Purity Ice Cream is an Ithaca staple. For people visiting from out of town, it's a popular request to stop here... and because it's been around basically fooooorever? I'm not opposed to bringing people to experience it, etc... but having grown up in and around Ithaca, it's just not my first preference for ice cream. Purity has changed a lot since my childhood. It used to be much smaller, but they've since added on the back seating and food service section. I'm all about the additional space, as it means plenty of seating for those ridiculously busy periods. But that's the thing... this place gets SUPER busy. It doesn't help that the parking lot can be a bit of a cluster either. While driving down Rt. 13 the other day, I noticed that Purity was surprisingly quiet, so I opted to stop and see if they had a favorite flavor of mine still available - blueberry cheesecake. Turns out, it's not exactly the same flavor, as it's now blueberry cheesecake muffin. I ordered two scoops in a bowl (too much... after getting my order, I realized one scoop would have been plenty), and my mother, who was with me, ordered a Mexican sundae. The employee at the counter asked "can you remind me what's in that sundae again?"... really? This is an ice cream shop and you have to ask for the ingredients for a Mexican sundae? My mother noted the ingredients, I paid, and then we waited at the pick-up counter... for much longer than I would have anticipated, given so few people in the shop. When we finally got our ice cream orders, we sat down in the extra seating area inside. While having my ice cream, it struck me how sweet my ice cream tasted. Now, mind you, I don't have much of a sweet tooth... but I do enjoy some ice cream or other sweet treats on the rare occasion. This was just a lot of sweetness hitting my tastebuds at once... certainly sweeter than I remember the flavor of my childhood being. I ended up not finishing it... which was a shame, considering it was almost $20 ($18, I think?) for one Mexican sundae and one bowl with two scoops of blueberry cheesecake muffin ice cream (no sprinkles or any other additions... just ice cream). TL;DR I like the idea of supporting local as much as anybody, but Purity just seems overrated to me. You don't actually get an employee until you're at the register, and then THEY'RE asking you how to put together a classic type of sundae? Plus, my ice cream just tasted too sweet. So ultimately, no thanks... I'm in no rush to visit again. Especially not in a rush with how ridiculous it can be to park in their lot, get out into the flow of traffic again when leaving, etc. - not worth it. read more

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Stopped by for some ice cream one evening and it was really good! I got the happy trails which was vanilla ice cream, fudge swirl, and peanut butter cups. It was pretty good but there weren't many pb cups and when they were there they were just bits of chocolate and not actually peanut butter. My bf got the vegan vanilla bean and he enjoyed it. He wanted the banana split but I guess they didn't have it. We both agreed it had a different consistency than normal ice cream and other vegan ice creams we've had before but it still tasted good. They had a good sized parking lot and seating both inside and out. read more

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The icecream here is pretty good- a mix of fun and usual flavors, as well as fries and other food items. The service is on the slow side during peak hours as they get PACKED. The space itself is rather nice, but on some days can be a little messy. I think this is a great place for large groups due to the space indoors (plus more people to talk too while waiting), but the price being on the higher end knocks it down a little. I enjoy this place but it's not a go-to anymore. Definitely check out Sweet Melissa's if you're on a budget or have a smaller group/want to be outside. Purity does have outside space but it's limited. I will add, Purity sells donuts now that are very sweet, but I quite enjoy them on occasion! Maybe it's the nostalgia talking but I'd say this is a great icecream place if you're willing to pay a little more and wait for the seating space, convenient location, and good flavors read more

My girlfriend and I are always on the lookout for good creameries when home or away. My qualifications are a little more stringent than hers as I only eat non-dairy. I love it when I can choose from nut milk varieties instead of having to eat sorbets or Italian ice. Purity had this in abundance. For this, I was happy and grateful. Cute from the outside, it had an "old-timey" feel, which makes sense as it was founded in the 1800s! The staff was lovely and the menu was large. This is where the good stuff ended. Going inside, it had a dingy feeling. I cannot say exactly what, but it felt "depression-era." Where it mattered, Purity failed. The ice cream did not taste good. Not bad, just not good. It tasted bland, as if infused with ice. My girlfriend reported the same for her dairy choice. Go for the history, but no need to come back. read more

What a great place to meet friends and eat the best food in the world, ice cream! I had chocolate bittersweet, another had dreamsickle and the others had various flavors that I cannot remember, nor did Zi remember to take a photo until we all ate our ice cream. What does that tell you about the place? Delicious ice cream available here! I noticed the owners wish to retire and sell their place, so looking for a business? Or stop by and enjoy ice cream! read more

Purity Ice Cream - This is the place! - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Awesome local spot for excellent ice cream and other treats! The place is pretty big and has a cute diner energy (there's also some diner food available in the back). Service was super nice. The servings are large and the ice cream is very high quality. Highly recommend! read more

Purity Ice Cream - Storefront - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Ithaca, New York

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So many options, milkshakes were delicious. Would definitely go back again. Great ambiance

Whenever we are in Ithaca, we always try and grab a new flavor here! Every time I go I am never disappointed. Their ice cream is very creamy and extremely flavorful. They are THE place for ice cream in Ithaca and the lines out the door on a hot summer day definitely prove that! We even brought our dog who got to try some of the Matcha ice cream. He definitely gave his paw stamp of approval on this one! read more

Purity Ice Cream - Matcha Ice Cream for a great pup! - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Third time coming here in person. Finally giving this place a review after a good experience today. Ice cream: Yum, they have so many different kinds of flavors. I was surprised to see vegan options since I'm somewhat lactose-intolerant, so decided to give the French Vanilla a try. Service: Fantastic. I remember not having a great experience the first time, but this time, the ice cream wasn't dripping. The lady who gave me the ice cream was extremely kind. Despite the long lines, ordering and getting the ice cream did not take long. Price: Great prices. I got the junior scoop on a regular come and the portion size was huge. I think they have amazing prices for the portion sizes. Ambiance: It's not the best, but the atmosphere is nice. Inside is fairly clean and the decorations are a good addition. I really like this place for ice cream. It's definitely a little bit far from Collegetown, but I highly recommend it if you're in Ithaca. It is overhyped, but it's well-deserved for the wide diversity of flavors, fantastic service, and prices. read more

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I highly recommend the apple crisp sundae. It has everything you could ever ask for in a sundae: warm apple crisp, rich vanilla ice cream, caramel drip, 3 inches of whipped cream, and candied cherries on top. Surprisingly, the whole gooey package costs less than 6 dollars! Considering the fact that a single scoop of Van Leeuwen's will cost you the same amount, a Purity sundae is truly a steal. read more

Purity Ice Cream - Apple Crisp Sundae - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Ithaca, New York

I had such high hopes for this place after reading the reviews, but I don't understand what all the hype is about. Service is not friendly and the ice cream tastes like the value brand you get from the grocery store. Way overpriced for what you get. Giving two stars because the place is clean and menu is extensive. I also like that they are still requiring masks and had outdoor seating. read more

There vegan ice cream is sooooo good! They were even able to accommodate my cousin who has nut allergies by preparing his ice cream in the back room from fresh containers instead of what was in the front. The only problem is that there is almost always a super long queue and then after you order you queue again to wait for pick up. I wish they had multiple locations. read more

Best chocolate brownie hot fudge sundae ever! She had the same thing only with chocolate ice cream. Yum Yum! read more

Purity Ice Cream - My aunt and I enjoying our afternoon in Ithica. - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Yum!!!!! This place was soooooo good! We got two custom milkshakes. Mine had coffee ice cream and Oreos and it was like a dream in a cup! Ice cream is fresh and you can tell the difference from store bought stuff in the first sip! read more

Purity Ice Cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Disappointed today. "We pack very few quarts of Mint cup and Mocha chip now" but you can either (1 pay more for pints or (2) wait 15 minutes in line for me to pack it. read more

Purity Ice Cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Ithaca, New York

This place makes zero attempt to accommodate people with food allergies. Besides the aggressive signs that basically say "if you have a nut allergy you shouldn't even enter the building", they also seem completely unaware of what is in their food. I have a soy allergy and asked if a particular sundae had any soy in it; they said "We're not really sure... and we can't guarantee no cross contamination." I asked if they knew the ingredients and they said they didn't, nor did they seem interested in finding out. Also for context, they weren't busy at the time - there were more employees in the building than customers, just standing there. So, I didn't get anything. No big deal - my wife said they weren't anything special anyway. Ps: "Purity" is a funny name where cross contamination is just the norm read more

Purity Ice Cream - If you have any food allergies, beware - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Oh my goodness, a must stop if you're in Ithaca! Grabbed a few scoops and a root beer float for my family and I. Everything was great from the friendly and quick service to the various flavors offered. The root beer float was made with Ithaca's brand of soda and it was refreshing on a warm day. My dogs give their vanilla cone four paws. read more

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When I saw mint chip as the top Yelp mention, I felt like Travolta in Pulp Fiction, "you don't put bourbon in it or anything?" But it succeeds even without reinventing the genre. I opted for slightly more exotic fare in the other 2/3 of my triple scoop. Chai Chai Again was a knockout, earning the exclamation point on the menu. Meanwhile, the abundant cherries lent intriguing texture to the Boomberry. read more

Such great ice cream! Flavors rock! Loved my chocolate peanut butter and the vanilla with reese's. Sooooooo tasty! And the waffle cones are very fresh. Plenty of outdoor seating for you with COVID restrictions. read more

Purity Ice Cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Lots of interesting ice cream flavours! I got their chai ice cream and was happy with the strong spiced flavour, and my waffle cone also had a nice taste and texture. The staff was helpful in describing the flavours for us so we could decide what to order and social distancing was well enforced inside. They have plenty of outdoor seating with cleaning rags and solution available, although it seemed like the some of the benches were a little close together. I'm guessing they don't have the ability to move them and are trying to accommodate as many parties as possible, but I would have felt more comfortable if every other bench was roped off. We were lucky to get a table on the far side of the building that was far from the main seating area. read more

Purity Ice Cream - Chai Chai Again - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Ithaca, New York

I came with 3 of my friends during the weekend and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the ice cream. Surprisingly, it wasn't that busy on a Saturday. Although I would recommend to get a waffle cone instead of a regular cone as they give you a lot more ice cream in the waffle. read more

Purity Ice Cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Ithaca, New York

There was a pretty long line here but it moved decently quickly to order but the wait time for our actual ice cream was longer than expected. I tried the boomberry which was raspberry with fruit. I liked this ice cream better than cayuga lake creamery. They also have sundaes and burgers and milkshakes but i didnt get to try any of those read more

Yaay for ice cream. Purity had some good flavors. We sampled some and ended up buying a pint of bomberry. Excellent ice cream.

It's pretty good, but just not better than Cornell dairy bar. The place was clean and there was clear instruction on keeping six feet apart. The chocolate chip cookie dough after dark tasted like there were mint chocolate chips in it; which was confusing and unpleasant. Also, the black cherry was just a bit too sweet for my liking. read more

Purity Ice Cream - Chocolate chip cookie dough after dark in the cup and a black cherry cone. - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Ithaca, New York

A really nice spot for a family outing. The grill menu was simple but effective, fresh ingredients in the burgers, soft buns and good portion sizing. We saved just enough room for the ice cream of my husbands childhood dreams: black raspberry, chocolate debris, salted caramel, vanilla and strawberry, all delicious. You can't visit Ithaca without coming here at least once, twice if you're lucky. read more

Purity Ice Cream - Burgers, fries and kids chicken nuggets - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Ithaca, New York

A must if you're in Ithaca! There are a plethora of great creameries in the area, but this is one of the gems. Their ice cream cakes are the best and we get them annually when we're in town for family gatherings. Love the raspberry truffle! read more

I hail from Rochester, but every time I'm in Ithaca, I am SURE to visit Purity Ice Cream. My most recent visit was YUMMY as always -- this time with scoops of Chocolate Debris and Bulldog Crunch. Yum-Yum-YUMMY! Wonderful to sit outside and enjoy inspirational signs made by local children, to lift spirits in this ongoing pandemic. A fantastic reward for hiking Buttermilk Falls. See ya at Purity! read more

Purity Ice Cream - Chocolate Debris on top of Bulldog Crunch - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Ithaca, New York

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I'm an out of towner...clearly this is the place to go for ice cream on a Friday night. From the time entering the doors to the time we received our ice cream it was about 35 minutes. The wait was well worth it! I got the Cookie Monster shake and it was creamy, chunky, and so good! read more

Love it here (even though last time I drove by it was closed)! Their ice cream is creamy and fresh. And their employees are friendly and helpful. I love their chocolate and coffee flavors. I wish they had more locations, because I love it here! read more

Purity is our favorite ice cream place in Ithaca! They have a lot varieties of flavors but the best of all is the CHOCOLATE flavor!!! It has a creamy distinct chocolate flavor that I absolutely love! Another thing I love at purity is their truffles they taste amazing! read more

Purity Ice Cream - Chocolate truffle - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Many kind of ice creams. Many flavors. The service was very friendly and patient to explain the difference between the kinds of ice creams

Local ice cream shop in Ithaca. Lots of non dairy options for folks who are looking for that. Lots of coffee and chocolate options. Good ice cream but not 5 stars. Not as creamy as I like. Still delicious, just not 5 stars. read more

The home of the original ice cream sundae, Purity Ice Cream is a must-visit on any trip to Ithaca. It's a step back in time to the classic ice cream parlors of years past, offering up all sorts of delicious frozen desserts, from their classic sundaes and ice cream cakes to shakes and ice cream sodas... and, of course, some of the most delicious ice cream flavors around. The ice cream is made in small batches using the milk from some very contented upstate New York cows, giving the ice cream a great, creamy texture that's hard to find elsewhere. With over 30 flavors on offer, the choice was hard, but I settled in on a scoop each of the mint chocolate chip and the 'Chocolate Debris', chocolate ice cream with chunks of chocolate and fudge brownie pieces. The Chocolate Debris was thick, rich, and fudgy - a good choice for any chocoholic - and the mint chip was hands-down the best I've ever had, with a great texture and a perfect balance of flavors. The large seating area harks back to an earlier time (great for large groups), the staff is great, and the ice cream is as wonderful as ever. Why aren't you in your car yet? Don't miss this classic! read more

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A trip to Ithaca isn't complete without a trip to Purity. Bring your patience in the summer because the lines can be long, but the ice cream is worth it! There are so many options to choose from, everyone in your party will be pleased. It's a little expensive but worth it for an occasional treat! They also have a ton of baked goods, and ice cream goods (ice cream cakes, ice cream sandwiches etc) to go I've never gotten any but have always been tempted! Seating is a bit limited, especially with COVID, so you may want to assign a member of your party to be on seat-duty while you're waiting in line for ice cream! read more

The ice cream that was provided to me was in the form of a coffee special on a toasted waffle cone. I was quite delicious in the sense that it was very creamy and delectable. read more

This place was so good that we went twice during our weekend trip to Ithaca. I really loved the atmosphere, they serve all sorts of flavors of ice cream and sundaes etc, as well as baked goods. All the ice creams that we tried were really good. Also got the half moon cookie which was delicious and the chocolate brownie with peanut butter frosting was amazing, so fudgy and delicious! I highly recommend this place. The atmosphere is really fun, very clean and bright, and there's lots of room to enjoy your ice cream both inside and outside. Service was also fantastic. Definitely go get some ice cream or whatever sweet treat you're in the mood for! read more

Was there this weekend and got the homemade banana ice cream - which had a note next to it that it is small batch. It tasted like nothing. Like they hit the nail right on the head with nothing flavored ice cream. I also had black cherry which was nothing special at all. Wouldn't rush back here. read more

I ordered the apple crisp Sunday...had nothing related to apple in it at all. Very very disappointing for $7 Not going back read more

Very nice ice cream. I wanted the salted caramel but they were out of it. They offered an alternative which was NOT made by them??? Why would you do that?? So I opted instead for the Apple Crisp Sunday with vanilla ice cream. It was so good it left me wondering just how amazing that salted caramel would have been... read more

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It seems like any new place I visit, especially in the summertime, warrants a trip to an ice cream shop. So I couldn't possibly leave Ithaca without visiting their crazy popular Purity Ice Cream shop. This place looks like any other as your driving down the road. They've got a parking lot and picnic tables out front... but inside is nonstop ice cream action set in this modern version of a diner or malt shop. We fell into line and looked over the menu... b/c I couldn't decide between two flavors yours truly got two scoops, and let me tell you - two scoops is a lot of ice cream at Purity.... First up was a scoop of Chocolate Peanut Butter - different than most cpb's I've had at other ice cream shops. I'm used to a chocolate ice cream that looks like chocolate, this version is light, I thought they gave me the wrong scoop before I took a bite and got that chocolate peanut butter combo. I missed having that rich chocolate flavor but there was plenty of peanut butter throughout. Second scoop: Goose Tracks - similar to the Moose Tracks of the world... vanilla ice cream w/ fudgy swirls and peanut butter cups. Another good one with plenty of swirls and pb cups. Two scoops + a milkshake were just under $10 and [as hinted to previously] very filling. 3 stars for my first visit b/c I didn't love the chocolate peanut butter... and when Hubs ordered his milkshake they asked if he wanted vanilla syrup AND vanilla ice cream. Why do you need the syrup if you're using the ice cream? That seemed strange to me.. . read more

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