Toscanini’s Ice Cream

Cambridge, United States

4.1

18 reviews

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Telephone:
+1 617-354-9350
Address:
1310 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA, 02138
Harvard Square
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
430 ftHarvard
600 ftQuincy St @ Harvard St
620 ftMassachusetts Ave @ Quincy St
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Today

Today –
Local time (Cambridge) 03:34 Sunday, 1 June 2025

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18 reviews of Toscanini’s Ice Cream

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Place rating: 1
Salem, MA
Wow, they shut this one down, probably to help pay for the tax bill since they had been AVOIDING PAYING THEIR TAXES (said with echo!).
Imagine the noive — make overhyped and over-​rated ice cream, all the while pulling in tons of loot, and probably under-​paying your employees all the while not giving Uncle Sam his cut. Quite the business model, must have been a Harvard MBA that came up with this one…
Place rating: 4
Manhattan, NY
Haha I’ve NEVER had their ice cream here but I love their coffees (The Vietnemese is yummmie!!!) and pastries in the morning (I LOVE their scones and muffins!!!)
Place rating: 4
San Francisco, CA
Review on the Lexington Store
A great place to hit up if you are looking for tasty home made ice cream. Their flavor verity is decent but they all are delicious and have great consistency. Which is a struggle for any small batch operation. The shop only has inside seats so if you prefer to eat your purchase outside (I always prefer to eat ice cream under the sun or stars) you will need to take your items to go! If you are looking for a cool spot pick any one of the benches along Mass Ave and enjoy people watching for 15 mins. The folks that work behind the coolers are for the most part excited to be working there and are extremely helpful. So if you can make a contribution into the «tip jar»
Place rating: 4
Wakefield, MA
Great ice cream, can’t speak as to their coffees. Love the hazelnut and the Vienna Finger Cookie flavors. A little pricey, but worth it.
FYI, they’re closed for repairs/​renovations for the next 6 months or so. Bummer.
Place rating: 4
San Francisco, CA
If you want ice cream in the square Toscanini’s is one of the best (the other is Emack and Bolio’s!). They have great coffee, too. Friendly staff and while the lines can be long they move fast. Case in point: I’d spend my 15 minute breaks from WordsWorth coming here for a coffee sometimes, and I never had to rush…
Place rating: 5
Melrose, MA
If you’re from around Cambridge, you’ve probably heard of Toscanini’s. If you haven’t, shame on you!
Although not the BEST icecream I’ve ever had (that honor goes to a little place in the fields of Lancaster County, PA), it’s right up there. I prefer it to JP Licks but for full disclosure, I confess I’ve never tried Christina’s.
I prefer the classic flavors, like French Vanilla and Cookies’n’Cream, but for the more adventurous there is also an ever-​changing array of curious flavors.
NB: It has an alias in Belmont, right on the Watertown line, called Rancatore’s.
Place rating: 4
San Francisco, CA
The New York Times’ description of Toscanini’s as the «best ice cream in the world» is definitely exaggerated. However, «best ice cream store in the world» might be true. Toscanini’s treats ice cream as an art like music or painting, complete with Emerson undergraduates with black t-​shirts and multiply pierced faces. The flavors are well-​executed but the overall experience and community around Toscanini’s is not like any other business in the Greater Boston area.
I would argue that Christina’s plies far superior wares less than a mile away.
I give it four stars because it is much better than Herrell’s, but not the full five because Boston has better ice cream.
Place rating: 4
Boston, MA
If this were a chain in some other state or city, it may deserve a 4.5−5 stars, but in a town with so many great small chain/​local ice cream places, with new ones opening all the time, this place is quickly becoming just «above average». The ice cream is very good, not the super custardy rich cream kind, it’s more on the creamy gelato side. Definitely have to give them props for having some cool flavors like Guinness ice cream, although I don’t think they give those flavors their full potential. The location in Harvard Square is quite small and crowded. I prefer the one on Beacon Street in Cambridge. They have an outdoor patio, too.
Place rating: 5
Los Angeles, CA
Do they still do the mini-​sundae in a tiny dixie cup? I love this place. Good coffee, excellent ice cream, and a damn good frappé. I never did get over the fact that they call it a frappé on the East Coast. No one writes songs about frappes, but the frappé at Toscanini’s might inspire a cover:
«My frappé brings all the preppie kids to the yaaaaaaahhhhhd… They’re like, it’s better than yoooooohhhhhs, damn right, it’s better than yooooooooohhhhhs, I could teach you, but you’re too busy doing your homework for your Science B coooooooohhhhhe.»
Place rating: 3
Petaluma, CA
I would have to agree with Emilia. The ice cream was okay but by the line of people one would have thought they were the second coming
Place rating: 2
Newtonville, MA
overrated. overpriced.
sorry, but its true.
i would go to newton and check out cabots if i were you, but maybe i’m just incredibly low-​class in my tastes :)
Place rating: 5
Cambridge, MA
I used to frequent Toscanini’s in Harvard on those first days of spring in high school when I couldn’t bear to stay in class and I would run out of the building and escape to Harvard Square. I’d grab 2 scoops of the chocolate (yes I’m a simple man, but their chocolate ice cream is perfect) and head down to JFK park with my delinquent friends and enjoy the beautiful weather and the view of the river. So basically: Toscanini’s = happiness!
Place rating: 5
Los Angeles, CA
Oh yes.
Place rating: 5
Dallas, TX
Being from Wisconsin and all, I like to consider myself a dairy connoiseur – especially when it comes to ice cream. Toscanini’s did not disappoint! Great selection of flavors, wonderful taste & texture. I had the Nocciola and Chocolate Chip (they let me get ½ scoops of each)…oh yummmmmm!
Place rating: 5
San Francisco, CA
I love the micro-sundaes…the perfect amount of ice-​cream, with fudge on top. And the flavors are to die for. If they have khulfee, at least try it. And the Guiness flavor isn’t wretched at all.
Place rating: 5
Somerville, MA
Best ice cream in Boston! (Yes, even better than J. P Licks). The flavors are bold and interesting (burnt caramel) but it’s the texture of the Toscanini’s ice cream that really makes it outstanding. Creamy, gooey, and almost chewey; this is the real stuff. Made with a ton of cream and strong natural flavors. The micro-​sundae is a sumptuous little treat topped with real whipped cream. Perfect if you don’t have anybody to split a full sundae with. Kick-​ass hot fudge!
Place rating: 4
Somerville, MA
This is actual Gourmet Ice Cream unlike the hundreds of other shops that claim that. Delicious stuff. Their shakes are unbeatable. Also a good place to get a strong cup of coffee of an expresso drink.
Place rating: 4
Boston, MA
The best scoop of ice cream I’ve had in Boston was from this place– pumpkin. They also have green tea ice cream as well as bothe exotic and familiar tastes. For a gourmet treat, spend a few bucks on a delicious scoop.