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    Cornell Dairy Bar

    4.6 (163 reviews)
    Closed 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Cornell Dairy Bar Photos

    Business Info

    CORNELL DAIRY BAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Cornell Dairy Bar

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    Diane W.

    Short day trip to my Alma mater, first time in 7 years, and only the SECOND time here (first was at reunion 7 years ago)!!! There are some food and drink ( coffee, lattes, espresso) but the REAL attraction here is the ice cream. Cornell ice cream is known for its unique and creative flavors, as well as their creamy deliciousness!!! I had a single scoop of the coco- nutty professor-- it was sooo good. They also have some great T -shirts and gifts ( like my dairy cows). A must do while on campus. GO BIG RED!! ( shameless plug!!)

    Menu
    Linda O.

    Back again even on a cold Cornell winter day this place is worth the stop! Always a seasonal flavor or two along with some staple favorites.

    Jim G.

    Yes, yes, yes to the freshness. Great place to relax, meet friends or cool off on a hot summer day. Everyone is very friendly and helpful when making a selection from their tasty array of ice cream and custard flavors. A must stop if you happen to be on the Cornell University campus. Convenient parking across the street.

    Interior
    Manish C.

    Cornell Dairy Bar is a great spot to enjoy a sweet treat while exploring the campus of Cornell University in Ithaca. In addition to offering ice cream and milk, they offer pastries, breakfast items, coffee, and plenty of merchandise. The interiors are modern and inviting, with seating available just outside in Stocking Hall. Lines move fairly quick thanks to the multiple team members attending to customers. While plenty of ice cream flavors looked enticing, I had to go with my standard cookies and cream. When I mentioned I wanted a medium, they told me that was 3 scoops, and asked if I wanted to mix and match flavors. That gave me the option to try out another flavor, so I asked for their Seneca Sunset (mango) sorbet, and they provided it in a different cup so it didn't mix with the cookies and cream. Both were very good...the cookies and cream was rich and creamy, with plenty of embedded cookies pieces. The Seneca Sunrise had a great mango flavor and was a great non-dairy option. If I lived closer, I'd definitely be making multiple trips to Cornell Dairy Bar, as several of the other flavors looked enticing to me. I wanted to try their chocolate milk as well, but couldn't carry it all, so perhaps on another future visit. I'd be visiting more college campuses if they all offered what Cornell has on offer with their Dairy Bar. I'd be happy to return and recommend Cornell Dairy Bar to all visitors of Ithaca that love ice cream.

    David L.

    I was visiting upstate New York and got to check out Ithaca and the beautiful Cornell Campus. The views and scenery around the campus is incredible. And then I stumbled upon the Cornell Dairy Bar... like wait what the? It was pretty random but there was a large crowd of people here AND for good reason! The ice cream here is 10/10! And you can't go wrong with any of the flavors, I tried several and they were all delicious! I couldn't pick a favorite! And I found out they have their students do contests designing new flavors and pitching them as part of a business class. And if it's successful it then becomes a new flavor on the menu. How cool is that!? The machinery and large tanks on site are also cool to check out if you have time for the self-guided tour. Definitely swing by if you're around the area visiting!

    Lilly B.

    Sooo this was a blast! I stumbled upon the Cornell Dairy Bar while on campus. I saw large silver tanks from the outside of the building and wanted to check it out. I was pleasantly surprised to find the dairy bar serving up everything... dairy! There was a variety of milks, icecreams, pastries, and other snack/lunch items. Things were moderately priced and very delicious. The coffee icecream was the best. There is a sitting area that leads to an overlook of the production area. There were videos to teach you about the making of yogurt, milk, and cheese. Very fun experience!

    Jen E.

    Right on the Cornell campus, near a walking path. They had a lot of indoor seating which was nice. They also had some seating outside which is where we ate our ice cream since we had our dog. I got a half a chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich which was delicious! Also got some additional ice cream and another cookie. I would highly recommend the chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich!!! Definitely recommend.

    Chocolate Gorges, Little Bear Mint Chip
    Katie-Ann F.

    We came on a summer afternoon and was surprised by the amount of flavors! We got Dragon Day Mint Cookies & Cream, French Vanilla, and Beebe Black Raspberry. Dragon Day Mint Cookies & Cream was just okay. It had a subtle mint and not many cookies&cream bits that I was expecting. The French Vanilla honestly did not taste like vanilla but rather like mild cheesecake...which was really strange, and I did not enjoy it at all. Lastly, the Beebe Black Raspberry was fruity but a bit too sweet for my liking. Overall, they were way too heavy and creamy. Don't get me wrong, I love creamy ice cream, but not when they're very mild in their flavors and lack depth. I have also tried vanilla, Ezra's Morning Cup (coffee), and Little Bear Mint Chip, all of which were kinda basic and nothing too extraordinary. Caramel Three Chimes is great if you love love caramel because there is A LOT of caramel in there. Very sweet though. Bavarian Raspberry Fudge is also sweet, but I like the raspberry swirls and fudge combo. But my favorite of all that I've tried is Chocolate Gorges which has a deep rich chocolate base ice cream with Oreos and chocolate swirls. Overall, I would say CDB is overhyped and not the best quality ice cream I've had.

    Cool, clean on campus store.
    Dabe M.

    I've heard about this place for years and have been anxious to try it but, perhaps due to too much hype, I found it underwhelming. Pros: Kinda cool that it's in a college building and is made on site. The store is immaculate. They have some pretty creative flavors and the ice cream is good. Cons: It's in a college building and parking and access can be problematic. The staff lack any customer service skills and are practically yelling at customers to get them through the line... Which wasn't even very long. The ice cream, while good, wasn't noticably better than any road side stand. This place is just fine... but I'm not getting they hype. I doubt I would go again as it's just easier to go to an off campus store where the service and access are better and the ice cream is just as good.

    Ezra's Morning Cup
    Joe P.

    Nothing like ice cream on a cold dreary November day. Maybe not everyone's cup of tea, which is why I get the coffee ice cream or more specifically Ezra's Morning Cup. If the Cornell founder started each morning with a cup of this ice cream, then he must have been 300 lbs because it is so rich, sweet and creamy! So of course it is delicious! For those non-coffee lovers, get the Caramel Three Chimes. That is my wife for and I really enjoyed that too. If you are in the area, don't skip this place!

    Matthew L.

    Last month I did an upstate NY trip and swung by Cornell campus. First on the list? The Dairy Bar. I knew I had to come here after hearing the rave reviews from previous Cornell alums. Yes, it definitely lives up to the hype. Very generous portions - the large, which is four heaping large scoops, is literally almost 1 whole pint! Being from the Bay Area, I am not used to such large portions...! The Dairy Bar offers various different flavors that you'd find at a typical ice cream shop, including cookies and cream, mint chip, etc. Of the four flavors I tried, I liked cookies and cream the best! A classic flavor that is one of my favorites - and they make a pretty mean cookies and cream here. If you're on a diet, don't get a large serving. Get a small - it'll be enough for one person. The large is good for 3 people (or 2 if you're really hungry). Definitely recommend if you're in the Cornell area!

    Top: Triple Play + Bavarian Raspberry Fudge Lower Left: Big Red Bear Tracks Lower Right: Strawberry + Mint with cookies (Dragon in the name)
    Jiali L.

    After going to a creamery during our Upstate trip, this inspired my family to seek out other ice cream options in the area for a point of comparison. We heard that Cornell Dairy Bar was worth a stop and learned that each year the Food Science department has a contest for the students and the winning flavor is sold at the Dairy Bar! Most of us opted to get two flavors for their single scoop. As recommended by someone from a local vineyard, my family tried the Bavarian Raspberry Fudge, the Triple Play and the Big Red Bear Tracks. My bf liked the bear tracks and described it as brownie pieces instead of cookies in cookies and cream. I had their strawberry and mint with cookie flavors (the name had Dragon in it but I don't recall the full name). Both flavors were very creamy. The strawberry was everything I envisioned. Even though it was simple, it was bursting with strawberry flavor and contained the right amount of fruit. The mint came through the crème de menthe and the cookie pieces provided great texture. All in all, no complaints when having good ice cream (except that you wish you could have more). A great stop if you're touring the campus too. After you enjoy your ice cream, be sure to check out their Dairy Observation Gallery! When you enter the building it's up the stairs near the entrance on the far left (so you need to turn the corner and walk past the seating area to get here). There's a sign with a cow labeled accordingly. It's pretty neat since you can walk through and watch a series of videos that share more information about Cornell's Dairy manufacturing process, their cows and the products that they make. If you have the time, they even have signage that shows you how ice cream is made and what the different machinery/components looks like. Very educational and super interesting, definitely worth the look and for the ice cream!

    Victoria K.

    Mmmmm it's so hard to say but for some reason I was less enamoured by Cornell Dairy Bar this time than I was the previous time I came. The ice cream I got was absolutely good, no question about it, but there was something about it that fell short. I think maybe it was the simplicity? Maybe I am expecting too much when I want something as simple as vanilla ice cream to stand out, but like come on guys, we are on a FARM. I feel like fresh milk should mean something. Last time I felt like I could tell how especially creamy it all was, but this time it just felt like ice cream. I got a small cup of the bavarian raspberry fudge and the big red bear tracks. Both were perfectly good and enjoyable but it was missing something that took it to the next level, ya know? I do remember that last time I got Ezra's Morning Cup and loved it, so maybe that one is better than the flavors I tried this time! Just to reiterate: this ice cream is good. I would come back. It's just not at that high level that the hype makes it seem like it's at.

    Big Bear Tracks and Caramel Three Times!

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    7 months ago

    A sweet treat and a whole lot of nostalgia. Dairy Bar ice cream did not disappoint during a visit during Homecoming weekend!

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    1 year ago

    Great ice cream and toppings selection! Burgers are good as well. Staff is very friendly and service is quick.

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    1 year ago

    Must stop at the dairy bar if you are anywhere near Cornell or Ithaca! Ice cream is amazing!

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    Ask the Community - Cornell Dairy Bar

    Do they have any dairy-free ice cream options? Thank you :)

    I didn't see any when we there but not sure if we went on an off day.

    View All 2 Questions

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