Every day is a good day for ice cream, but Sunday may be the best day of all. July 17 is National Ice Cream Day 2022 and, with the forecast calling for a high of 88 degrees, it’s a great time to check out some of our favorite ice cream shops in and around Andover.
To mark the event, TOP Data has compiled the top five flavors based on online shopping data in each state. According to the analysis, Massachusetts residents love:
- Cherry
- Chocolate
- Coffee
- Cookie Dough
- Rocky Road
No matter which flavor floats your boat, there are plenty of great places to get ice cream in and around Andover — not just on National Ice Cream Day, but every day. Here are some of the ones that were suggested when we asked Andover News readers to share their favorite ice cream spots:
In Andover:
Sarkisian Farms Driving Range and Ice Cream Stand, 159 Chandler Road: Sarkisian Farms Driving Range and Ice Cream Stand has been an Andover Business since 1934. Originally a working Farm, then a large greenhouse business and in 1994 the property was switched to a driving range. The Range is run by The Sarkisian Family.
J.P. Licks, 28 Park Street: The chain with locations scattered around greater Boston is our favorite place to stop after a dog walk downtown. That’s because they not only have loads of homemade flavors, decadent sundaes and other treats, but they also offer a Peanut Butter and Honey Cow Paws, a lightly-flavored, dairy-free peanut butter sorbet with a touch of honey served with a kosher dog bone for our four-legged friends.
Near Andover:
The Big Dipper, 327 Main Street, North Reading: Tucked just over the Andover-North Reading town line on Route 28, this is our go to when some of us want soft serve and some of us want regular ice cream. The Big Dipper has both, and lots of creative flavors in each format. There’s also a driving range and mini golf course right next door.
Mac’s Dairy Farm, 1863 Main Street, Tewksbury: We’ll never turn our nose up at a cone from Richardson’s in Middleton, but sometimes we don’t want to deal with the crowds. That’s when we head to Mac’s, which serves Richardson’s ice cream, and is just a short drive from Andover into Tewksbury. The portions are also more generous than most other places we’ve tried. More than one reader said we MUST try the jumbo waffle cone at Mac’s, which we plan to do on our next visit.
Cow’s Rock, 5 Johnson Street, North Andover: Another nearby place that serves Richardson’s, this place is a summer tradition for many Merrimack Valley residents. Readers like the laid back atmosphere and the friendly staff, and more than one noted Cow’s Rock serves every dish and every cone at the perfect temperature: not too hard and not running down your shirt sleeve.
What did we miss? Leave a comment on this post and let us know your favorite place to get ice cream, and we’ll add it to this list.