Glenwood Drive-In is a historic family restaurant that opened in Hamden, Connecticut in 1955. It was founded by Rocky Stone. The property was originally a small drive-in that operated under a different name. Stone purchased the drive-in after working as a Tip-Top salesman and deliveryman. He renamed it "Glenwood" and expanded the menu, hours and the physical building. After Stone passed away in 1960, his son Frank "Wayne" Stone took it over and he continues to run it today. In the early days, the Glenwood had a walk-up service window similar to establishments such as Dairy Queen. Over the years, Wayne remodeled the interior and added an indoor seating area. The menu consists of staples such as footlongs, chili dogs, cheeseburgers, clam strips, lobster rolls, soft shell crab, fries, onion rings, and much more! Although the establishment is no longer a traditional drive-in restaurant, the Glenwood still hosts classic car "Cruise Nights" every Wednesday during the warmer months. In 1985, Wayne's daughter opened "Kelly's Cone Connection": an adjoining ice cream parlor business that is connected to the Glenwood. Although both businesses share the same space, they operate as separate entities. Kelly makes all of her own ice cream, hot fudge, waffle cones, ice cream pies and birthday cakes in house. Customers can expect to choose from about 35 different flavors on any given day. My family and I recently stopped for dinner at Glenwood Drive-In. Growing up in the area, I visited the Glenwood several times throughout my childhood. I also frequently accompanied my father to "Cruise Nights" when he still owned a 1971 Triumph TR6. On this outing, we ordered a variety of menu items including a "Chili Cheese Dog", "Footlong", "Chicken Fingers w/ Fries", and "Fried Shrimp w/ Fries". There's something about those classic menu staples that just really hit the spot. Afterwards, we headed through the adjoining doorway to Kelly's Cone Connection for dessert. It was a special occasion because the ice cream parlor was hosting a meet & greet with Spider-Man himself. The event coincided with the release of a new monthly special called the "Spidey-Sundae" (Firework 250 Poprock ice cream w/ golden Oreos, a frosting and sprinkle rim w/ a cotton candy web, poprocks, & a Spider-Man ring). My sons both had a blast meeting Spider-Man and eating his special ice cream treat. I tried a different monthly special: the "New England Clam Chowder" (sweet cream salted caramel ice cream w/ white chocolate "clams", dried mint, vanilla wafers, white chocolate shell). The presentation was immaculate and the flavor combo was simply divine! If you're looking for classic American drive-in food along with some fantastic ice cream, then head to Glenwood Drive-In and Kelly's Cone Connection! read more

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This one is my first time here. I was looking for something different. I ordered the minion inspired BA-NA-NAAA Pudding Split. It was cute and delicious all at the same time. The staff was super friendly and patient while I was trying to figure out what I wanted. read more

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Another spot highly touted by my trusted foodie friends has lived up to its hype. Kelly's Cone Connection is known for its creative and innovative sundaes and ice cream creations, and they make all of their ice cream from scratch. I went specifically for the fourth and final special in their 4 part collab with the incredible local foodies The Side Dishers. Each creation was a food imposter meant to mimic a CT staple food. This one was a "New Haven Plain Apizza Slice" meant to mimic a slice of pizza. The flavors and conceptualization were brilliant, and I'm so happy to report that all the flavors and elements came together as well as I had hoped. So, it was a slice shaped waffle cone base, with cocoa powder "char" underneath, topped with strawberry basil ice cream, strawberry sundae sauce, white chocolate "basil leaves", and shaved white chocolate "parm". It was really quite brilliant. The texture of the ice cream was phenomenal. Plenty creamy but still light and not too heavy or overly sweet, a common complaint for me with strawberry ice cream. Actually, to have strawberry ice cream with the added strawberry sauce together, and still manage a reasonable sweetness balance, is an incredible feat. That takes serious skill. Kelly herself was lovely, and everyone else there that I interacted with was friendly, too. They managed large groups and a steady line admirably. The vibe isn't anything fancy, but it doesn't need to be. It was comfortable and had several table inside as well as a couple tables outside. I actually did sit and enjoy my ice cream there. I thought that the prices were very reasonable, especially for what you are getting. Kelly's has yet another fan in me. Can't wait to go back. This is a definite recommend. read more

Kelly's Cone Connection - Plain New Haven Apizza Slice - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

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Kelly's Cone Connection is the ice cream side of a building it shares with Glenwood Drive-In in Hamden. This review is based upon my recent visit to support my Food Blogger friends @thesidedishers who inspired a sundae there. It was this crazy combination based on Thanksgiving sides. I believe the components included corn casserole ice cream. Sweet potato casserole ice cream. Cranberry sauce. Whipped cream. And freeze dried green beans, for texture, and because it's Thanksgiving. LOL This was an exceptionally cool and creative seasonal Sundae. My favorite combination was the sweet corn ice cream with the sweet and acidic cranberry sauce. Will I ever order a sundae with green beans again? Probably not, but I can't rule it out. I've gotten to know Kelly a bit from my own food blogging. She's very nice and cares about the craft of making ice cream the right way. Cticecreamtour, who has an ice cream food truck featuring some of the best ice cream shops in CT has carried multiple Kelly's ice creams, and that's all I needed to know. 4.5 Stars read more

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The ice cream was good but the service terrible. Ok I get that it is an entry level high school student job But management should get these kids off to a good start in life and teach them some basics of how to be nice to customers and care about what they do. Also they are scooping ice cream for heavens sake. It should be a fun thing to do - not laborious. Encourage them to have fun with what they do. read more

This is a business that's been around for over 70 years. They make everything fresh and the quality and consistency of their ice cream is always on point not only that but the owner takes pride in how customers experience the space. They also have really good sugar-free options that are made from monk fruit. My favorite was what customers had to say. They genuinely happy and have been going for sometimes 20 or 30 years definitely one of the best spots for ice cream. The store itself is extremely cute and gives the best vibes. Definitely give it a try. read more

While in the area with friends, we stopped at Kelly's Cone Connection to try their ice cream bouquet that's been going viral lately! There were so many good flavors to choose from, and we were able to easily share it by putting in a big cup. The ice cream nachos were so good too!! Such a cute parlor, and the homemade ice cream was fantastic. We will definitely be back! read more

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terrible the environment is dirty and the employees do not meet the required minimum for customer service and congeniality even basic etiquette I wouldn't waste my time going here I found out doing research after that the area is riddled with robberies carjacking and all sorts of crime. I do not recommend going here. I didn't feel safe. I didn't feel like I had a good experience and will never go back. read more

Conveniently attached to Glenwood, this ice cream shop makes some pretty good stuff. Pardon the unintentional pun. Ambience was decent and the staff was friendly and knowledgeable. I got two 2-scoop sundaes. The first one I tried was Cherry Vanilla (with added walnuts). It was good, but the cherry flavor wasn't very prominent. It mostly tasted like vanilla ice cream with a small hint of cherry. The other sundae was "Good Stuff," which was chocolate peanut butter ice cream with chunks of Reese's peanut butter cups. This one was amazing. Rich, chocolatey with just the right amount of peanut butter flavor. I also added hot fudge and almonds to this one, which paired perfectly with it. Highly recommended. Overall, this is a great place, if you're eating at Glenwood, it pays to save room for desert. read more

Kelly's Cone Connection - 2 scoop "Good Stuff" sundae with hot fudge and almonds, 2 scoop Cherry Vanilla sundae with walnuts - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

I stopped in here with my friend last night and met the owner and she is just the nicest human being ever. The ice cream tastes fantastic, I tried the raspberry and it was incredible. Such a cute spot, I'll have to come back and try more of their specials. read more

Kelly's Cone Connection - Outside Kelly's - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

Kelly's Cone Connection is a great ice cream spot with that old "hometown" authentic feel. All of their ice cream is homemade and tastes exactly like it! They also offer a lot of nondairy options which is awesome! Ice cream is weighed and priced by the ounce, so the total is not always the exact same each time that you go. Inside is connected to Glenwood Drive In (another classic spot for dogs and burgers). We love supporting local businesses, and Kelly's is one of our favorites! read more

This coffee float was so good. It was made with Oreo ice cream and we added chocolate fudge. Indulgent and creamy. The perfect consistency read more

Kelly's Cone Connection - Coffee float with Oreo Ice Cream and Chocolate Syrup - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

I have been going to Kelley's for most of my life. It has always been a really great spot for ice cream. It's attached to Glenwood Drive in which is part of the father daughter business. Makes some really creative flavors and they were one of the first round to have a really good dairy free option. They usually have multiple on hand so there's a little bit of something for everyone. We really like Kelleigh. She's very warm and welcoming. The ambience is that of a small ice cream parlor. We ran over there the other day once we saw that we could get a ice cream bouquet! It did not disappoint. We featured it on our blog (@thesidedishers) we loved it so much! read more

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Nothing better than local, home made ice cream! Creative and delicious flavors! Generous portions, efficient and friendly service.

I love that they advertise their specials on social media. They have a variety to choose from - hard scoops, soft serve with a flavorburst option, ice cream sandwiches, and plenty of fun toppings if you're going for a sundae. My kids had flavorbursts - strawberry, black cherry, and cotton candy. They said they tasted like plain vanilla, but still enjoyed them. (I have found this to be true times that I've tried this variety of soft serve elsewhere). I went with Cookie Monster and the Good Stuff. Both hard ice creams were disappointing. Not much flavor and the mix-ins were sparse. The Good Stuff is supposed to have pb and Reese cups, but I felt it was more of just the pb cup edges that were in the ice cream. Oh well, it was a good deal and we enjoyed the sweet treat and the friendly staff. Be sure to check out Yelp for a deal. I saw $4 waffle cone, which is a great price, you get two scoops of your choice. FYI - October is $2.75 soft serve month. read more

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Another wonderful bit of my childhood that I get to share with my kids. I came here with my family, loved seeing Kelly then and I saw her today. The ice cream is delicious, it just feels wholesome and I'm so glad it still exists. read more

Kelly's Cone Connection - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

Starting off I got to say I love Kellys in general from the ambiance, food and lastly the service. The workers are hard working and will give you recommendations on there best ice creams. I give the most appreciation to the workers Julian and Riley. Check them out it's perfect for an afternoon with family and friends! read more

Kelly's Cone Connection - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

Kellys' has become our go to ice cream shop. They have so many delicious options: homemade ice cream, frozen yogurt, pies/cakes, pup cups, milkshakes, ice cream cookie sandwiches etc. We always get a treat to eat immediately plus a take home treat or two like a to go pint or pack of 6 homemade chocolate chip cookie sandwiches (check the freezer case for these!). The "flavorburst" is also a unique and photogenic way to enjoy the soft serve. Also helpful that they are open 12-9pm 7 days a week and staff are friendly and efficient. Each month offers a special such as $4.50 soft serve cups of waffle cones so be sure to check social media. read more

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I stopped in at Kelly's Cone connection after living in hamden for the past five months. It was memorial day weekend, so it was very busy but I am so glad that I waited. I ordered soft, serve butter scotch, and I believe there was a little issue with the machine but once I did get the ice cream it was thoroughly delicious. I would definitely go back and try a different flavor. I loved it. read more

2/23/22 Kelly's Kone offers the seemingly odd combination of soups and/or ice cream in the same building that houses the Glenwood Drive-In. Weird, but it works for some reason. I usually place my dinner order on the Glenwood side, then while waiting for it to be prepared, I'll saunter on over to Kelly's Kone to get a cup of whatever soups they're offering that day. Today, while having lunch with my sister, we decided to save room for an ice cream from Kelly's Kone. So right after finishing lunch at the Glenwood, we walked the 10-15 paces through the open mutual wall the two businesses share, to sample the ice cream for the first time. A good decision! We both selected a cup with two scoops of toasted almond. I d have ordered mine one scoop each of that & chocolate chip ice cream, but they don't offer it. What's THAT about??? Anyway, sis and I agreed that the ice cream was really excellent quality and creamy, not too hard or soft, and a nice amount of toasted almond flavor. One star fell off the truck when the server said they don't have chocolate chip ice cream......my favorite flavor. Other than that, I'll not hesitate to try another flavor another time! read more

Kelly's Cone Connection - 2/23/22 Double scoop of toasted almond ice cream w/rainbow sprinkles. The ice cream is excellent quality. - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

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We travel around the state (and other states) trying ice cream. We had no idea about Kelly's Cone's until we stopped for a bite to eat next door. Saw a sign that said Save Room for Ice Cream - and sooooooo glad we did!! This was one of the BEST homemade ice cream we have had! The coffee oreo was so yummy. I had peanut butter topping and they didn't skimp one bit on this! My husband had the oreo ice cream in their homemade waffle cone. I have to say I'm not a cone fan but I was disappointed I didn't get one myself. He said it was the best he ever had. The whipped cream could have been a little sweeter, but that's just our personal taste. We will definitely be back for more! read more

Casual ice cream spot with homemade ice cream! The space is nice enough, as it is attached to a diner and has both indoor and outdoor seating. Their ice cream is very solid and they have a wide variety of different flavors. I got their chocolate chip ice cream and it was chock-full of chocolate chips (see what I did there...) Their cones are generic. FYI- They do not accept yelp's check-in discount on waffle cones read more

Delicious homemade ice cream,... we enjoyed the mud pie, loaded with chocolate sauce, yum!! ... and for the month of July, they have a homemade waffle cone special for $4 ! read more

Kelly's Cone Connection - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

Ice cream was pretty good, a decent amount to choose from. The waffle cone was good, but a little too chewy for my liking. The whipped cream was fantastic. I was be ely excited to see the flavor burst soft serve, I used to get that as a kid and haven't seen it since! The shop was clean, service was a little strange. The server wasn't very friendly and when I tried to use a Yelp Deal, a worker came out of the back (possibly the owner or manager?) she was like I absolutely do not do business with Yelp... she still gave us the deal, but it made me feel uncomfortable and like I was being scolded. Overall, an okay experience. read more

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First time going and will return. Mango sorbet was delicious. Slivers of mango throughout. Not too sweet and not too tart. Servers were nice and prompt. Practicing social distancing and spotless. read more

Honestly can't complain. Never had a bad flavor yet! We buy their ice cream cakes and we love their ice cream cookie sandwiches!!! Delicious read more

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Delicious homemade icecream with a large variety of flavors! The monthly specials are terrific; this month my son got a waffle cone with coffee Oreo and vanilla icecream. The mounds flavor is delicious; if you don't see it in the case just ask: sometimes they have it! Our go to place for ice cream! read more

Another Hamden native staple. Love all the options for ice cream they have and I love that it changes too! Makes you get out of your comfort zone (because I am a creature of habit!) and choose different flavors! I even love the soft serve flavor burst options! My family and I have gone here often and I came many a times as a child too! So nostalgic to me! read more

I love good ice cream places...I'm not kidding, when I find a great ice cream place all other ice cream then gets compared to that store. So let me tell you about Kelly's Kone Konnection... First time I stopped here yesterday, and I don't know when I'll be back simply because it's 2 hours from my house, BUT if it was closer I might weight 300 pounds. The salted caramel ice cream is the BEST I've ever had...and I order it wherever I go. My daughter ordered a chocolate brownie or something like that and she literally licked the Styrofoam cup. I guarantee if I ate here a second time it would be five stars. I really hope I can get back to try another flavor... read more

I spent the last year and a half working next door to Kelly's, which is a pretty dangerous situation to be in because the ice cream here is really good. There were times in the summer when I would stop in multiple days in a row, and then there were times when I would take long breaks from visiting because I was really eating too much ice cream. (I know, there should be no such thing as too much ice cream, but try telling that to my jeans.) Kelly's ice cream is homemade and has that wonderful amount of creaminess that you can only find in homemade ice cream. There are several fun flavors to choose from, and they rotate in some great seasonal options. I don't have one particular favorite flavor, but I often get their oreo, cupcake, or "The Good Stuff," which is chocolate ice cream with peanut butter cups. The monthly specials are great deals, and I always look forward to the months when waffle cones/cups are $3.75. In some months, soft serve is just $1.50. I like the hard ice cream much better than the soft serve, but a soft serve cone is a nice little mid-day treat. I recently learned that Kelly's isn't just a great stop for ice cream - it's also a decent place to get lunch. There are only a few salads, soups, and sandwiches available on the menu, but it's a nice alternative to the fried options just a few steps away in the same building. I've had their salad with mixed greens, grilled chicken, craisins, glazed walnuts, and blue cheese, and it's pretty good. read more

I really liked it this visit. The ice cream was fresh, had a nice amount of butterfat content and many flavors. I tried toasted almond and sweet cream with chocolate sprinkles and it hit the spot. I don't even like toasted almond but it looked so tasty I was called to try it and was not disappointed. Maybe I tried the soft serve last time. I don't recall but was definitely pleased this visit. They had an old car event going on so that was fun with oldies playing over the speakers. read more

I like Kelly's Kone Konnection because of multiple reasons 1. They have so many flavours and more often than not, I find one of my favorites there 2. very quick in service even when there is huge line 3. quite cheap read more

The ice cream is good but they don't know how to make sundaes. They will drown the ice cream in the requested toppings. It needs to have balance! Particularly if you are asking for hot fudge as one of the toppings, they should know that the fudge will melt the ice cream so maybe it's not a good idea to fill HALF of the cup with fudge! It's always a disaster every time I order from here because they don't know how to make sundaes, which is a problem at an ICE CREAM SHOP. read more

This ice cream shop is a great little find attached to the more famous Glenwood, but deserves praise all on its own for its homemade ice cream. They have a variety of ice cream flavors( classics and more unique flavors), soft serve, and even offer ice cream cakes and ice cream sandwiches in their freezer. Great treat after a lobster roll at Glenwood. read more

Reese's Pie is UNbelievable. Soooo good! For cheaper than an ice cream cake at one of the national franchises! Def yummy homemade ice cream!

Great place for ice cream. I first came here for a field trip to Hamden when I was in high school and the employees are so accommodating. I now live in the area and stop by for their great ice cream. The glen wood drive in is a perfect place to get lunch before getting ice cream here. I recommend the black raspberry and their cake batter flavors! read more

Kelly's Cone Connection - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

Delicious homemade ice cream, always a variety of new flavors or fresh local fruits used, next door to Glenwood, to get the best hot dogs ever. read more

I went in today to get a couple of cones...the lady behind the counter was not welcoming. She was frumpy with no smile. We ordered a chocolate soft serve cone as well as a soft serve vanilla. The ice cream was gummy and gritty at the same time and they were poorly made. All the other places that I have been the cones are made nicely...these were not. They also charge by the ounce. Give me a nice medium cone and charge accordingly. The prices between the cones varied. I will stick with Wentworths down the street. The young folks that work behind the counter there are friendly and seem to work as a team. NO good vibe for me here. read more

Hmmm... the "KKK." Maybe the name says it all? This place has been walking distance from me all my life but its a wonder that I rarely ever wander over there. The ice cream EHHHHHHHH, Not that good. Although it has a great location seeing as though it is attached to Glenwood I would still not even think about getting ice cream. But then again to each their own? I just really want to know, WHAT IS WITH ALL THE Ks???? read more

Kelly's Kone Konnection - what interesting initials. The ice cream base of this place is pretty good--waaaaaaaaay better than Ashley's that's for sure. The base is fairly creamy but also kinda melty so be prepared to eat fast. I tried the coconut on a sugar cone, and it was satisfactory. The kinda weird thing about this place is that they weigh the ice cream and charge based on weight. Why not just have a standardized price per scoop? I just don't understand. But at least the ice cream is fine. This place will be the official source of my lactose intolerance problems in Hamden. read more

Kelly's Cone Connection - They don't weigh the waffle cones - $5 for two scoops! Rum raisin and maple walnut = the yums! - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut