Arethusa Farm Dairy is easily one of the top ice cream spots I have ever tasted in my life. It is some of the creamiest, smoothest, and most refreshing ice cream I've ever had, without even a hint of artificial taste. According to their story, it's all naturally produced from the milk of their 300 cows housed at Arethusa Farm in Litchfield, CT. The menu is packed with delicious and interesting flavors, and taste-testing is gladly allowed. My daughter got a cup of the mint chip, while I opted for a waffle cone with sweet cream and chocolate. Both were absolutely delicious. The ambiance is that of an upscale ice cream spot. The interior features a bright, clean, and welcoming black-and-white design, with framed photos of their farm cows lining the walls. There is no traditional table seating inside--just two benches and some standing room--so it is mostly an order-to-go setup. It is also conveniently located right around the corner from the Yale University campus, making it a perfect treat to enjoy while walking. The service can be a little on the slow side, but that's likely because they graciously let everyone sample flavors. The employees are incredibly friendly, engaging, and informative about the shop's most popular scoops. An absolute must-visit in New Haven. read more

See all

1 star because of the terrible location, never any parking available and snooty employees. Short of that, the ice cream and dairy products in general is always good. It's just this location. Take the drive to bantam instead. read more

THE GOOD ---------------- + Possibly the best ice cream I've everrrr, everrrr had! ++++ Almond with Toasted Coconuts and Sweet Cream with Dark Chocolate Chips - Sooooooo goood and soooo creamy smooth and solid. Loved both flavors, but the Almond with Toasted Coconuts really stole my heart...and tastebuds. One of the best flavors of ice cream I've ever had...period! ++++ Strawberry and Cranberry with Dark Chocolate Chunk - Once again, so creamy for ice cream. These fruity flavors were phenomenal! Not too sweet and so natural tasting. No "artifical-ness" whatsoever. Being the hugely obsessive strawberry ice cream fanatic that I consider myself to be, this might have been the best strawberry ice cream I've ever tasted. + Menu consist of some very delicious-sounding and interesting flavors, including the Almond and Sweet Cream ones mentioned above, Pumpkin with Ginger Molasses and Eggnog. + Two employees were very friendly, engaging and informative about the most popular flavors. + Taste-testing is certainly allowed. + Two benches for customers to sit on inside, but there is plenty of standing room to walk around and admire the farm cow photos on the wall. THE NOT SO GOOD ---------------------------- - Like most ice cream shops, there was no restroom available for customers, so make sure to empty those tanks below the belt before arriving. MIXED THOUGHTS --------------------------- = Nada. RANDOM OBSERVATIONS -------------------------------------- = Even on a chilly March Saturday evening at around 6 PM, there were PLENTY of folks willing to freeze their tastebuds off here, so that tells you enough about how good the ice cream is here. = Conveniently located right around the corner from the Yale University campus, so you can enjoy your delicious ice cream with some of the world's brightest minds in your company. = According to their story, all of the ice cream served here is naturally produced from the milk of some of their 300 cows, which are housed at Arethusa Farm near Litchfield, CT, hence why their ice cream is so naturally smoooooooth and refreshing and doesn't have a hint of artificial taste in them. Nuff' said! read more

See all

- A true ice cream gem in the heart of New Haven; shop features a black-and-white interior with framed photos of the cows from their farm displayed along the walls; space is bright, clean, and welcoming - A couple of benches near the entrance make it easy to sit and enjoy your treat inside - Staff are incredibly welcoming, friendly, and patient--happy to let us sample a few flavors before ordering and even sharing a bit of the story behind their ice cream - Servings are very generous - Phenomenal ice cream--rich, creamy, and full of flavor, tasting natural with nothing artificial; everything we sampled was so good it was genuinely hard to choose what to order read more

See all

THE creamiest ice cream. Get yourself a half and half cup to try 2 flavors. Award winning milk and cheeses. read more

Arethusa Farm - Butter pecan - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

The amazing Arethusa ice cream from Bantam is present in New Haven. The shop itself is a little narrow, and has the same black and white design on the floor and walls. Samples are available because they have a fantastic selection. The employees are all focused on their tasks, and what could be a laborious process goes quickly. Their Ice cream is smooth and cool, perfect for a hot day. There isn't much for seating inside but there is an outdoor area with benches a few door down. (It's next to a gift shop) read more

See all

I had heard really great things about Arethusa but was a little disappointed. Maybe it was overhyped or maybe I'm just jaded from being from Wisconsin but it was really mid. It is still ice cream so can't be terrible but it just didn't have much flavor. Kind of just semi-sweet and cold. Probably won't go back as I've had better ice cream in CT. read more

Two Haiku Review: Not as creamy as I remember but still good Ice cream. When I eat The Sweet Cream Chocolate Chip, it reminds me of ice Cream from my childhood. read more

The BEST ice cream. it was a moderately long wait but it was worth it. They have cut back on the quantity of flavors and their frozen selections were minimal today. Like many places, they have also raised their prices considerably. However, the quality has not been diminished whatsoever. The chocolate with chocolate chips, literally melted in your mouth and made you happy from the first bite to the last! read more

Arethusa Farm - Covid has been over for a while folks. Time to bring back tasting samples. - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

See all

Arethusa is a family favorite and it's a place to bring friends visiting from out of town. I love that you can have 2 flavors in a single and that the waffle cones are fresh. There may be a line but it moves quickly and you'll be out eating your ice cream in the heart of New Haven. read more

Arethusa Farm - A girl holding her ice cream cone outside of the shop. - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

This is by far one of my favorites places to go for the best ice cream ! I love how rich the chocolate is and how it tastes , I have to really indulge when having ice cream here . I savoy every single bite until it's gone . I've had the strawberry and the raspberry and both taste amazing, raspberry kind of tart as they are so it's raw and delicious. read more

How nice of Arethusa to bless downtown New Haven with an excellent scoop shop. The ice creams are delectable. Classic flavors, luxurious mouthfeel, genuine dairy. Enjoy the friendly employees, black-and-white tile flooring, and cow-themed decor. read more

Delicious, high-quality ice cream with great customer service! The atmosphere is wonderful, with cute decorations, and there's a sweet Balouch girl from Iran who provides outstanding service. read more

See all

I absolutely loved their chocolate ice cream with dark chocolate chips--one of the best I've ever had. It was so good that on my way back from Providence, I made a stop specifically to have it again. That said, their limited flavor selection and the rule of only one tasting per group felt a bit odd. The service was fast, but I found the server rude during my first visit. The place is spacious enough for you to sit down and enjoy your ice cream. A must try!!! read more

One of the BEST ice cream places I have ever been too, and trust me, I have been to a lot! The ice cream here is soooo smooth and creamy, and you can taste that they use real ingredients to make their flavored ice cream. I got a single scoop w/ coffee and sweet cream ice cream (both popular flavors), and I cannot get over it. Super delicious. The best consistency I have ever had in ice cream. Plus, you can taste the quality espresso they used for their coffee ice cream. It wasn't just a flavoring or instant coffee. I will definitely be back to try more flavors. Fun fact: they sell their own milk and cheese in the fridge section! read more

Arethusa Farm - 1 scoop -- coffee & sweet cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

See all

Apparently this is THE place for ice cream in New Haven so we decided to try them out on a hot, humid day after spending some time at the Yale Art Gallery. The place is cute, decorated with photos of cow and farms. It's very clean and well maintained too. The ice cream in itself was pretty good - rich creamy and generous in serving. We got the split scoop of Almond with Toasted Coconut and Cherry with Dark Chocolate Chunks on a waffle cone. The cone was crispy & fantastic and definitely felt fresh. Docking a point cause they don't let you sample before buying. I mean, it's an ice cream shop with seasonal flavours every other month.. how am I to know what I like without trying it out first!?! Such a bummer but solid ice cream otherwise. read more

See all

I came here since saw positive review online, but really disappointed me. The waffle cone is NOT crunchy at all. And I reported to the staffs, she gave me another waffle cone, which is also soft and not crunchy at all. Ice cream is not impressive too, that's why only 1 star left. read more

Arethusa Farm - Waffle cone not crunchy - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

Their ice cream is sooo thick, rich, and creamy. It's more of a grab and go rather than a sit down and chat kinda place, but very clean and cozy interior. Highly recommend! read more

Arethusa Farm - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

This ice cream put my prior favorite to shame, wow the chocolate ice cream was A+. Fast service and great vibes. Wish I wasn't 7 hours away it would be a frequent trip. read more

I love Arethusa products! Rich creamy ice cream, crisp clean milk! I recommend it all!

Wish I took pics, but we ate too quickly! Delicious, high quality high cream, and a generous scoop. Even on a Saturday, the line was moving quickly. There were enough flavors for everyone to get what they wanted, but not too many to overwhelm. Some bench space inside to sit and eat, but there are also places nearby if you'd like to sit outdoors. read more

Simply the best ice cream. Never a long wait even on a busy summer Saturday. I always get pints from the grocery store so nice to visit when I'm in the neighborhood. I always get a small one scoop, they really give you two of either mint chip or sweet cream. They don't even put in any dye in their mint ice cream, it's just simply the best. read more

Arethusa Farm - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

After visiting Louis' Lunch, the wife wanted ice cream. Searched up Yelp, then she walked to Arethusa Farm while I got the rental car. I had to circle the block and wait. When she was ready, I picked them up at the curb, while an impatient driver honked, and sped by. She got an old-fashioned Raspberry ice cream in a cup. It tasted like it had rich butter fat. That's the type you'd expect from a place like this. We enjoyed the ice cream as we drove back to Boston. Since it was very cold outside, the ice cream kept pretty well in the car. I had a last bite as we approached Cape Cod. read more

No bathroom, place was clean, service was nice and pretty quick. The ice cream is slightly creamier than others! 4/5 sweet cream and chocolate chips 2/5 almond toasted coconut read more

Arethusa Farm - Sweet cream and chocolate chips - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

Hands down the best ice cream in New Haven. Honestly I think it's the best ice cream on the planet. The shop is small and charming. Some might complain about the lack of seating, but i think theres no better way to enjoy a walk around downtown than with a fresh and crunchy waffle cone in your hand. I had family visiting the area and it had to be a part of the tour. After we all got our cones the woman at the counter offered to take a group photo. She was very kind. The seasonal flavors are a good excuse to keep coming back. read more

I cannot believe that I haven't left a review for this place yet! Arethusa Farm is amazing! I couldn't believe how delicious the ice cream was, and it is local! Everything that they have inside is locally made so the ice cream that you're getting is coming from a cow somewhere in the city. It's on the sort of expensive side for an ice cream cone but it's well worth the price. It's ALWAYS crowded, and they have fun flavors that they switch up weekly. They keep serving ice cream until they run out (which is daily), and it's cute to browse the other locally made products they have (such as cheese and custard). Do yourself a favor and stop by for the lost delicious ice cream you'll ever have! read more

See all

While Rose & I were strolling in downtown New Haven, we stopped here for a nice cup of ice cream. Rose hsd coffee & peach combo & I had a vanilla & peach ice-cream combo. This ice cream is both creamy & tasty. To put it bluntly, we pigged out on this ice cream. What a treat! read more

Had some of Arethusas delicious ice cream On Friday during New Haven Night Market. It was such beautiful weather that we just needed a treat as we walked around and checked out vendors. I've had Arethusa before but never been to the New Haven location in the past. It's nice and bright and definitely was busy. They had some seasonal flavors and specialty flavors. I tried some butter pecan and coconut with chocolate chunks all in 1 scoop! It definitely was plenty ! Soo good! Creamy and it hit the spot! read more

Arethusa Farm - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

The best ice-cream I have ever tasted. The texture is unreal and creamy. The flavors are also natural and not artificial at all. The strawberry one is my favorite. read more

Arethusa Farm - Strawberry Ice Cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

They have delicious ice cream. Plus, they make their own butter, which is also insanely good. Pumpkin ice cream is one of their specialty flavors for fall, and it's my newest flavor addiction. Eat at your own risk. Nudge nudge wink wink... say no more. read more

See all

Love their ice cream!!! It's the place I always go if I were in New Haven. The service is good too. Highly recommend this place!

The perfect place if you're in the mood for super rich, super creamy, and amazingly high quality ice cream. The portions are very big and shareable. You can also split one scoop into two flavors - I've always gotten 2 flavors since I'm indecisive! Some of my favorite combos are mint chip + chocolate, coconut w/ dark chocolate + chocolate, or mint chip + sweet cream. Their seasonal flavors (sour cherry w/ dark chocolate and peach during the summer) are fantastic too - I love how the fruit flavors shine through without being overly sweet. They are not doing samples/tastings currently. Besides ice cream, they also sell cheese, yogurt, milk, and butter. read more

Arethusa Farm - Shopfront - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

See all

Delicious homemade ice cream in New Haven! Be prepared to wait in line and sit outside as there are not any tables available indoors. read more

Arethusa Farm - Vanilla scoop - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

My go to ice cream spot in New Haven. Their mint chocolate really hits the spot. Super affordable and HUGE portions! Their "one scoop" is actually two scoops and you are allowed to choose two different flavors to split your scoop as. I love this gesture because I am one of those people who is usually conflicted or in between two choices. I can never make a decision! The Ice cream is creamy and thick-- and the right amount of sweetness. Highly recommend sharing because I can barely finish it by myself! The store itself is right on Chapel street and by a lot of restaurants, making it a great post-dinner dessert. There isn't a seating area in the store though (there's some standing spaces), making it hard to find a place to eat your treat. The interior design is cute and farm/cow themed. read more

Arethusa Farm - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

Arethusa makes divine ice cream. It's fresh, its delicious, it's local, it's natural, nothing is questionable about it. However, I recently visited the New Haven location and I was a bit disappointed. The server was moody and used a heavy tone of voice towards customers. This is absolutely inappropriate and unprofessional. I don't see myself returning here again. The strawberry ice cream was a first for me. It was perfection, creamy, rich, a good portion size and with delightful strawberry pieces within. Yum! They don't provide indoor or outdoor seating, which is another let down. I encourage you to try Arethusa's delicious selection of ice cream, but I much prefer the West Hartford location. read more

See all

10/10 as always! This remains my favorite ice cream around! I love the seasonal cherry with dark chocolate chunks! Give it a try! read more

See all

Was super excited to check out Arethusa Farm when I found out this was one of the local spots to try that directly source their dairy from their own farm. The New Haven locations storefront is semi-tucked away and you have to rely on small street signage to identify the shop. Upon entry, it's actually pretty spacious and since it was a weekday, also relatively empty. They had a variety of flavors to choose from but since it was so late in the day, the seasonal flavors were out. They don't do samples at this location so you're going to have to think hard about what you want because that's what my group did. However, the team member just stared at us awkwardly without trying to explain any of the items. Typical service you'd expect from a quick service dessert spot. I'm from Cali so prices are super cheap. The same portion in California would cost close to $20 so $6-7 is an absolute steal! I opted for the strawberry flavor whereas my friends got coffee and the sweet cream one. The ice cream texture was phenomenal. Super rich, creamy, not too sweet, and had the perfect consistency. There were some icy bits due to the fruit chunks but I pleasantly enjoyed the slight textural contrast. Definitely a must try when you're in the state of Connecticut! Only bumping a star due to customer service experience. read more

See all

Outstanding ice cream! Had toasted almond in a waffle cone. Both were so flavorful. Service was quick and friendly. I only wish they had seating inside like they do at the West Hartford location. I believe if you take a left out of there, there is some outdoor seating in the area but not sure how pleasant it is between the homeless and Yale students. read more

I may like the West Hartford location better as it is closer and more convenient but if I'm I New Haven....I'll still go to Arethusa to have that creamy tasty ice cream melt in my mouth even if the weather is below freezing. The ice cream tastes the same at both locations and it is still one of the best ice creams I have ever eaten. Their coffee and pistachio flavors are to die for, and only coffee was available. Though they don't put pistachio in the seasonal sections on their website, pistachio is seasonal......as i have seen pistachio ice-cream served only in the summer. Coffee has a rich creamy flavor and the pistachio is nutty yet creamy. I don't see any artificial flavors in their ice cream. read more

See all

This is a good place to stop by while walking downtown (?) New Haven. The ice cream is more like ice CREAM, if you know what I mean. I did enjoy it but I would not go out of my way for this. The flavors are very traditional. There is no restroom. The ice cream is OK. But... locals say this is the creamiest ice cream, and I agree with this. Now, does more cream mean better? No. Just no. read more

See all