Cabot’s Ice Cream & Restaurant

Newton, United States

3.9

Open now

20 reviews

Does not accept credit cards

Contacts

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Telephone:
+1 617-964-9200
Website:
www.cabots.com
Address:
743 Washington St, Newton, MA, 02460
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
380 ftNewtonville
540 ftWashington St @ Harvard St
900 ftWashington St @ Walnut St
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Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
No
Delivery
No
Take-out
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards
No
Accepts Apple Pay
No
Good For
Dessert
Parking
Street
Bike Parking
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible
No
Good for Kids
Yes
Good for Groups
Yes
Attire
Casual
Ambience
Casual
Noise Level
Average
Alcohol
No
Outdoor Seating
Yes
Wi-Fi
No
Has TV
No
Waiter Service
Yes
Caters
No

Today

Today 8:30 am – 10:00 pm
Open now
Local time (Newton) 17:47 Thursday, 29 May 2025

Business hours

Monday –
Tuesday 8:30 am – 10:00 pm
Wednesday 8:30 am – 10:00 pm
Thursday 8:30 am – 10:00 pm
Friday 8:30 am – 11:30 pm
Saturday 8:30 am – 11:30 pm
Sunday 8:30 am – 10:00 pm

Description

Specialties

Welcome to Cabot’s Ice Cream & Restaurant, where there’s too many choices for you to have only one favorite! A Newton tradition since 1969, our family owned old fashioned ice cream parlor & restaurant is proud to be awarded Readers Choice for 2013. From the smallest of appetites to the heartiest, whether two years old or 100, Cabot’s has something perfect for every one!

In a time when things change so rapidly, Cabot’s is happy to remain the same. Our comfort food dishes have satisfied guests from near and far for generation after generation. Don’t miss our all day breakfast specials, wraps, deli sandwiches, flame broiled burgers and home-​style favorites!

At Cabot’s, we believe every day is Sundae! We are known for our generous portions of unique premium ice cream, frozen yogurt creations, outrageous sundaes and much more. With over 70 flavors and 35 varieties of toppings, as well as custom ice cream cakes and sundae party packages, it’s all about taking life one scoop at a time!

History

Established in 1969.

First opened in 1969, Cabot’s Ice Cream & Restaurant has been a staple in the Newton community for over 40 years. This family of owners first opened Cabot’s with a dream of preserving an important part of history. From the décor to the delicious ice cream and entrees, a visit to Cabot’s is like taking a step back in time.

Today, Cabot’s continues to be very involved in giving back to projects and events around Newton. We are so proud to be a part of such a wonderful community and look forward to many more years of putting smiles on all of your faces!

Meet the Business Owner

Joe P.

Business Owner

As owner of Cabot’s Ice Cream & Restaurant, Joe Prestejohn loves working with his family and interacting with the customers and residents of Newton every day! We strive to provide quality, value, service and consistency to all of our customers. At Cabot’s, it is the mission of the entire staff to make sure you have a great experience each and every time that you visit. So if you have any questions, comments or even praise for a job well done– just let Joe know! We’re always happy to hear from you!

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20 reviews of Cabot’s Ice Cream & Restaurant

No registration required
Place rating: 5
Brookline, MA
Cabot’s is the best place if you’re looking for a classic ice cream parlor type of environment. They carry Richardson’s ice cream and have every dessert creation you could think of! Part of the fun is watching them create these decadent sundaes and gawk at the size of them. They really pile on all the toppings! There are also some diner foods available so it’s not just ice cream.
Staff are very friendly and you can customize whatever it is that you want. This place is CASH ONLY.
Place rating: 4
Quincy, MA
I’ve been told that Cabot’s serves some of the best ice cream around. They get their selection from a local farm named Richardson’s. I came here on a Saturday evening an hour before close and it was still pretty busy. Most people were there to get ice cream but the line moved pretty quickly. I decided on the Blueberry Pie ice cream and this is definitely the best flavor I’ve had. It actually tasted like I was eating a homemade pie in an ice cream. I’m assuming that the flavor is seasonal so get it while it lasts!
Place rating: 4
Boston, MA
Never got around to trying the food here, but this is a surefire winner for dessert, especially satisfying if you have a hankering for a sweet treat. So many sundaes and different ice cream flavors that it’s impossible to decide! You’ll want to have it all.
Place rating: 5
Newton Upper Falls, MA
Epic ice cream, epic sandwiches. Be careful if you’re into carbs or have a sweet tooth because leaving without busting your pants is hard!
Place rating: 1
Newark, NJ
I live in Newton and have driven by Cabot’s so many times so I decided to finally go there. It was such a cute little restaurant. However, the SERVICE was HORRIBLE and I have never been so DISRESPECTED at a restaurant.
Last night my family and I had dinner and desert. The food was ok– greasy diner quality. We weren’t expecting top notch dishes though, we came for the dessert. Which was disappointing. It looked better than it tasted.
When it was time for the bill, we realized we had been overcharged for one of the meals. We ordered the special, but half of the meal was not available (which was not told to us until after the food was on the table) so our server told us that the manager would just take off the additional charge.
When the bill came, no money had been taken off. Our server was confused about this and when she went to ask the manager, our server came back and said «Sorry, I can’t take anything off even though I told you she would.» We went to speak to the manager. Much like another review that I read, the manager spoke to us like we were stupid and said she would not taking anything off. (I think it was the manager… the old lady in the front with the short hair). Although I cannot fully convey her tone through this Unilocal review, I hope the one star does. I WILL NEVER GO BACK TO THIS PLACE. The service is terrible, the food is mediocre at best, and the ice cream is better at Friendly’s (which is not saying much).
Save yourself a headache. Don’t eat here for food or ice cream. Somethings are better off as memories.
Place rating: 4
Mid-Cambridge, MA
Tried for the first time and loved! I ordered breakfast and was extremely pleased with my toast, eggs (supposed to be 1 but definitely seemed like more) and cottage fries for $ 3.99! They used real eggs, hearty bread, and didn’t skimp or the portions. I also stole a bit of my brother’s challah french toast and it was equally amazing.
Where Cabot’s regrettably lost a star was with the extremely slow service (it was busy) and super disappointing malted milkshake. There was almost nothing about the shake to suggested ice cream is this place’s primary function. It was thin, foamy, room temperature and had entirely too much syrup. I wasn’t down w/​paying $ 6 for a glass of melted ice cream when I’d just gotten all that awesome for $ 4 so I just asked that it be taken off the check. I was met with a debate that she’d personally added 3 scoops of ice cream, which, that’s cool. But then you let it sit there for over half an hour so now it sucks, just take it off.
Place rating: 4
Brookline, MA
The banana split in this place is amazing! All ingredients are great: ice cream, fruits, fruit juice, cherries. The ice cream in this place is also really good. The space is also very good for families and has a lot of old charming style.
Place rating: 3
Lincoln, MA
I want to love this place. It has so much going for it: its original 1969 modern building and soda-​counter décor; its local ownership and loyal following; its vast selection of ice creams and frozen yogurts; its huge all-​day-​breakfast menu. The food is merely OK but it meets my expectations for this kind of place, so no complaint there. Prices are reasonable.
But…the service just doesn’t leave one feeling appreciated or like you’re having a fun time. Kids – a primary target audience – probably don’t notice this, but a long wait to place an order (I’m talking table service here) and a long wait for food prep are deadly for parents with several kids, and don’t make things better for other parties sitting nearby. Yes, they offer crayons and placemats with puzzles and coloring. But those hold attention only so long.
On a recent late-​afternoon visit for an early supper with another family, there was ample staff on hand. Yet even though every table and booth was filled, a few staff were just standing around. I’m not sure what they were waiting for. In a place like that, something always needs cleaning or refilling and at Cabot’s there’s almost always a line of people waiting for service.
I spent 5 summers in high school and college scooping ice cream. It is hard work and dealing with the public can be draining. But a smile and some hustle really make a difference in customers’ experience. Love your work – or at least look like you love it – and customers will love coming back. I hope after my next visit, I can update this with another star or two.
If you’re going for take-​out ice cream, Cabot’s is great. There are several benches out front to sit and enjoy your treat. The ice cream is good and there are both ordinary and exotic flavors. The selection of frozen yogurt is surprisingly large – over 20 choices!
Place rating: 3
Waltham, MA
Ice cream is great kinda expensive but that’s almost how all places are in this area, the food however is ok at the most. I had the roast beef club and it was pretty good but it was a little bit skimpy for a club. I also on the side had a cup of clam chowder. It was more of a clam soup as it was more of a broth than a thick chowder. The service is good here, there is always multiple workers around the restaurant. Overall would I come here again? Yeah for ice cream but probably not for dinner.
Place rating: 5
Needham, MA
Cabots is one of those special places that my parents went to way back when that is still around to this day.
After my birthday dinner last weekend, instead of ordering crème brûlée and espresso, I said let’s get some banana boats at Cabots. I mean, it was my birthday, everyone by default had to say yes.
We arrived around 10pm and the place was completely packed (a good sign). The ages ranged from Gen Z to Baby Boomers. We got a table right away, ordered a round of banana boats, and dug in.
The prices are so affordable and the service is so friendly and fast that it’s hard to give Cabot’s less than 5 stars. Yes it is cash only and yes the on-​site ATM will charge you, but my bank reimburses my ATM fees so it’s sort of a non-​issue. Instead of leaving a negative review here, you should find a better bank (and maybe keep $ 10 in your wallet).
My advice to Cabots: never change!
Place rating: 4
Dorchester, MA
I REALLY dig the whole old school diner décor. Upon arriving it was wicked busy. One of the waitress was cleaning the table that we were about to be seated at and she had the most miserable look on. I crossed my fingers hoping that she wouldn’t be waiting on us because I know we’d have the worse service. As soon as she finished wiping down the table, she set our table with forks and spoon with a not so friendly face and then set the menus on our table without saying a word to us.
So we looked through the menus to see what to order and there was a lot on there from breakfast, sandwiches, entrees etc which I loved. I like places that serves breakfast all day because there are days where I do want eggs and bacon for dinner (lol) and I’m not a fan of iHop because I know they do that too. So a waitress finally came to take our orders after we waited for awhile because the waitress that gave our menus never asked us if we wanted anything to drink and I was so thankful that it turned out to be a different waitress !! Hallelujah !!! Anyways, I didn’t order breakfast because I was STARVING! I ordered the turkey dinner and it was delicious! It came with cranberry jelly, 2 mini baked potatoes (but you can opt for friench fries or redskin potatoes), stuffing topped with shredded turkey with gravy on top and it was delicious! But it wasn’t filling. I guess that’s a good thing, that way I had room for ice cream! For ice cream I had the coffee toffee with Heath crunch sundae, and it had got to be the best sundaes I’ve ever had. It came with hot fudge sundae drizzled and dripped on the cup but it was Sooo good. It really tasted like coffee and it was out of this world ! The food and ice cream is 10 0000x better than friendlys!
Place rating: 3
Brighton, MA
Love the vibe. Old-​school look and feel. It’s always hustling and bustling, packed with so many customers with lines out the door. There is usually a pretty decent wait for a table but the bar seating area usually has a couple open seats to skip the wait.
I’ve only been here for ice cream, which has been great to fulfill my sweet tooth craving.
The ice cream options look endless with many flavors and options between the ice creams and toppings. You can either make your own or choose a sundae off the menu. There are just too many choices for me to decide so I like to choose from the sundae options they put together.
I wish the ice cream didn’t melt so quickly. I like to slow enjoy ice cream but instead I have to quickly gobble before it become cream. The toppings on top make the sundaes look amazing, maybe even too amazing to eat (but remember you have to eat quickly before it all melts!).
Who doesn’t love ice cream? Ice cream here is delicious.
Place rating: 5
Boston, MA
Cabots is my favorite sit down ice cream shop.
I went here last week after work for some appetizers and ice cream. The mozzarella sticks and French fries were a great appetizer. I chose the make you own sundae option which never disappoints. There is a huge selection of ice cream flavors and toppings. I got the peanut butter cup and toll house cookie with hot fudge and whipped cream. Delicious. Service was very fast and friendly.
Cabot’s is the perfect place for a warm day!
Place rating: 5
Brighton, MA
Cabots is like ice cream heaven! You can’t go wrong with any choice of ice cream. They are all delicious and huge! My favorite is the mud pie sundae. It includes a warm brownie, coffee ice cream, hot fudge and Oreos. I’ve recently tried the fudge pound cake and it is huge! It includes 3 scoops of ice cream, huge pieces of pound cake and hot fudge. I didn’t expect it to be so big. There was at least a pint of ice cream in that sundae. Needless to say, I didn’t even finish half of it, even though it was delicious. I would recommend sharing it between 2 or 3 people. I would definitely come back to cabots for an occasional splurge on ice cream.
Place rating: 2
Los Angeles, CA
I love Cabot’s. I really do. However, my experience there tonight left me not loving Cabot’s.
I ordered a Hot Fudge Sundae. The waitress asked if I wanted whip cream with it, I said no thank you. Sundae arrived. It was good. Bill arrived. It was not good. The menu states that a Hot Fudge Sundae is $ 5.99, and yet, I was charged $ 6.48. I thought this was odd, so I called the manager over. I asked why I wasn’t charged for what I had ordered.
Manager: Did you get it without whipped cream or marshmallow?
Me: Yes, No whipped cream.
Manager: Oh, then you’re charged for a dish with a topping.
Me: But that’s not what I ordered… and if I was going to be charged extra for not getting whipped cream, why didn’t my server tell me.
Manager: Well you get extra ice cream and fudge in place of the whipped cream.
Me: But that’s not what I ordered, and the server should have told me it would be an additional charge.
And then she just walked away from me.
Place rating: 4
Charlestown, Boston, MA
What a magical place! So glad these kind of spots still exist. :)
Came here on Valentine’s Day for the first time and loved it. Got mozzarella sticks as an app, and they were good. ordered grilled cheese w. tomato & fries but was disappointed with that. They didn’t butter the grilled cheese so it was dry, they used way too much cheese that I had to scrape a bunch off, and the tomato was both mealy and watery. Fries were just fine, not great. My dining companion ordered a cheeseburger on the other hand and LOVED it.
Now comes dessert. I ordered a traditional sundae w/​hot fudge & went ½ pistachio ice cream, ½ ginger ice cream. The quality of their ice cream is great! Super creamy & fresh. I wasn’t a fan of their hot fudge however, which was extremely bitter & too thick. My companion got «Danielle’s Special» which is the Reese’s + PB/​Fudge sundae. It was tasty but a bit overboard in richness! Overall though, I loved the ice cream.
Can’t wait to go back again– maybe just for ice cream this time.
Place rating: 4
Boston, MA
This place is a classic. It’s a diner-​meets-​1960s style restaurant. But you’d be incorrect to really consider this place a diner… many also consider this the go-​to dessert location, and has even been written up by many papers and review companies and sites for its array of sundaes and banana split.
For me? I come here for the breakfast foods. My staple is the corned beef hash, some eggs, potatoes… you know, the nearly-​typical American breakfast fare.
Cabot’s has never let me down.
So what’s with only 4 stars, why not five? Completely a personal thing for me. With their old-​school interior look and feel — which is completely intentional — comes a sense of dirty, dark and dingy. Again, this is just me! Many will feel the place has charm. I agree — I like the retro look. But I think the booths and tables really ARE the booths and tables from the 60s. Maybe I’m just a basket case for cleanliness.
An important note: incredibly kid-​friendly establishment. If you’re looking for a peaceful meal with deep conversations, this may not be your destination of choice. Completely casual, yet incredibly wonderful when it’s what you’re looking for. I’m here easily more than a dozen times a year.
Place rating: 5
Newton Highlands, MA
This place is the best ice cream around. Tons of flavors and huge, delicious sundaes with lots of topping options. I highly recommend the Slice and Bake Sundae and Danielle’s Choice, but I’m sure they’re all awesome. The food is also really good, though if you eat a meal, you may not have room for ice cream.
There is sometimes a long line on the weekends, but it moves super quickly and it’s worth waiting. Also, it’s cash only and there’s a tiny little parking lot in the back.
Place rating: 4
Brookline, MA
Charming, retro dining place in Newton– traditional ice cream parlor seating with a whole entire menu for ice cream itself separated from the dining menu. A child’s paradise. Their dining menu is equally as extensive. Literally spoiled with choices.
Really cheap eats, with 2 entrees and a large ice cream with 3 scoops– our bill was less than $ 25.
Their fries are the bomb– golden n’ crispy.
Rec:
++Jalapeño burger for my spicy fanatics
They have a specials menu as well, my man liked their steak and eggs sandwich.
+++Ice cream– a large order of their «Old Fashioned» will get you 3 scoops of ice cream– 2 flavors of your choice. It’s the staff’s duty to overflow the toppings. Don’t evade the marshmallow and hot fudge, they are the best part. 3 scoops is plenty for 2 people, was having a food coma by the end of the first scoop.
Place rating: 3
Boston, MA
Ah, the ice cream parlor: not many of these remain, sadly. This is especially so because Brigham’s has now vanished and my favorite one of all time, Chadwick’s in Lexington (I remember seeing a young Amy Poehler working there), has long been demolished and turned into a daycare center. Why couldn’t the daycare center keep Chadwick’s and feed the kids ice cream everyday? Eh, childhood obesity is so overrated. Or not…
The ice cream at Cabot’s is from Richardson’s, which is a safe choice. You can’t go wrong with their product. I came here for dessert one hot Friday evening with a friend who wasn’t a fan of ice cream. As an aside, unless you have some dietary restriction, HOW CAN YOU NOT LIKE ICE CREAM??? Anyway, I went for a scoop of coffee oreo and mint chocolate chip. Both were pretty good and what I expected from Richardson’s ice cream. They weren’t too sweet and had a respectable amount of milkfat. However, the portion of the ice cream was disproportionate, as I received a lot of the mint ice cream and not a lot of the coffee oreo. Sadness.
I’m not into toppings much, but if you are, you will get giddy here. The selection of toppings is quite extensive and there are a lot of ice cream flavors to choose from.
I came another day for lunch and went for a mushroom swiss burger. I appreciated the bun being toasted and the cheese melted (yes, I have seen burger joints where the cheese wasn’t melted). The burger itself was fine, with decent flavor and not too dry. A very experienced friend informed me that adding guacamole makes this burger a whole lot better. *Phil nods skeptically* ;-)
Service was borderline friendly, and while it may pass in today’s world, it wouldn’t suffice for the 60’s-style décor. The bathroom is a chore to get to (out of the restaurant and up the stairs), but I suppose it’s a good start to your attempt of working off whatever you just ate. Overall, if you want nostalgia and an age-​appropriate place to bring the kids, Cabot’s would be the place to go. Just don’t expect the ice cream to be from some gourmet urban spot, and the burgers from some hipster burger joint.