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    Vecchitto's Italian Ice

    4.6 (98 reviews)
    Open 12:00 pm - 9:00 PM
    Updated 3 weeks ago

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    Lemon-lime Italian Ice
    Sandra F.

    I am going to be dreaming of this Italian ice until I am able to get back there for more. I got the lemon-lime and it sent me into a place of content and joy. I have never had this high quality of Italian ice before. The texture is an unexplainable silky smooth mound of summer joy. I am so sad I don't live closer. I would be there every single day. Thank you for all the heart you pour into making this delicious treat. I will absolutely be back. :)

    Lemon + raspberry

    Great spot for Italian ice! We got the smallest size and there was plenty in that. easy parking in the front + great Italian ice.

    Store front
    Jenni F.

    What a treasure in Middletown! The range of flavors offered by this family owned business is staggering! I had mango and it was mouthwateringly delicious. My husband went for coconut and was equally satisfied. The old-fashioned and intimate space with immaculately clean. Prices were very reasonable for what you got. The best part of all, we were actually served by the owner themselves! They were friendly and wonderful ambassadors for Middletown.

    Coconut Italian ice
    Tina D.

    How did I not know this place existed?? Amazing Italian ice. A small is only $2.50. The gentleman working there was very nice. The only issue is the parking, it's a tight squeeze getting in and out of that little lot. Besides that Vecchitto's is quite a gem.

    The Front
    Jason P.

    I've seen the stellar reviews, and the less than stellar reviews, of Vecchitto's Italian Ice ("VII"). I spent most of my childhood in Ohio and I have no long time allegiance to VII that would make me susceptible to a concept I like to call "Restaurant Blinder Syndrome." This syndrome leads to things like unjustifiably overvaluing your childhood pizza place, or your favorite Mexican restaurant in college. Unaffected by RBS, I'm here to say that for the past several years, I've enjoyed the once a summer experience of getting good Italian Ice at VII. Being unbiased, I have to acknowledge the validity of the points raised in some less stellar reviews. To be kind, the atmosphere of VII is not a selling point. Parking is frequently challenging, both because there aren't many spots, and some customers inexplicably make odd choices for how to position their cars in the limited space of the unconventional front lot. The Italian Ice is served in ridiculously flimsy small paper cups (in fairness to VII, I think this practice is common for Italian Ice places), and if you don't eat fast on a hot day, that little sucker will start dripping in no time. Service can be somewhat lacking in cheeriness. And if you don't have cash, you're not walking out with Italian Ice. But sometimes, there is value in the experience leading up to the food. The parking and lines stink on Wooster Street, but I have fond memories of weathering those twin storms with friends and family before getting great New Haven style pizza. I've waited in long lines in Lockhart for world class Texas BBQ, and I have pride in that. I loyally get my pie from the small front room of a factory in East Hartford with similarly awful parking, and I always enjoy the experience. I'm not saying that the quality of VII's Italian Ice is on par with New Haven pizza, Texas BBQ or even East Hartford pie, but for me, it's well above average. In addition, more often than not, when I get it, I'm driving back from the CT shore area on a hot day and VII's Italian Ice hits just the spot. Most recently, I bought one of two available combo flavors - blue raspberry and watermelon. It looked great, had a smooth meltable texture, tasted good and was exactly what I needed on a super hot day. Four Stars.

    What flavors are available today?
    Matthew L.

    Vecchitto's Italian Ice is a gourmet Italian Ice shop that opened in Middletown, CT in 1930. It was founded by Italian immigrant Gaetano Vecchitto. He originally opened the location in the 1920s as a grocery store. He and his wife Giovanina lived in an adjoining apartment with their 11 children. Gaetano began making orange and lemon flavored Italian ices in the grocery store in an old-fashioned ice cream maker. When their popularity took off, he closed down the store and reopened as an Italian Ice shop. He had his oldest son Joe peddle the ice through the streets of Middletown on a horse-drawn wagon for several years. Joe earned the nicknames "Joe Lemon Ice" and "Joe Slush". Eventually he would be joined by brothers Columbo (Cal), Chris and Guy. The sons took over the business after Gaetano retired. A second location opened in Old Lyme down the street from Sound View Beach in 1946. Both locations are still open today (from Memorial Day to Labor Day) and are still operated by the Vecchitto family. In addition to over a dozen Italian Ice flavors, they also make Gelato. My family and I recently visited the original Vecchitto's while in Middletown. We were visiting a children's museum and heard that there was a great old Italian Ice shop nearby. We stopped by afterwards and ordered a cup of Lemon-Lime and a cup of Watermelon. It was so ridiculously good that we devoured the cups in the parking lot. We went back inside to order a cup of Blue Raspberry for the road. When the employee saw us again, he said, "Was there something wrong with the ice?!" He laughed very hard when we told him that we ate it already and wanted some more. A week later, we found ourselves in the shoreline area near Old Lyme. We remembered that there was a second location nearby so we stopped for some Italian Ice. This time we ordered cups of Mango/Watermelon and Pineapple. Once again, we were not disappointed. We think that Vecchitto's is probably the best Italian Ice we've ever tasted. We will look forward to tasting their ice every summer!

    a hand holding three ice cream cones
    Elisa F.

    This review is definitely biased as I've been coming here since my teens when my best friend introduced me - her family used to come all the time! I still remember the first time I tried Vecchito's and it hits the same every year when we visit! This is not your typical Italian ice, it's very creamy and doesn't need a spoon. Their lemon flavor is their best flavor and oh so classic! I switched it up and tried Blue Raspberry this trip but didn't think it was very good, it tasted more like bubblegum which isn't a fave. No real blue razz flavor at all. Their combo flavors are also top notch!

    Watermelon Italian ice
    L M.

    Tasty little treat after lunch! The watermelon Italian ice was full of juicy flavor. And my friend just raved about her affogato -- espresso with vanilla cream. It's worth taking the short walk from Middletown's Main St. to visit this tiny take-out spot. You won't regret it!

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    9 months ago

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    10 months ago

    A long time staple in Middletown CT. A place you want to return to. If you like Italian ice, you will love Vecchitto's

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    2 years ago

    A Middletown summertime staple. Can never go wrong with any flavor! So happy Vecchitto's remains as good as it once was!

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    12 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Fun stop in the summer for authentic Italian Ice or Gelato. A fun stop with your family in the summer.

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    8 years ago

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Vecchitto's Italian Ice

    Review Highlights - Vecchitto's Italian Ice

    Different days bring different flavors, you must try them all, lemon, watermelon, lime, almond, banana, chocolate, cherry....

    Mentioned in 15 reviews

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    Cuckoo's Hawaiian Shave Ice

    5.0
    (1 review)
    20.6 mi

    "bubbles through the ice" (Phish)…read more You may have a hard time finding Cuckoo's Hawaiian Shave Ice. It's not a brick and mortar store, its more like a mini three-wheeled food truck parked in the rear lot of "It's Playtime" - an indoor kids' playground and playscape. We saw zero signs directing us to its location -we just kind of knew about it from a Facebook post. Cuckoo's is owned by It's Playtime and is open more or less the same hours they are (roughly from 9-5). Because the cart sometimes goes off premises to an event, it's worth your while to call before you scoot over. Cups of shaved ice are sold in 2 sizes for $4 or $5. There had a ton of flavors including Blue Vanilla, Grape, Lime, Mango, Cherry,Tigers Blood, Pickled Mango, Lemon, Blue Raspberry, Banana, Sour Apple, Blueberry, Cotton Candy, Pina Colada, Cola, Pink Lemonade, Guava Passion Fruit,Li Hing Mango, Strawberry, Passion Orange Guava, Blue Bubblegum, and Cake Batter. You can trick out your shaved ice with a Snow Cap (for an extra creamy sweet texture), or Fairy Dust (glitter), or candies for half a buck or so more. No review of Cuckoo's would be complete without a glowing report on the young lady running the stand. Isabelle was delightfully charming, informative, helpful, and as sweet as the shaved ice she served up. We ordered a snow-capped small banana and a snow-capped small blue vanilla They totaled $10.21. As our temperatures hit the 70's and 80's, why not check out Cuckoos to cool off?

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    Cuckoo's Hawaiian Shave Ice
    Cuckoo's Hawaiian Shave Ice
    Cuckoo's Hawaiian Shave Ice

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    Sea Cliff Shave Ice

    Sea Cliff Shave Ice

    4.7
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    Street parking is available but not so easy on busy days. A small, clean and quiet space inside…read morewith very minimal seating. Although there were a lot of flavors listed, there weren't a lot that seemed interesting or appealing to me. I got the large (starts at $8), snow capped (condensed milk - they only drizzle a small amount), with vanilla ice cream on the bottom - half orange and vanilla syrup and other half passion fruit. This ended up being a little over $12! I would give it a 7/10 rating. Both flavors were just OK and I wouldn't get them again. I probably won't go again but it was good for the moment as I was craving something really cold. The service was quick and she was very helpful while being patient. They also have a rewards card where you buy 9 you get 1 free.

    What a refreshing alternative to a frozen treat! Better than snow cones or Italian ices! This was a…read morereal treat! They shave a block of ice in a special machine, creating a very delicate , softly formed shaved ice, that is easy to eat, not like Italian ices, that you have to work hard to get out of the container. Lots of syrup flavors that the Server layers in the cup, so the flavor goes through the whole cup. I had black cherry and lemon/ lime, which I chose to layer together , rather than separately. Another person had the orange creamcicle, and someone else had the mango and coconut. All were delicious. The sizes are regular and large. The regular is $6, and it is huge . The large is $9 I think, not sure about that one. We got regular size.There is a children's size that is smaller, but also pretty large . Street parking, but I think there was a parking lot next door. Seating for z4 people total. Inside. I think on warm days, they may have some seating outside on sidewalk. I would def return. Also the server was especially nice and helpful!

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    Pina Colada Combo with MOCHI!
    Pina Colada Combo with MOCHI!
    Window
    Window
    With ice cream, condensed milk - half passion fruit and half orange vanilla syrup 7/10

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    With ice cream, condensed milk - half passion fruit and half orange vanilla syrup 7/10

    Vecchitto's Italian Ice - icecream - Updated July 2026

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