Arrived on a Tuesday night close to closing time. There were 4 of us. Service was at the window and pretty quick. Portions were huge. They are located in a basic strip mall so not much for ambience / character. The mint chocolate chip ice cream lacked depth of flavor but was still pretty good. What I really didn't like - the young girl that made my ice cream cone held the cone over the garbage can to add the chocolate sprinkles. And I mean almost in the garbage can. Hopefully it is a dedicated can for such work. If not... yikes. The cone was excellent. read more

Handel's Homemade Ice Cream Cornelius - Medium Mint Chocolate Chip with chocolate sprinkles in a chocolate dipped waffle cone - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

On a trip this past summer to the Charlotte/Concord/Kannapolis area, we stopped at this Handel's location for some ice cream on our way out of town. We used to have a Handel's location closer to us, and we miss it greatly, so we make sure to stop anytime we are near one! Handel's is located in a strip mall-type area, in a corner unit. Specifically, it is located right off of 77 and W Catawba Avenue. There is plenty of parking for the complex, so that will not be an issue. The store has plenty of visible signage to point you in the right direction. Our visit was on a Thursday evening in July, a little after 8:00 PM. There were several groups enjoying ice cream, but there was not an overwhelming line. I believe we only had two or three people in front of us before we were able to order. The area outside of the store is not overwhelmingly large, but they have a roped-off area to show where the line should form to avoid it spilling into the dining areas. Some Handel's locations have an inside, but this location is completely outdoors. So, to place your order you simply walk up to the windows, and can then enjoy their patio seating or take your items to-go. When you approach the windows, you will see all of the signage, menu items, and flavors. The flavors were located on a sandwich board on the ground, which made it difficult to see if you were not directly in front of the windows. I could see this being a challenge if there was a long line, as one would not be able to see the flavor lists until right before ordering. We were waited on by a few of the staff members. Since it was not that busy when we ordered, they seemed to be splitting duties. My fiance ordered a Small Cake Cone of Key Lime Pie, and I got a 4 Scoop Sampler with Frosted Animal Cookie, Monkey Business, Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie, and Blue Moon. I thought the scoops on the 4 Scoop were somewhat small, but no complaints other than that. Additionally, we ordered a Dogster for our dog, and of course he loved it! Personally, the Frosted Animal Cookie was the only flavor I had not tried previously. It was alright...it is very sweet and truthfully did not remind me much of the cookie (besides the actual inclusions of animal cookies in the ice cream). It was made well, but just personally not for me. I have had all of the other flavors before, and they were all great. I love the uniqueness of Blue Moon, and also how refreshing Key Lime Pie always is. Since it was such a nice night, we enjoyed our ice cream on the patio. I love the lights they have strung up over the seating. There were probably around 5 to 6 tables, and a few benches around the perimeter of the patio. I am not sure how busy this location gets, but I could see there being a lack of seating during peak business times. However, we had no issue grabbing a table to sit at during this visit. I thought the prices were in line with what I would expect from a Handel's. Being that I am not from this area, it is hard to say if it is in line with other ice cream shops in the area. For all three of our items, it was around $15 with tax. My only complaint is that the Dogster was $3, which seems high. The staff were friendly and conversational. Since there was no line, I was talking with the one staff member about the Handel's that used to be near us, and enjoyed learning more about this particular location through our conversation. Overall, we enjoyed checking out a Handel's location we had never been to before. This is in a nice area, has plenty of parking, is clean, and has a nice atmosphere. My only critiques were the positioning for the flavors in relation to the line, pricing on some items, and the portion of the 4 Scoop Sampler. However, do not let that deter you from stopping here for a sweet treat if you are in the area! read more

See all

It's all outside, so make sure you wear enough clothes if it's cold outside! Cute shop with a lot of different flavors- I'm lactose intolerant so I went with the almond milk chocolate. I got the small, and was really happy! It wasn't small at all. Awesome ice cream!! read more

Handel's Homemade Ice Cream Cornelius - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

In the area and wanted dessert so we gave Handel's a try! You have to order outside and they will call your order. They were very fast and efficient. There was a variety of flavors to choose from, as well as waffle cones and bowls. I got a small brown dough scoop in a cup. The employee at the window informed me that the small was about 2 and a half scoops, which was about 5 ounces and that was perfect for me. read more

Handel's Homemade Ice Cream Cornelius - Brownie Dough - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

Our first time trying Handel's ice cream, was not familiar and looked into them a bit. We knew this was the newest of their locations. Very tasty ice cream, lots of flavors, portions good for the money. I tried the Twixter after my favorite candy bar. It was really good, although chopping up some Twix bars would really make it great, but it is a tasty flavor with quality ingredients. Service is quick, you just wait nearby and they call out your order. There is no covered tables, so on a hot day, you will be in the sun. Nice addition to Cornelius. Go give them a try. read more

See all

Love the old school feel of walking up to a window to order! It's got those beach vibes and makes you reminisce about all those family beach trips...until you look around and realize you are in a shopping center in Cornelius, NC. The ice cream is very flavorful and tastes exactly what the flavor is. The Blueberry Cheesecake Chunk was delicious but very rich. The Mocha Almond Fudge Ripple had a great balance of the chocolate and coffee taste. The chunks of the different ingredients in each bite make it fresh and homemade. read more

See all

We were in the area having dinner and had never tried Handels and it was right there, so let's put it to the test. I don't eat a ton of ice cream but I know what I like. There is another place near handles that I would choose everyday. This is a walk up window that delivers fast service. I had the mint chocolate chip as it's my go to and it was ok. I would say that it isn't as good as I am used to. it's not bad by any means but I prefer other ice creams in the area. Sorry handels..... read more

LOVE! If you are looking for good, creamy ice cream then this is the place! It is a little bit on the pricey side but you do get a lot of ice cream. The ice cream is some of the best I've had in the area. If you need a recommendation, the chocolate peanut better brownie is amazing. They also have seasonal flavors which are always fun. There is a huge selection year round so there is plenty of options for everyone! If you are more into sorbet, there are a couple options but not too many. Service is also very friendly and speedy. They have some outdoor seating and no inside seating, but it does get packed in the summer. Overall, 10/10 ice cream. read more

This was my first time at a Handel's and I loved it. The woman working was so patient letting me try lots of flavors. My favorite was the caramel pretzel crunch that I had there and then took back to my air bnb a pint of choc chip mint. I so hope we get one of these in my home state of Washington. read more

Handel's Homemade Ice Cream Cornelius - Ice cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

coldest, wettest, gloomiest day in many days and Yelp is suggesting we go out for ice cream!? really? it's 41-degrees american and cloudy and windy and rainy and cold and we're going to be at the museum for most of the day... so sure! let's go get something to make the day feel even colder... and chocolatey and maybe bananas... so yeah, driving home we wound up at Handel's in Cornelius at their walk-up in the weather talking with the proprietor and the staff and getting a bit of super good ice cream because sometimes delicious happens and I want to be there when it does... the appeal of bananas on a waffle cone is not lost on me nor a scoop of chocolatey goodness in a cup for my lovely bride; then a quick dash back to the warm waiting car to get out of the weather because we are often a bit impulsive we are not completely daft. turned the seat heaters up to medium and sat a while enjoying our treats and questioning our decision making process a little but mainly enjoying our treats. rich and creamy and banana-y without the usual synthetic banana feel; brownie bites and a taste of caramel proves there's no business like monkey business and it's a good business to be in, same for the banana cream pie. frequently sanity prevails so it'll be a few days before we try this again but we will totally be back for another go at the menu... so many flavors, so little time, and no protected seating :-( read more

Handel's Homemade Ice Cream Cornelius - cold, wet, windy, plus the remains of a monkey business on a waffle cone - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

Delicious ice cream, and excellent service! I had the strawberry cheesecake chunk milkshake! And it is soooooo good! Definitely come here! read more

Handel's Homemade Ice Cream Cornelius - Front - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

The best ice cream I've ever had! The raspberry truffle and salted Carmel truffle were excellent!

Yesterday I wanted a sweet treat to start the drive home from Charlotte to Virginia and stopped in at Handel's. As a Caramel lover I was not disappointed when I ordered a Salty Caramel/ Banana Foster combo. I received a generous serving loaded with gooey caramel from their happy staff. Only wish we had a Handel's closer to home! read more

Handel's Homemade Ice Cream Cornelius - Delicious Fall Combo. Handel's Salty Caramel and Banana Foster. - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

The best Butter Pecan ice cream I have ever had. The price was good and you got a lot of ice cream for the price.

Fantastic ice cream. Prepared well. Good service. I will be back and will recommend this place

Walk up and order. Plenty of seating outside in front of the shop. Some flavors are hard to decipher by their name, but staff are prepared to answer. They offer samples, too. Generous helpings and tasty ice cream. Normal pricing for ice cream in the area. Nice to have another option in Lake Norman. read more

Handel's Homemade Ice Cream Cornelius - ustomers waiting in line - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

We went for the first time earlier this week! It was absolutely the best! I will definitely recommend Handel's to everyone! i had a 2 scoop sundae with Carmel, whip, and a cherry! The ice cream was chocolate /pecan & butter pecan! read more

Phenomenal ice cream! We fell in love with Handel's when we visited family in Ohio years ago, and were ecstatic when we found out this location was opening nearby. Took the whole family this weekend and also brought home a quart of monkey business (even better than I remember) and a quart of blueberry cobbler (a must try). read more

Finally!! So glad there's a Handel's ice cream close by to me! I absolutely love Handel's ice cream, and this location does not disappoint! My all time favorite flavors are Strawberry Cheesecake Chunk, especially now that it's spring, and Chocoholic Chunk! I will be a regular at this spot, especially being 8 months pregnant haha. There's nothing like a Handel's ice cream, it just hits the spot! Hands down the best ice cream there is out there!! I have never had a disappointing flavor here ever and I always look forward to the new seasonal flavors :) :) read more

Best ice cream ever! They have a flavor for everyone. Staff is knowledgeable, kind, and fast.

I enjoyed my visit to Handel's Icecream shop yesterday. Pam was very friendly and the icecream was fantastic!!!

I just took my daughter here to celebrate school! (She's 2!) We picked Cherry Vanilla and it was delicious! I found out about Handel's because I always see them supporting children's events like the Splashpad, sporting events, etc. I think it's great to see a new small business doing so much to the community they are trying to be a part of! Support this business! It's easy! It's delicious! read more

Wow! Handel's ice cream is by far the best ice cream I have had. So so so many amazing flavors. The chocolate rasberry truffle is my favorite! This is the first handel's in the area. You should try it, you will love it! Also, their staff and owners are warm and friendly. Great ice cream! Great location! Great team! Great service! You will be seeing me regularly! read more

I'm so excited to have a a Handel's nearby after being introduced years ago! My favorite flavor is chocoholic chunk paired with any of my second place favorites: black raspberry chunk, monkey business, banana cream pie...none of those have ever steered me wrong! This will be such a fun place for regular family ice cream outings. read more

Bad first experience. Took forever to get our order in the first place. Then after my family got their ice cream, and I kept waiting waiting, I was asked "are you still waiting for something?" I was and the employee said that I must not have paid and I needed to pay first. I did pay but wasn't going to argue so my family got their ice cream and I walked away. Average product and no "take care of the customer " mentality. read more

We Handel's! Such good ice cream and the owners are friendly and fun! I love their mint chocolate chip.

Legit good ice cream! My kids loved the flavors, definitely coming back. It was nice to have such good people helping with the ice cream orders. read more

I really like this ice cream. Not too sweet. Lots of flavors. Yummy. Will be a regular.

Worst ice cream in Cornelius.. Mcdonalds across the street is better. Save your money my kid wouldnt even eat his expensive scoop

The ice cream is good, it really is, but their sizes and refusal to allow more than one flavor unless it's a medium is ridiculous. When getting a small it's 3 1/2 scoops and you can only get one flavor. The sizes are huge and I never want that much of one flavor. It just seems like a pointless policy. Scoops are scoops, why limit people's options? For now we'll stick to Kilwins where they are super accommodating. They'll split a one scoop order into two half scoops so you can have multiple flavors. Really they're willing to do whatever combination you want. I also hate that Handel's doesn't offer a kids scoop option. They have a kids soft serve option but that's it. We recently with family and I just wanted a scoop of ice cream. I ordered a small and literally threw away 2 scoops of ice cream because they refused to only scoop one, even though I was fine paying for 3 1/2 scoops and just getting one. Went another time with family and my 2 year old nephew wanted a certain flavor and our options were to get him a minimum of 3 1/2 scoops or the kids soft serve. Makes zero sense and just feels irritating that they do not accommodate smaller orders or a combination of flavors. There are too many options for ice cream in Lake Norman to keep going here and those are the ones we'll be frequenting. read more