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    Purity Ice Cream

    4.0 (443 reviews)
    Open 7:30 am - 10:00 pm

    Order Purity Ice Cream Takeout or Delivery

    Purity Ice Cream Photos

    Business Info

    PURITY ICE CREAM ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Touristy
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Purity Ice Cream

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    Banana Split, affogato, mint chocolate chip, pumpkin cheesecake crumble
    Matthew W.

    Fairly spacious ice cream parlor that also sells burgers, sandwiches, and breakfast food. The sweet treats available include shakes, malts, sundaes, pastries, and of course, ice cream. Prices are quite good (1 large scoop is about $5). Staff is friendly and offers a reasonable number of samples. The restaurant is large enough to house about 50+ people in terms of seating. I love the variance in flavors and options, as well as seasonal selections. You'll always find something you'll enjoy (unless you're lactose intolerant). I especially enjoyed the pumpkin cheesecake crumble. I'd recommend Purity for sure!

    Chocolate cupcake
    DeAnna T.

    Stopped in for something sweet and purchased a cupcake. The frosting was tasty, but the cupcake was dry. I was the only person in line, but could see they were addressing another customer so I waited patiently. They never made eye contact nor did they make me aware they'd be with me shortly. They were pleasant enough when it was my turn, but I didn't feel they valued my patronage.

    Manish C.

    Serving customers since 1936, Purity Ice Cream is one of 2 go-to local ice cream shops you need to try out when in Ithaca. The entire place gives off amazing retro ice cream parlor vibes which I rarely see nowadays. You appreciate the retro look a bit more after one too many visits to spartan-looking and soulless micro-batch creameries that seem to be popping up. They also have a food menu and dining area which is also from a bygone era (unless you happen to find a Friendly's still around), but can't judge the food since I wanted to try out the ice cream. I went with one scoop each of the coconut and cookies and cream from their list of over 20 ice cream flavors. While both were delicious and hit the spot, the clear winner of the two for me was the coconut ice cream, as the cookies and cream didn't pack too much of a punch to make a lasting impression on me. Overall, I'd rate the ice cream a solid 4 out of 5, but Purity ice cream gets a rare bump up to 5 stars from me for the cool retro cream parlor vibes and friendly service. We need more unique ice cream places like this one!

    Scoop of Sleepers Awake in waffle cone.
    Ruth C.

    Decently sized parking lot and street parking nearby as well. Spacious interior if you don't want to sit on the road-side patio. The available flavors are on the board, but the flavor explanations are on the laminated menus that have every flavor listed, including out of season ones. Service was brusque even though there was nobody in line behind us. I think I had higher expectations based on an acquaintance's recommendation, but it feels like they're just the only local ice cream vendor that does enough volume to distribute to restaurants. Flavors were ok but I don't think we'll be back.

    White Bean Lentil Burger:  Whole Wheat Roll, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Chipotle aiolin, *Fried Onions, Jalapeno, No Extras
    J B.

    We went there for dinner with family we were visiting. We keep to a Vegan diet and our daughter Vegetarian, while her husband is omniviore. All of were able to get dinner and ice cream treats afterwards. Our Vegan diet is about personal health so we are more flexible than some others might be about the fact that the Vegan burgers and veggies are cooked on the same grill as meat. For the same reasons we did not check to see if the ice cream cones were Vegan. Anyone who is concerned about such details should check and might end up eating elsewhere depending on what they find out. Alternatively, if one orders ice cream in a cup that should be acceptable for most people who keep to a Vegan diet. Our food order tonight: White Bean Lentil Burger: Whole Wheat Roll, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Chipotle aiolin, *Fried Onions, Jalapeno, No Extras Add Side Field Green Salad, honey mustard, No Drink Crispy Chicken Cobb Salad; Fried chicken breast, hard boiled egg, field greens, roma tomato, cucumber, avocado, carrots, choice of dressing Balsamic Vinegrette Dressing White Bean Lentil Burger: Whole Wheat Roll, *Grilled Bell Peppers, *Grilled Mushrooms, *Grilled Onions, No Extras Add Side Field Green Salad, Basalmic, No Drink Black Bean Burger: scratch made vegan black bean burger has a touch of BBQ flavor. Whole Wheat Roll, *Grilled Bell Peppers, *Grilled Mushrooms, *Grilled Onions, Jalapeno, Tomatoes, Lettuce, Add Avocado, Add on Sweet Potato Fries, No Drink Our deserts: Junior Scoop Vegan, Cup, Vegan Chocolate Chunk gf, Junior Scoop Vegan, Cup, Vegan Vanilla Bean gf Junior Scoop, Cup, Black Raspberry Junior Scoop, Cup, Bittersweet, 1 Scoop Vegan, Sugar cone, Vegan Chocolate Chunk gf 2 Scoop, Vegan, Waffle Cone, Vegan Mint Choc Chunk gf, Vegan Wild Berry The vegan burgers are an alternative for those who don't want commercial Vegan burgers. We liked the black bean burger better in terms of texture but both were mushy, and didn't have much flavor. We probably would not get either again. The sweet potato fries were good, not great. The side salads were surprisingly generous. Everyone liked the ice cream. The Vegan ice cream all were very good. It is possible to get Vegan shakes and vegan sundaes,which we did not try tonight.

    Katie P.

    A fun ice cream shop with a wide variety of flavors (including vegan options)! I haven't had ice cream from a shop since the summer, but have been eager to try Purity Ice Cream. Ordering online was fast and simple, as was pickup. There was a dining area available, but I was just in and out. Be aware of potential parking challenges during busier times of the day. I ordered a pint of ice cream for the freezer, and for the road I ordered one scoop of the chocolate raspberry flavor. Wow! So delicious. Perfect balance of chocolate to raspberry. You might look at the price of a scoop and be hesitant, but the portion was very generous. I thoroughly enjoyed the ice cream, and I am looking forward to enjoying the pint in the freezer!

    The brownie sundae
    Kim L.

    We stopped because we had wanted ice cream and were seriously looking for something that wasn't a chain, and wasn't the "usual suspects" for good ice cream. I went for a unique one - it was a mint chocolate ice cream w/crushed Oreos - kind of made it taste like a Thin Mint. My only complaint was that the paper stuck to the cone so I had to forego the last bite! My companion opted for traditional - it was a brownie sundae - and it was really yummy - and so much that she couldn't eat it all! Our server was quick and knowledgeable and we so enjoyed sitting outside in the sun!

    Main entrance from parking lot

    Great ice cream from packed pints to frozen yogurts. Cones or scoops, banana splits etc. Reasonable prices and polite prompt service.

    3 scoops

    A good place to get your icecream! Looks like a vintage diner. Fast service. Tasty icecream. Good vibes. Must visit this hot summer.

    david l.

    Purity has the best ice cream in town. Do not get scared of the line. It moves quick and wellk worth the wait. All the flavors are great and you won't go wrong with what you choose.

    Junior soft serve in a waffle cone with caramel
    Beth R.

    Such a huge variety of flavors and toppings and fun choices. The staff was helpful and friendly, the atmosphere is fun and adorable! Decent prices and just a lovely little place!!

    Fried Chicken Sandwich and Cole Slaw

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    9 months ago

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    1 month ago

    Amazing ice cream, creative flavors and classics, gluten free cones available. The best mint chip IMO

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    2 months ago

    Best ice cream in New York! Chocolate raspberry and cookie after dark are Amazing! Lia was amazing!

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

    Loved the vibe of this place and there are amazing flavor options. Sometimes the wait is long but it's well worth it

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    3 years ago

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    6 months ago

    Best burgers! Great dairy free options for ice cream. Everytime we are in Ithaca we stop.

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    2 years ago

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    6 months ago

    The service was incredible and the ice cream was delicious! Liam was kind and helpful in every way!

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    6 months ago

    best milkshakes ever. Shoutout to samantha for being so sweet!!! Highly recommend strawberry milkshake

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    7 months ago

    Wonderful ice cream and great service, especially Alexis. We come here every time we're in Ithaca.

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    1 year ago

    Yumyumyummmmmm yum!!! Such great ice cream even in the dead of winter. Go to Purity! Get a cone! Or try a milkshake.

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    Page 1 of 12

    Ask the Community - Purity Ice Cream

    Do u use tree nuts? Pistachio. Cashew. Walnut. Pecan. If so do use use shared equipment. Make non nut flavors like vanilla on same machines as nut flavors.…

    They do not make the ice cream. Byrne Dairy makes their ice cream for them

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Sweet Melissa's Ice Cream Shop

    Sweet Melissa's Ice Cream Shop

    4.4
    (120 reviews)
    0.5 mi
    $

    CASH ONLY! I loved this place. Their soft serve was really great, and they also offer hard ice…read morecream with vegan options, plus a gluten free and vegan cookies and cream. I got the chocolate soft serve with rainbow sprinkles and it was the perfect sweet treat. If you only want a little something, you can get a kids size like I did, but they also have small, medium, and large sizes too. One thing to know is that it is cash only. If you do not have cash, they may offer an IOU like they did for us. There is an ATM next door, but I had issues with it not accepting my card, and my friends had the same problem, so I ended up paying in quarters. They were very kind and patient about it though. The line can get pretty long, but it moves quickly, so it is not a bad wait at all. It would be nice if there was more seating, especially since so many people come here, but overall it is still a really great stop for ice cream.

    Cute seasonal ice cream spot in Ithaca!…read more Located in downtown- the line can get pretty long in the evenings- even on weekdays. Cash only so be prepared. I am partial to soft serve but have tried both their hard icecream and soft serve. I prefer their soft serve but wish they had more flavors. I tried the classic chocolate twist and the two berry twist soft serves. In the two berry twist, I didn't like the pink flavor- it was too icy and more like a sorbet/dole whip than true soft serve. I liked the purple flavor thought! Overall, I still frequent Sweet Melissa's for softserve close to Cornell! Would recommend!

    Photos
    Sweet Melissa's Ice Cream Shop
    Vanilla soft serve (small cone; sprinkles on the side), blueberry w/ Oreos hard ice cream (one scoop)
    Vanilla soft serve (small cone; sprinkles on the side), blueberry w/ Oreos hard ice cream (one scoop)
    Hannah's House (cherry chocolate chip)--one scoop

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    Hannah's House (cherry chocolate chip)--one scoop
    Cornell Dairy Bar

    Cornell Dairy Bar

    4.6
    (163 reviews)
    1.9 mi
    $

    This place has a soft space in my heart, so that might skew my review. As an alum, I spent too much…read moretime here during my undergrad days. After not being there for a while, this was legitimately my first stop on campus when visiting. Went straight from the airport and got some scoops. Even on days when the temperature dipped below zero, I found myself wanting ice cream from Dairy Bar when I was a student. Years later, I'm happy to say that the flavors were still as good as I hoped. There are times when nostalgia can carry or elevate a memory of something, and luckily, nostalgia aside, I very much enjoyed my ice cream here. Pro tip for those who might not know: they serve limited flavors of the same Cornell-made ice cream in dining halls. They also serve it during the buffets at Statler Hotel. I love the different flavors, and would eat it at any time of day.

    I learned today that Cornell has its own dairy farm and produces its own line of cheese and ice…read morecream. They have really unique ice cream flavors which they sell at their Dairy Bar on campus and distribute to local retailers. The Dairy Bar is a small cafe housed in Stocking Hall, home to Cornell's dairy program. The cafe has mostly to-go items like wrapped sandwiches and pre made bowls and snacks. They also have a grill with a small selection of fresh menu items. And they have an ice cream bar of course with the same flavors as their refrigerated pints. The staff here was friendly. It gets a little crowded around lunch time so plan ahead.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Beebe Black Raspberry, French Vanilla, Dragon Day Mint Cookies & Cream
    Beebe Black Raspberry, French Vanilla, Dragon Day Mint Cookies & Cream
    Cornell Dairy Bar

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    Cold Stone Creamery

    Cold Stone Creamery

    4.0
    (7 reviews)
    1.0 mi

    I love the smoothies here, the ice cream choices are immaculate. They will personalize your choices…read moreto make it right for you and the owner is very caring, he remembers you and will help you out with your order and timing.

    We walked in and they were currently helping another customer. The store was very clean. The…read morecounters were organized. Everything seemed very presentable. We did not get the usual, "Welcome to Cold Stone," greeting we normally get from straddling at other Cold Stone stores. We were next in line. After the customer left, they stayed at the cash register and talked for a bit. Which seemed a bit odd to me since we were waiting. Usually, in other establishments, the staff is very attentive and is eager to handle the next customer. Or if we came in as a group, they tag team to get us all completed in a timely fashion and work on the next. This is not what happened. When she finally came to us, we started our order. I was paying attention to how she kept herself, what she did before and after the handling of our ice cream. As she was finishing the mixes in the ice cream, I immediately noticed something different. In all the locations I have been to, this one was different. She leveled our ice cream with the cup it was in. I made this face. I thought it was odd and possibly thought she was going to bug the rest of it in but she didn't. She actually took a bit away in order to level the top of it. When she gave us our order, the ice cream was pouring over the side after she leveled it. She didn't bother to wipe it. I absolutely love cold stone. I know this is a new store and customer service is important. I do hope this is something they are not taught. Ice cream was delicious but I gave it three stars for this above. Hope next time for a five star review.

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    Cold Stone Creamery
    Cold Stone Creamery
    Cold Stone Creamery

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    Shtayburne Farm

    Shtayburne Farm

    4.6
    (68 reviews)
    20.8 mi
    $

    Saw this place on Instagram and decided to try it out while on the scenic wine route. Conveniently…read morelocated just past Watkins Glen. A fourth generation dairy farm that excels in cheese and ice cream. We tried the 8 flight. 4 cheeses 4 ice creams. All were delicious. I tried the peach habernero Quark and immediately needed to buy one in the case. Its a super protein and so creamy. I can't wait to pair it with celery sticks for a nice snack. They offer a few coffee drinks as well. I ordered a caramel Americano. Next time I am in the area I will definitely come by again!

    Such a fun experience!…read more So many fun flavors of icecream and different cheeses! Not to mention the adorable cows!! We tried the flight of 8-- 5 icecreams and 3 cheeses. For icecream we tasted the purple cow, peach cobbler, cookies and cream, black cherry chocolate, and the coffee heath crunch. My favorite was the coffee flavor- unlike other coffee icecreams I've had, this coffee had a much more robust and richer flavor profile. I liked cookies and cram-- always a classic. The cherry flavor was a tad too artificial for my liking. Purple cow was fine- very similar to the Cornell Dairy flavor- both are good though! I liked the peach cobbler flavor though wish there were more of the mix-ins. For cheeses, we tasted the butter garlic cheddar curds, the signature Summit Cheddar, and the plain quark. The garlic cheddar curds were so good, I took a bag home with me! Summit cheddar had a nice nutty flavor, not too 'sharp' though. The quark was interesting... it had a rather mild flavor and interesting texture (similar to boursin). I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it. I also took home a bag of the tomato basil cheese curds which I didn't like as much as the garlic ones. The tomato ones had a very subtle flavor-- too subtle. There was a line when we got there though it moves relatively quickly and is definitely worth the wait! Overall, I had so much fun picking out so many icecreams and cheeses to taste as well as seeing the cows! I would highly recommend Shtayburne Farm!

    Photos
    Cheese and ice cream flight.
    Cheese and ice cream flight.
    Cheese and ice cream flight
    Cheese and ice cream flight
    Shtayburne Farm

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    Purity Ice Cream - icecream - Updated June 2026

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