
Whether you’re fine with just a scoop in a bowl, or you have to have the waffle cone, ice cream is a quintessential summer experience in New England. Here are five of the best places to savor rich flavors amidst coastal breezes and mountain landscapes.
Mount Desert Ice Cream, Bar Harbor and Portland, Maine
Named one of America’s top 25 ice cream parlors by Food and Wine Magazine and one of the best ice cream shops in America by Men’s Journal, Mount Desert is a Maine institution for the summertime treat. With two locations in Bar Harbor (one of which served up the Obamas while the president and his family were on vacation) and one in Portland, Mount Desert serves up some artisanal flavors not found anywhere else (Callebaut chocolate, Thai chili and fresh basil among them). Now, that even includes in Japan, where owner Linda Marie Parker just opened two more locations in the heart of Japan ski country (Matsumoto/Azumino in the Nagano Alps region). If you don’t catch Mount Desert this summer in Maine, there’s your excuse to start planning a trip to the Far East. mdiic.com