This is a good spot for ice cream. When you walk in you can just smell the goodness it's fantastic…read more Plenty of flavor options. Soft serve too. The kids love it there. Sometimes Big lines so figure that in.

Looking for some of the best homemade ice cream in Connecticut? The Big Dipper Ice Cream is a must…read morego for any ice cream lover. I've had their Graham Jam ice cream at the Micro Creamy of CT and is where I first learned about them. The Big Dipper's shop in Prospect was a 20 minute drive for us. The shop was very cute, classic ice cream shop vibes with a lot of indoor seating. There were freezers with ice cream pies, cakes, sandwiches, and pints or quarts of ice cream. They had a lot of hand scooped ice cream flavors from classic to original flavors. There were a few soft serve flavors available too. Since they make their own ice cream there were flavors that were unique to them. I got a scoop of Purple Cloud--a purple cotton candy base ice cream with a marshmallow swirl and Lemon Pie--lemon base ice cream with pie crust pieces. These flavors packed a punch and the Purple Cloud was fun for all ages. I don't remember the last time I had eaten cotton candy flavored ice cream, but the marshmallow swirl was a great touch to a nostalgic flavor. I got my ice cream in a waffle cone which was very delicious and had little bits of caramelization. My mom wanted a special soft serve flavor that the Big Dipper had advertised for the weekend. They called it Butterbeer, a twist of sweet cream and butterscotch. The girl helping us had no idea what we were talking about, but finally confirmed that they had the special soft serve flavors. We think my mom's cone was only the butterscotch flavor, but the soft serve was so soft it started melting immediately. No picture because it didn't look to pretty. Fortunately, the flavor was good and that's what really matters. I'd say stick to the hard ice cream flavors at Big Dipper. I look forward to visiting them again to see what they'll craft up because I'm always looking for flavors you can't get anywhere else.

Crazy for crazy cow creamery!…read more The ice cream is so delicious and creamy. I can't remember the flavor I got but it had chocolate bits in it and was amazing. There's so many flavors to choose from that it does feel a little overwhelming but it was worth it. If you're in the area, definitely stop by to grab a scoop or 2!

Super cute spot with lovely staff. There are several tables inside as well as outside to sit down…read more It's a bit of a tight squeeze to get in the back but there should be no trouble getting back there if need be. The ice cream was delicious and so were the toppings however it felt a bit much to pay almost $14 for two scoops of ice cream with one topping each. To break it down, I paid $6.70 for one scoop of ice cream with one topping. However, I don't really mind and the flavor of the ice cream definitely did not disappoint I will 100% be back for more!

"Well, Lordy, Lordy, Lordy, Ms. Claudy Girl, you sure look…read moregood to me" (Elvis Presley) Sweet Claude's may be one of the more difficult to find ice cream stores around, so your mindset better be "determination" focused, because I guarantee you'll be very happy with your dish or cone. You'll find them tucked away pretty much out of view inside the Artsplace building (493 W Main) within the Ball and Socket Art Complex in Cheshire. They've been cranking out homemade ice cream since 1988, and we had a stellar experience when we visited. They have plenty of ice cream flavors (including some nonfat and sugar free), plus yogurts, sorbets and ices. Some of their interesting flavors are Claude's Cupcake, Dough - Si -Dough, Salty Pretzel, Smurf, and a "Banana Corner" which is a rotating selection of banana-based ice cream. How cool! I went with a 2-flavor small dish of Salty Pretzel and Triple Chocolate. The ice cream was smooth as silk and full of flavor. Seriously, their ice cream is terrific, and at $5.35 for a big enough cup, was a very fair value. PRO TIP Because Sweet Claude's is in the Ball and Socket Art Complex there are many sections within the complex to park your car. But only park in front of Sweet Claude's if you plan on staying there for no more than a half hour. Visitors to the rest of the complex or the Farmington River Trail should leave those precious spots to the ice cream afficionados!

Always loved the Bailey's ice cream. Hoping they bring it back. They have lots of flavors but…read moreBailey's was the best

It's a really cute place visually. There are plenty of spots to enjoy your ice cream, including…read moretables outside, rocking chairs on the porch, and seating indoors. They offer a nice variety of ice cream flavors, including gluten-free options, which is always a plus. I do wish they had a larger selection of toppings to choose from :(. The ice cream itself was good. Also, If you've ever had Big Dipper or Pralines flavors before, you'll have a good idea of what to expect since they have flavors there. We didn't try many of the other shop options , but I've heard good things about those places. As for the service, there were two employees working. One was friendly and welcoming, while the other came across impatient and not very personable. Unfortunately, our visit outside was also affected by some ladies not watching their kids around the side, whose behavior made the experience less enjoyable for several reasons. I won't get into the details, but it definitely took away from the otherwise pleasant atmosphere you'd hope to enjoy.

A simply amazing creamery or ice-cream parlor. The range of flavors on offer are amazing and so is…read morethe taste. The service is superb and the look and set up of the store is just great providing the right ambiance. They also have ample space upstairs with tables and games for kids too. Nice touch. Loved it during our family visit to see friends in Cheshire. A great local Connecticut firm and a good one too! If ice cream is your thing then this is your place!

A really nice ice cream shop. They have plenty of different flavors which are very good. The young…read moreladies at the counter were very nice.

Great little addition to town! The ice cream is delicious and fresh, and they give a generous…read morescoop! Lots of options for toppings, flavor, and diet restrictions. I also liked that they had milkshake and floats, and even pup cups!! Also the decor was adorable and whimsical. It was bright and happy and the girl who served us was so friendly. We'll be back for sure!

New owners are doing a great job! Great ice cream, friendly staff, and a cute shop that just…read morescreams "ice cream!"

Came by a few weeks ago for dessert on a date night. Lots of interesting sounding flavors to…read morevarious levels of execution. We're spoiled living very near Rich Farm, but I certainly would come back here sometime if I was in the area.

Wanted Rich Farm but didn't feel like waiting in line. Husband took me here since so close to home…read more Nice server, too many options. Signs all over are as old as me and need to be cleaned up and updated. Cut down the options and update the place. Ice cream was ok, I had toasted almond in a waffle cone, husband had a soft serve twist.

The soft serve we were given was completely melted--essentially liquid. In addition, something was…read moreclearly wrong with the hot fudge; it had a strong chemical taste, which was extremely concerning. The lavender ice cream itself tasted fine, but upon closer inspection in the light, I noticed multiple brown spots throughout. I wasn't sure whether this was from cross-contamination with another flavor via the scooper or from the ice cream sitting out for too long. Given that we were already served melted ice cream along with hot fudge that tasted chemical-like, it was difficult to feel confident about the quality or safety of the product. I called Dairy Delite to express my concerns and was told to discard the ice cream and return the following day for complimentary replacements. I appreciated how they handled the situation, which is the reason for the three-star rating instead of one. However, after this experience, I don't feel comfortable returning.

Floors have been sticky the last 3 times here. Service is pretty good. No complaints there. The…read moretables are usually dirty and sticky as well. As far as the ice cream itself, it's good. They have soft serve as well. There's vegan options and sugar free options as well. Overall, it's not a bad option for ice cream if your in the Hamden plaza.

My sweet tooth brought me here recently. I like how the walls are decorated with kids' fan art…read more Workers were nice and attentive. Ice cream was pretty good. I got a double scoop sundae with two scoops of Nutella Chip. It was nice, but there wasn't much of a Nutella flavor; it could've been richer. The hot fudge and chocolate chunks helped make up for that, however. Almonds were a little on the bitter side. Not pictured are cups of black raspberry and dairy free pumpkin that I got for a family member; they wolfed most of it down pretty quick, lol. I was still able to taste them both and they were delicious. The black raspberry was smooth and you could taste the real fruit. I'm not a huge fan of pumpkin spice but that one was good as well and I liked that they had a tasty vegan product on the menu. Very good ice cream. I'll be back for sure. I recently reviewed Kelly's Kone Konnection and these two places are on par with each other. Whichever you pick, you can't go wrong.