice cream is always at the top of my list. My absolute favorite flavor is the Pineapple Orange Ice Cream.

Unfortunately, during my most recent visit, something seemed different. What I love most about the Pineapple Orange Ice Cream is the combination of flavors and the little pieces of pineapple and cherry mixed throughout, which add a nice texture and crunch. This time, those pieces seemed to be missing. I've taken pictures of this ice cream over the years, so I know what it normally looks like, and this visit just didn't live up to the standard I've come to expect. The flavor was still good, but it wasn't the same experience without those fruit pieces.

My husband is also a huge fan of A.C. Petersen's ice cream. Over the years, he's tried almost every flavor on the menu and enjoys creating different combinations based on whatever toppings he's in the mood for that day. There's always something new for him to enjoy, which is one of the reasons we keep coming back.

As for the food, it's consistently good. I've worked my way through most of the menu over the years and have rarely been disappointed. The restaurant has always been a reliable spot for both comfort food and dessert.

Because my favorite ice cream flavor wasn't at its best during this visit, I have to give this experience 4 stars instead of 5. Even so, A.C. Petersen Farms remains one of my favorite places to visit when I'm back in Connecticut, and I look forward to returning. Hopefully, next time the Pineapple Orange Ice Cream will be back to the delicious, fruit-filled treat I've always loved.“

“probably not no. just entering the establishment their was paper towels all over the place and every surface was sticky, got up to the counter it was well over a half hour in line grabbing our purchase for one bowl I chose the fruity pebbles roll. the quality was very good of the ice cream. behind the line it looked clean but personally I think these young folks that work their need to try and fit some lobby maintenance here and their. I know it's rough sometimes. but those kids definitely were working their butts off every associate their was friendly too. but the entry was unesthetically pleasing.“

“Stopped by at Milkcraft and had a great experience. Devin was my attendant and provided excellent customer service. He was friendly, welcoming, and made the whole visit enjoyable. The ice cream was delicious, and the service made it even better. I’ll definitely be coming back.“