Purity Ice Cream

Locals told us: Get great sandwiches from the deli in this convenience store!…read more Shortstop Deli has been "hidden" in a convenience store in the "lower northside" of Ithaca NY since 1978! Great design-your-own sandwiches, and if you like, friendly suggestions from the staff. It was our first time in, and their helpful hints quickly showed they have every filling (savory seitan!) and every topping and a nice variety of breads. We got their "Italian mix" of cold cuts, which included Genoa salami, sweet tender thin-sliced baked ham, and meats that were either mortadella and capicola or at least richly-flavored alternates, provalone cheese, tomato, onions, a light amount of lettuce brightened with a splash of Italian dressing and a dash of fresh salad-oil, and a sprinkling of what we call "hots": lightly-spicy pickled peppers. All this on fresh French bread, which could have been with sesame, or could have been ciabatta or whole-wheat French or several others. We added a light scatter of our own crushed pistachios, which are in some mortadellas. Nobody said this couldn't be fun :-) The sandwich was a heavenly armful, shared amongst us on one of our woodsy picnics. Extra kudos again to their cheerful helpful (patient) staff!

Friendly fast fresh! I'll go again when I'm in town! Keep Ithaca fun!…read moreLove the fact that I could get a small-ish sub.

Order Counter

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In case you're curious about the order

State Eatery

4.8(52 reviews)

5.3 mi

The best BBQ I have had and I am from the south!…read more We tried the Full Texas (has all of the meats) with the potato salad, mac and cheese, cornbread, and a lemon curt tart. The tart was tangy, bright, not too sweet, and the bottom wasn't soggy at all. Excellent! As for the BBQ, all of the meats were so smoky and melt-in-your-mouth flavorful! I wasn't expecting to like the chicken, I typically go for brisket, but the chicken stole the show. It was moist and so full of flavor! Definitely my favorite! Closely followed by the brisket, then the ribs, then the pulled pork, and last, but not least, the chorizo/sausage. I also really liked the chimichurri sauce as well as the addition of pickles and pickled onions. They paired really well with the BBQ. I preferred the golden bbq sauce a over the classic bbq (sweeter and too smoky for me). Honestly didn't love the mac and cheese. It was a bit bland and would not recommend or order this again. However, the BBQ and everything else was so good that it makes up for the faults of the mac and cheese. Cornbread was solid- on the crumblier side and not sweet at all. I prefer my cornbread sweeter, but this was still good cornbread. I was pleasantly surprised by the potato salad on the other hand. I don't like potatoes in general because I find them to be too bland and chronically underseasoned. Much to my surprise, I rather liked this potato salad. I loved the addition of dill and green onions. This was really good with the BBQ. The interior is a bit lackluster and the building is unassuming. Everyone there was really friendly and helpful when deciding what to order though! Overall, I would highly recommend State Eatery! Incredible BBQ!

State Eatery was our final stop in the Finger Lakes before starting the drive home to Baltimore…read moreafter spending the Fourth of July weekend in the area. We were sad to leave, but State Eatery was a great goodbye meal. It's a bakery, bar, and BBQ spot and a really cool space. We were there after a hot, sweaty hike, and ready for some BBQ. Their menu is both classic and eclectic, and we decided to share a little classic BBQ and a little less classic BBQ. We shared the Brisket + Chicken plate, which comes with both proteins, two sides, sauce, and pickles. We chose the mac and cheese and smoked pork + beans for our sides. We also got - under their Meats by the 1/2 Pound section of the menu - their smoked beets?! Full disclosure: I'm from Texas. And I have a lot of strong feelings about brisket. State Eatery's brisket definitely isn't what I'm used to or what I'm craving when I order brisket. It was quite dry, I suspect from a much leaner cut than most Texas spots would use (although at home, you're sometimes asked if you want a slice of lean or fatty). If I'm going to eat brisket, I want a fatty slice. State Eatery's was dry for me, but with sauce was fine. I preferred the chicken, which I thought was very good (smoky with a crispy skin without being overcooked or dry inside). I also enjoyed the beets! I'm a fan of beets, but I've never had them like this and it surprised me. The sides were both good, too! The mac and cheese was made with good pasta and wasn't overcooked or too saucy - and very peppery! The beans with smoked pork were great. I also thought both sauces we had were very good. They also have a bar, so we were able to have some brunch-y cocktails with our BBQ. My husband had their Spanish sangria, which he enjoyed, while I - as slowly as I could - savored my Daytripper Spritz (Matchbook Distilling's Estate Grown Strawberry Amara combined with Prosecco and a touch of lemon juice over ice). The service was great, and they offer indoor and outdoor seating. We wished we could have stayed longer - their indoor bar looked like a great place to watch a World Cup game - but we had to start our drive home. I'd happily return to try more of their food (their choripán - an Argentinian sandwich/street food - was calling my name but we could only order so much since there was just the two of us)!

State Bakery + BBQ OPEN

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Chocolate croissant

The Yellow Deli

4.4(52 reviews)

We stopped here passing through on a trip, and we loved the atmosphere! The interior details and…read moreconnection with nature were lovely and unique. We had a wonderful lunch experience and friendly service. Would stop here again!

I've been told this place was a cult by some friends but never heard about what they did…read more I decided to try it, I went in and it was extremely unsettling. Our waiter seemed extremely creepy as well. All around bad vibes, don't go here!

Upstairs

Creamy tomato soup bowl

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Drinks and breakfast menu

Gorgers Subs

4.4(345 reviews)

0.6 mi

I'm always passing by gorgers so this is my first time going here and it was really delicious they…read moremake their fresh bread. I got the chimichurri steak sandwich medium, it was packed and tasty and the bread was tasty and chewy. They're playing reggae music, all these nice ladies run the place, I get ownership vibes from every aspect of work but didn't ask. my wife got some onions in her sub. I think she misheard, but mine was really good and the portions were really good. Think I'm just gonna go here for subs from now on everything else it's kind of mediocre now. Def recommend. It's super convenient too.

I felt excited to try Gorgers because their menu of subs, salads, and soups looks great, and it has…read morea cozy, small-shop feel. Since seating inside is quite limited, it's definitely more geared toward quick grab-and-go orders. Unfortunately, I had a poor experience with my order. I ordered the fried eggplant sub and specifically asked for no onions due to a food allergy. When I opened my sandwich, it was loaded with raw red onions. Because of my allergy, I wasn't able to enjoy the meal. I really wanted to like this place, but severe allergy mix-ups make it hard for me to return or recommend. I hope the team takes order notes and customization requests more seriously in the future for customer safety.

Banh mi

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Strawberry lemonade

The Elf In The Oak

4.8(364 reviews)

18.1 mi

Staff were friendly and efficient! Parking available in front of restaurant. Casual vibe with…read morelakeview by the windows. Sandwiches were phenomenal. Everything was made fresh. I got the schnitzel sandwich-very crispy and juicy, flavor was perfect-chicken was seasoned well and balanced with mustard. The chips were in-house, fresh and crispy. And the sweet potato fries-chef's kiss! Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, not oily at all! Will definitely come back here on my next trip!

If you're not from here and don't look like you are, expect to be treated very differently from the…read moreother customers. Came here for the lunch sammies, but got here a bit early. They start lunch at 11am. Waited in line and let all the breakfast people go first to order at the counter. When they switched over to lunch, the cashier lady requested another few minutes to set up and said she would "come to me" when it was time for lunch ordering as we spoke earlier that lunch would not be ready. To not rush her and respect their transition per what was stated, I sat back down at the table. Then the lunch line immediately formed (that was not there at opening lunch hour), so I got back up to make sure she'd honor her commitment to first-come, first-serve. To my dismay, she began speaking with the gentleman after me, completely forgetting that I had waited 15+ min from breakfast and gotten word from her she would honor my place. She made an excuse that she was just taking the next customer in line, and after I repeated what she told me, she honored my purchase, and SHE clicked no tip automatically. Even more disappointing is that they STILL chose to put out the food of the gentleman behind FIRST. When our food came second, the reuben was burnt. Poor service aside, the chicken snitchzel was good. Unfortunately, I think the young lady was overworked and did not either remember (even though I had been standing there, made conversation) or chose not to remember (much more worrisome). The food is great and interior is beautiful views (on it's own would be 4 stars) but I would be very wary of the treatment you'd receive here as a customer. Please do better, you have really great food for this area.

Main dining and ordering area

Smoked Turkey Panini

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Entrance

Fresh Marche

4.3(10 reviews)

Great take out option! The salad was fresh and filling. I will definitely order again. Only…read morecomplaint would be the eco-friendly packaging. The oil in the salad dressing seeps through the container. I'll put it on a plate or bowl next time before adding dressing. ;)

Amazing food - my new favorite sandwich shop in all of Ithaca! You won't be disappointed.read more

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Lev Kitchen

4.5(116 reviews)

Amazingly flavorful, we changed plans and came back a second time on our vacation trip…read more The schnitzeled oyster mushroom salad was 10/10!

Absolutely three best chicken sandwich I've ever had! Not only were the chunks of chicken cooked to…read moreperfection and the seasoning and sauce tasted like I was sitting in Tel Aviv but the pita bread was out of this world! I always thought pita was pita everywhere. I don't know if they buy this or bake it themselves but it was warm and rich and amazing! Really fantastic. The beet salad was excellent and everything you'd want in a fresh salad. Dressing was sublime and didn't overpower the rest of what was on the plate. Can't wait to go back! Very reasonably priced as well. We don't drink but it looked as though they had a nice selection of wine and beer.

Truffled Mushroom and Kale

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Chalkboard

Ithaca Bakery

3.7(536 reviews)

0.1 mi

Not sure why the reviews are that high but I enjoyed my experience! So much options and variety…read morehere Ordered the caramel pistachio latte ($8) but it didn't have much pistachio flavor. It just tasted like caramel and really sweet. The fruit wellness was good and fresh! Got turkey panini was delicious and fresh. We got the wrong order or bagel but it was still good. I LOVED the pb&j cookie! I've never had something like that and it wasn't too sweet too

This place has it all! Lots of made to order options for breakfast and lunch, beers on tap, a store…read morewith lots of delicious grab and go items, and tables to dine in or outside. I really enjoyed the bowl I ordered and felt like it was A TON of food! The atmosphere here is great too, and the employees are friendly and helpful. I'll definitely be back the next time I'm in town.

Bonx bagel

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Cute mug I got today!

DiBella's Subs

4.0(52 reviews)

1.0 mi

As fast food sub shops go, Dibella's serves it up like an old school deli. They advertise their…read morebread being good and fresh and it definitely is, all honesty, the biggest difference is the lack of food additives. Other chains bread taste weird for a reason. Dibellas real break is super taste moist, enough loft and crispiness. Makes the sandwich. Fast and friendly service. Vintage decor diner decor. I honestly love the tin smithed tiles on the ceiling. As far as sub chains go, this is a pretty solid choice

It's a chain, but don't hold that against them. They make some yummy Italian hoagies! I will likely…read morereturn.

DiBella's 5" mini sub. Featuring our classic turkey sub on sesame bread and our famous Godfather sub on everything bread.

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Godfather sub on everything bread

Hound and Mare

4.4(100 reviews)

I'm going to dream about the Melrose breakfast sandwich months from now as well as their dirty chai…read morelatte. Don't judge me. This is a place that will spoil other establishments for you. We originally came here because we saw they have gluten-free bagels. And we need someplace to eat safely because of celiac. They made their OG breakfast bagel with a gluten-free one and it was a complete hit with my teen. So much so that we had to come back the next day as well. No complaints from me on doing that.

Hound and Mare is one of the cafes that I visit regularly when I'm staying in downtown Ithaca. I…read moreusually am getting either drip coffee or an espresso-based drink, but they also offer a food menu including baked goods and pastries. I tried a tasty chocolate donut recently and learned that their donuts come from an source in Elmira. The coffee drinks have been solid, and the staff have been consistently welcoming when I've gone. I've also seen people working on their computers, so I imagine it's a good place for studying or reading.

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Menu projected on the wall!

Avocado toast

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Front door 10/24:24

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33 reviews that are not currently recommended

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Bran L.

3 years ago

Purity Ice Cream Company, once known for its delectable frozen treats and somewhat affordable prices, has left many consumers disappointed and disillusioned. One of the most glaring consequences of Purity Ice Cream Company's cost-cutting strategies is the noticeable decline in the quality of their products and quantity of. In an attempt to reduce expenses, the company has probably compromised on key ingredients, opting for lower-grade substitutes and artificial additives. This compromise has resulted in a discernible change in the taste, texture, and overall enjoyment of their ice cream. What was once a delightfully creamy and rich dessert has now become a lackluster and disappointing experience. read more

Steven L.

158

12 years ago

Purity is amazing. An abundant number of choices and options for pretty much any ice cream lover. I'm never disappointed when I come here! The lines can get long at times but ordering and pick up are pretty quick. I've also purchased some prepackaged items from the stand freezers which can be checked out at a different register which is super convenient. I've only really had the ice cream and cupcakes which are both wonderful. I've heard that their other options are also quite good. read more

Marlene S.

13 years ago

Went here at the suggestion of a client I was visiting while traveling on business. This place is all about ice cream and people rave about it apparently. I had the mint chip soy based ice cream because I'm lactose intolerant. It was surprisingly good! Would definitely go back next time I'm in the area for business. read more

JohnnDiane C.

10 years ago

YUMMY! And there's parking. This is the best ice cream and cakes in town. Maybe second only to Byrne Dairy Chocolate Peanut Butter but that's impossible to beat. Try the carrot cake! read more

Alexis M.

173

3 years ago

I love how the food is always cooked fresh, which sometimes may take a little longer but I'll wait for good quality. The local fried chicken sandwich and of course fresh cut fries read more

Kevin S.

3 years ago

Purity gets busy but it's always worth the wait. The food in the kitchen is fantastic. Great ice cream and food combined with old school tunes makes this a must stop in Ithaca. read more

Jenne B.

10 years ago

awesome selection of ice cream. employees are very friendly but slow. I had to wait almost 8 minutes to get service although there was only 5 people on line. wired car parking. read more

Xavier L.

11 years ago

Great place to go for hard ice cream, I've never been disappointed by quality of service or quality of their products.

J K.

131

7 years ago

What seemed like an eternity just for a muffin I wanted to grab and go. It was not like this before the renovation!

Kate G.

6 years ago

This place is amazing. Ice cream is delicious and worth the wait. Place is cute and service was wonderful.

Ceirsten C.

2 months ago

fire banana ice cream, I would blow up a school to get more, it would be worth going to jail for.

Hamer G.

1 year ago

great ice cream and Gesten was great! Super good service. fantastic diversity of flavors too.

Fanum L.

5 years ago

Purity is a staple of the Ithaca area. You will never be disappointed if you go to Purity.

Alexis M.

2 years ago

My favorite was madigan mint! Delicious- I got fries and dipped them into the mint shake

Ahmed B.

4 years ago

Very good ice cream and friendly servers. Recommend stopping by if you're in the area.

Jesse M.

4 years ago

Came here with the kids to get some ice cream and was surprised by the quality.

Angela N.

Elite 9

107

291

19 years ago

Purity wants to be Fenton's, but it's not Fenton's. It's just ice cream.

Izzy R.

10 years ago

Always amazing ice cream. it's interesting watching this place develop!

Ronald M.

10 years ago

Great ice cream always crowded so there's always a wait but worth it

Kyra B.

11 years ago

Delicious as always, friendly staff, and lovely new interior!

Purity Ice Cream - icecream - Updated November 2026

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Delicious ice cream! Friendly staff. Good ice cream. Kid friendly. Picnic tables to sit onread more

My girlfriend had been here before with her family and really wanted to come back and I totally get…read morewhy. It's a charming little roadside ice cream spot with that classic small-town feel and a solid variety of flavors. We got Lemon Chillo and Toasted Coconut, both creamy, flavorful, and perfect for a summer treat. The kiddo scoop was just $4, which felt like a steal for the quality. Heads up: it's cash only, so come prepared! Simple, affordable, and sweet in every way - this place is 100% worth a stop if you're nearby.

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