Guide To The Best Ice Cream In Prince Edward County
Sandbanks Provincial Park. Photo c/o Destination Ontario
Ontario’s Prince Edward County — an oasis of bucolic landscapes, sandy beaches and farm-to-table cuisine — is a much-loved getaway spot for southern Ontario city-dwellers. Summer in the County can be busy, but it is popular for a reason; the restaurants are amazing, the accommodations are super cool and the beaches can’t be beat.
If you’re lucky enough to find yourself in the County on a hot summer day, you may be wondering where to go to get a scoop of creamy and delicious ice cream. Well, we’ve got you covered. Read on below for a full guide to the best ice cream in the County.
We have a curated selection of excellent overnight packages available in Prince Edward County and other regions of South Eastern Ontario so be sure to check those out for your next getaway.
Related: Read about the farm-to-table experience at the Marans in PEC.
Old Greenhouse Ice Cream Shop
182 Main Street, Wellington
Located in Wellington, Old Greenhouse Ice Cream Shop serves soft serve infused with your choice of up to three ‘Flavour Bursts’ — think watermelon, bubblegum or toffee — so you can create your own flavour combination. The colourful result is a hit with young and old. The shop also has scoops from Peterborough’s Central Smith Creamery.
Slickers Ice Cream
232 Main Street, Picton & 271 Main Street, Bloomfield
Slickers Ice Cream is a Prince Edward County institution. For more than 20 years, the company has been making their own all-natural ice cream using local products and fresh cream. The ice cream is small-batch, made fresh daily using Ontario cream. There are two locations in the County and we encourage you to try both as each has its own distinct vibe (same great ice cream).
Sunflower Fields Ice Cream Shoppe
866 County Road 10, Cherry Valley
This sweet ice cream and coffee shop is set off in the countryside close to Sandbanks Provincial Park. As its name suggests, Sunflower Fields Ice Cream Shoppe is indeed set amongst fields of beautiful sunflowers. You can usually catch them in full bloom sometime between mid-July and mid-August (depending on weather). As for the ice cream: you’ll find 34 flavours of Kawartha Dairy, as well as 8 flavours of non-dairy gelato and Reid’s Dairy soft serve.
Cones & Shakes
19 Elks Street, Picton
Huge portions are standard at Picton’s Cones & Shakes, which serves exactly what its name implies: Kawartha Dairy ice cream cones, soft serve and milkshakes. The location is a short walk from Picton’s main road.
The Bean Counter Cafe
172 Main Street, Picton
Coffee and gelato have to be two of our favourite things and you can get both at the Bean Counter Cafe in downtown Picton. The bonus? The delicious gelato is locally made AND vegan. Available in convenient to-go cups or pre-packed tubs to take to the park or beach.
Sister Scoops Ice Cream
2544 County Road 64, Carrying Place
Located in Carrying Place, Sister Scoops is a great spot to hit for ice cream on your way in or out of the County. They serve 24 flavours of Kawartha Dairy ice cream in a bright location next to Hoss’s Diner. There is outdoor seating available.
Ice cream is also often available at Campbell’s Orchard, Black River Cheese and the Lavender Farm — all three of these unique producers are superb and well worth a visit when in the County (with or without the ice cream).
Related: At the end of last summer, our Content Director headed to the County and Bay of Quinte for ice cream testing with her children. You can read their report in our Landsby Journal archives.
Reach out to us if you’d like to book your own Prince Edward County getaway.
