I recently got AL's ice cream from its sibling business NoRa Cupcake. Apparently you can do that when NoRa is open and Al's is closed. I ordered a scoop of Peppermint Fudge. I suspect, when it was fresh made, it would have been rich, smooth and creamy. However, this scoop had unpleasant ice crystals as if they didn't sell this batch fast enough and it's been in the freezer for a while. The flavor was decent, but didn't really pop for me. 3 Stars read more

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Always get three scoops, always. We scored the random but delicious trifecta of Carrot Cake + Rasbery + Venetian Vanilla after a long stroll that evening. A pretty sweet reset read more

What a nice little shop. Coming home from the beach with family and rather eating dessert at the restaurant we were at on the coast we figured we find something on the way home. Came across this shop and decided to get our ice cream fixing. We were all still full from dinner but didn't stop us from topping off our stomachs. We all enjoyed what we got. I ordered the lemon blueberry crumble which was very light and refreshing. Loved the sign that they had hanging in the shop. read more

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Al's Ice Cream Shoppe is an off shoot of NoRa Cupcake next door making premium ice cream with some classic and fun flavor combinations. It's a great addition to the Middletown dining scene and when I visited on a recent Tuesday they had a steady stream of customers. They have some of their cupcake flavors that they have turned into ice cream flavors (think Irish Car Bomb and Fat Elvis) and some fun seasonal flavors (I tried Lemon Blueberry Crumble the day I visited). My only gripe as Dawn O also highlighted in her review is that the ice cream was a bit melty when it was scooped which meant fast eating once it was in hand. Not sure if that is a common occurrence but be aware if you visit on a hot day. read more

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As a mom, a new ice cream place is always welcome in town. From the minute we heard the news of a new shop, we had been keeping our eyes open for an opening day. I'm pretty sure we made it or we were darn close. Al's is definitely a place that is being added to our rotation. Located next door to Nora's on Main Street in Middletown, we parked behind Eli's. Unfortunately, there were no spots near the shop. We were early enough in the day that my son and I were the only two in the shop. My husband had stayed home not knowing if they would have a dairy free or vegan option for him. We were happy to see all of the flavor options, but also a few vegan too. My son got the basic chocolate in a cone with the addition of gummy bears. I opted for a kiddie cup of strawberry fluff. We both agreed both were very good. The staff was knowledgeable about their product and friendly. While we were waiting to get our order another couple came in. While they were ordering, more people walked through the door.It started to get a little crowded, but unfortunately there is no seating offered inside or outside. There was an old built-in in the window, so we had made ourselves makeshift seats. While the space offers high airy ceilings and bright cheerful decor, the seating situation is not very welcoming. We'll be visiting again soon, in hopes that a few seats have been added. read more

AL's Ice Cream Shoppe - All the flavors - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

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When my friend told me Nora's Cupcakes opened an ice cream shop, we knew we had to go. We went on a Saturday night after dinner, and upon entry we were greeted by a very friendly staff member. The menu offered unique flavors not typically found at other ice cream shops. I ended up ordering one scoop of the Carrot Cake and one scoop of the Pumpkin Cheesecake with rainbow sprinkles. The flavors were spot on - I loved the carrot cake pieces, cream cheese flavor and the creaminess of the ice cream. I just learned AL's Ice Cream Shoppe is closed for Winter, so I can't wait to see what new flavors they have come Spring! read more

AL's Ice Cream Shoppe - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

Our favorite ice cream spot to visit. They always have a creative assortment of homemade ice cream flavors as well as your old fashioned go to flavors! I love the variety of toppings they carry. Their staff is very friendly and the atmosphere is so cute. Would suggest Al's if you're looking for dessert! read more

Have been eagerly awaiting for Al's to open! From the folks that brought you NoRA Cupcakes, we knew this ice cream was gonna hit! And they didn't disappoint. We went opening weekend so there were definitely some kinks to be worked out, of course, but this is gonna be such a hot spot in Middletown! Pretty tight inside when they're busy with very minimal seating. They have so many unique flavors and menu items to choose from. Our favorites were the Strawberry Fluff, Lemon Blueberry Crumble and Raspberry Pound Cake. Also loved the Fluffernutter that had a PB base! We need to get back to try some of their unique sundae offerings and their Perkatory Coffee Float! Love that they're partnering with other local Middletown staples with some of their menu items! read more

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Small ice cream shop attached to (and owned by) NoRA Cupcakes They have a ton of both classic and creative flavors to try, and the ice cream is very high quality! The space is very small and undecorated, and there aren't really any seats read more

What fun, absolutely fabulous ice cream! I visited AL's with three others today (including one hungry eight year old). Everyone loved what they got. I had a scoop of salted caramel brownie and one of chocolate cherry cheesecake in a freshly made waffle cone. YES to chunks of real cheesecake (graham cracker crust and all) in my ice cream. My sister went for a scoop of the carrot cake and one of the fluffernutter blondie -- both were great but the carrot cake in particular was really special. The eight year old gave a big thumbs up to the cotton candy ice cream. Everything was so fresh and delicious. Many of the ice creams have yummy chunks of cake, brownies, and other goodies in them. (The companion business, Nora's Cupcakes, is just next door and supplies these.) Bonus: the staff were so delightful and parking was easy on a hot Sunday afternoon. Several spots immediately in front of the shop were open. read more

AL's Ice Cream Shoppe - Cookie dough ice cream on bottom, cotton candy ice cream on top. Chocolate sprinkles all over. Rainbow sprinkles on top of the waffle cone. - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

Al's is the best ice cream on Main Street. Portions are generous and price is great. They're very creamy whether you get the traditional or the vegan coconut base. The staff are extremely friendly and happy to let you sample. The store is cute and welcoming. You can order anything from the ice cream menu or the cupcake menu from sister store NoRa's. My only complaint is that some of the flavors can be a little one note. For example the carrot cake is delicious but can be dominated by the cream cheese or the Irish car bomb is very chocolate forward. But that hasn't stopped me from going twice in a week! read more

AL's Ice Cream Shoppe - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

So since we had Friday off with the kids, we decided to do lunch at Eli Cannon's and then we crossed the street to try Al's ice cream. They rotate their flavors and they have some staples. We had the strawberry fluff which was a strawberry ice cream with a fluff swirl. We had the chocolate ice cream self-explanatory. We had the bourbon apple crumble bourbon ice cream with apple chunks and crumble pieces. We had the fluffanutter which had marshmallows swirl, peanut butter,l ice cream, and blondie chunks. And then we also tried the pistachio and the ginger matcha pear. Our favorites were the strawberry fluff and the ginger matcha pear. My only complaint was it wasn't a hot day and the chocolate ice cream was pretty much already melted once we walked out the door and that was the flavor in my littlest chose so she was wearing it as well as eating it. They make their ice cream from scratch and have a lot of imagination with their flavor offerings. And if you're in Middletown, I think You should stop by and give him a try. read more

AL's Ice Cream Shoppe - Bourbon Apple Crumble & Fluffanutter Blonde - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

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I visited Al's after having an early dinner over at Harrie's Jailhouse, and, omg, the whipped cream was THE BEST. The ice cream was delicious as well (lol)! I ordered their mint chip ice cream and cookie dough. The ice cream was very creamy . The staff was friendly and super helpful when we asked about flavors. I can't wait to go back! read more

AL's Ice Cream Shoppe - Mint chip and cookie dough ice cream with whipped cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

I've been here twice in the last week (yeah I know I know, that's a lot of ice cream), and both times it has been outstanding. AL's, a sister-location to Nora's Cupcake next door is boasting homemade slow-churned ice cream. It definitely tastes like a premium ice cream, and not your run-of-the-mill Giffords ice cream. A menu board full of probably 20+ flavors, and even more options like milkshakes, and other over-the-top sundaes. Flavors like Irish Car Bomb, Bourbon Caramel Pretzel, and Fluffernutter Blondie are just some of the exciting gourmet ice cream flavors they offer that will make you wish you got a larger size. I hate to be too nit-picky at a place that just opened, but this won't stop me from coming back. First of all, there is no real seating, there are some plywood window ledges you can sit on but if there are more than 4 people there it feels too crowded, and there is no place outside to sit and enjoy. Secondly, the paper dishes they are using are probably really good environmentally, but they are not substantial enough. We tried the ice cream flight our first time as a welcomed opportunity to try 6 different flavors. While each flavor of the ice cream was fantastic, the dish (picture a thin paper french fry dish you'd get at a ballgame) was so flimsy for the weight of the ice cream, and on a hot day the ice cream leaked from the corners of the dish. I witnessed a similar experience today with another patron where the strawberry sauce leaked all over the floor. So yeah, they got to work on that, or at a minimum double up on the dish for more support. They accept credit cards and cash. Parking can be challenging, street parking or one of the public lots behind the Health Center or Eli Cannons. read more

Carrot cake ice cream?? Say less. Whenever I go to a new ice cream place, I try to opt for unique flavors that can't be found anywhere else. I've never seen carrot cake as an option before and, that being another dessert I love, I had to try it. The flavor was on point. The creamy base was a cream cheese frosting flavor that wasn't too overpowering, and there were also chunks of cake along with golden raisins. My friends got classic flavors of vanilla and chocolate and enjoyed their scoops, as well. read more

SO YUMMY!! i got the shark week sundae (vanilla ice cream, blue raspberry cream topping, blue sprinkles, shark gummies, whipped cream and a cherry) and for someone with an insane sweet tooth, i loved it :). all the servers were extremely kind even with the fact that the line was out the door. they have really cute decor and some outside seating. the menu was super unique!! fun flavors, toppings, and along with the option of a sundae or shake, you could also get a soda float, flight of six scoops of different flavors, or ice cream cookie sandwich!! i would definitely recommend checking this place out. i've seen a couple reviews that noted the lack of indoor seating, which i can see being a concern. however this wasn't a problem to me as there was seating outside by the day we got there (i think six days from the grand opening). i don't foresee indoor seating coming to this location (due to a lack of a public barhroom), and as someone who works in a restaurant without indoor seats for the same reason, i feel for the servers who will be hearing the complaint a lot. in addition, the center of middletown is super nice and though parking gets tough on the weekends, i find it a very pleasant area to walk about in! there are many fun stores and restaurants around to discover. read more

Decided to go get some ice cream and happened to think of AL's Ice Cream. AL's has a location right next to Noras Cupcakes. The service was amazing, I was able to sample the Strawberry Fluff ice cream as well as the FlufferNutter Blondie. Both flavors were really good, although I decided on getting the Big Samoa Sundae. This sundae was perfect for what I was looking for. It comprised of a warm brownie, coconut dream ice cream, whipped cream, shredded coconut, and a carmel like sauce. This was one of the best sundaes I've had in a while despite the cost of 11.25. I would definitely go back soon! read more

AL's Ice Cream Shoppe - big samoa sundae - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

variety check flavor check service check parking check decor check friendliness check on the repeat list double check read more

Difficult to get parking. I ended up two blocks before and was not comfortable walking in that area. No place to sit inside or outside. Service was impressive because when my family and I went there were so many people and of course you have your rude obnoxious people complaining but all 21+ were served in decent amount of time. There were 6 of us and I didn't like mine but everyone else liked theirs. I felt way too expensive($58) /I paid for everyone to three items were just plain . I go to Durham Dairy Serve and Cromwell Creamery and pay way less and their ice cream is good . read more

Paid $6.44 for one single tiny scoop of vegan ice cream with a weird custard-y texture I didn't care for; ended up throwing half out. Servers were nice but didn't seem knowledgeable about products. Nice decor. read more