Old Lyme Ice Cream Shoppe & Cafe

Super– creamy, delicious homemade ice cream!
I had the pistachio, which was full of fresh, roasted pistachios folded in to a creamy, smooth base. (I like that it wasn’t the dyed green pistachio ice cream, as well.)
I also had the Oreo, as did my daughter. We both really enjoyed it, as it had plenty of crushed cookies in it.
My son had the Raspberry Truffle and the Reese ’ s Pieces Fudge Swirl. He said both were creamy and delicious. The Raspberry Truffle has mini peanut butter cups in it.
There was good, quick service, as well.

Let me say that the reason for the mediocre review is because of service and not because of product.
With that being said, let me say that the ice cream products are very good… You pay a premium price, but the portions are plentiful, the flavors are very good, and the variety is unique…
What isn’t good, and I have seen this in many small establishments is that if you advertise that you are open until 9pm, then don’t start sweeping the floors, putting up the chairs on the table, and covering the tops of the ice cream in the freezer at 8:40…It doesn’t make the consumer feel appreciated… We got there at 8:40 and where able to get our ice cream, but as we sat eating ours, no less then 6 plus people got there by 8:50 and were locked out while both (2)employee’s continued cleaning up inside and looking through the window telling customers that they were closed… The bad thing is that the owner was in the back making ice cream at the time, because we saw her when we came in and she was giving instructions to one of the employee’s to do something… A lot of times employee’s will sneak out a little early hoping not to get caught, but here is a case where the owner was on the property herself and made the decision to shut down and not operate as advertised…
It’s sad to see a family rush out of their car with children only to be locked out, even though according to the company’s policy and hours should still be open.
and this was a Saturday night to top it off…

This place changed hands a couple of seasons ago and service has suffered a bit. The ice cream remains outstanding with great selections, although a bit pricey. The biggest downside is the counter staff who could use some training in dealing with customers. One young woman in particular acts impatient if you can’t decide on a flavor and has been rude on more than one occasion.

I got a scoop of coffee and a scoop of Moroccan rose. The coffee one was very tasty. I do not recommend Moroccan rose, but maybe it’s my own personal interest.

I stopped in a couple weeks ago to grab a sandwich on the run. It was a cold Fall afternoon so I chose the New Englander– not something I would usually pick but it sounded good. Well– it was great. Tender white turkey– served warm with white cheddar cheese, stuffing and cranberry mayo all toasted on a ciabatta roll. It was a wonderful balance of flavors– and delicious!
I will be back and order it again. I’ve told several others about it too– hopefully they have tried it by now. Go and enjoy.

Yummy ice cream in a cute area. There is a limited selection but they have a few more adventurous flavors like ginger and liquorice. The value proposition is a bit weak and it needs a better staff.

3.5 stars — stopped on our way home from Rocky Neck — busy on a summer Monday. Our scooper was not particularly friendly but let us sample a flavor or two. Salted caramel was good, mocha crunch ok, pistachio was ok but too almondy. Pricing is odd — cost for a shake is the same as a small cone $ 4.25 but has a lot more ice cream for the same price. Didn’t blow me away but about on par with Ashley’s etc.

It’s not a detour out of your way if it means unmatchable homemade ice cream. Get off the highway, get off the beach, and get yourself some pistachio. Made with big actual nuts, and no green food coloring. Their toasted coconut is the best I’ve ever had. And their seasonal specialities are unique: last year I had a beer-​flavored ice cream that was sensational.
Plenty of benches and seats outside make this a don’t-miss destination whenever we’re here.

I agree about the veggie wrap– truly fabulous! It’s loaded with grilled and steamed vegetables, hummus, pesto and served in your choice of a spinach or tomato wrap. I was happy to have enjoyed this twice in the past week.
The shop is sweet with lovely outside tables to enjoy your ice cream, sandwich or salad. The staff are young college age kids who are friendly and quick to please. I had their ice cream once (I don’t eat ice cream often) and it was definitely home made and yummy.
The only comment I had was they charged full price for an ice tea refill– that seems silly to me and hasn’t happened anywhere else on the shoreline.

«More than just ice cream»
I asked the owner if she could prepare a catered basket of goodies for a reception I was having. OMG what a job she did! She personally delivered a large green wicker basket artisticly arranged with delectible cheeses, cherry tomatoes and whole baby carrots, home-​made hummus, hand toasted pita chips, and more. The basket was decorated with fresh baby roses and ferns. This basket was a work of art… and most suitable for the art exhibit it was designed for.
Summer is over and my thoughts shift from ice cream to more hearty foods.
Angie is a chef that can prepare just about anything. I hope she keeps her cute place open all winter, because I will return! (maybe even today)

Great homemade ice cream. I loved the slate caramel. We got a mini scooper cup an it was 3 scoops of ice cream!!! Great place to stop of you are ever stuck in traffic on I95 as we were!

I love this family-​owned, local icecream shop where all of the icecream is made on premise! They have a pretty decent selection of flavors and some unique ones as well– I had a hard time choosing, but they let me pick more than one flavor for my small cone. Speaking of «small cones,» I’m pretty confident that they’re «small size» is the largest small I’ve ever seen– I can’t even imagine what the large would look like in comparison! At first, I felt their prices were a little high, however, I assumed the price was higher as they boast using all high-​quality ingredients but, after seeing the size of my «small,» I’d say their pricing is more than fair!
The icecream itself was very creamy– they way all New England iceCREAM should be in my opinion :) and very flavorful– I’d say my favorite was the toasted almond (mm delicious!!). They have an outside patio, perfect for enjoying your cone on a nice day. I also saw that they offer lattes with a scoop of icecream, I definitely plan on giving that a try on my next trip home to CT!

Great ice cream at a great place. Friendly and fun with bright umbrellas and a happy staff. Don’t miss out on this ice cream opportunity.

Best ice cream for miles around. Sandwichs-​tops!
Enjoyed the outside eating.
New owners. Same experience.

Just when you are looking for that homemade ice cream and amazing Chai tea, or any other tasety snack, this is the place to stop at!

Ice cream was ok but they only give you two tastings (who limits the number of tastings?) Anyway I wasn’t thrilled by either ice cream that I tried so I went with their recommendation, pistachio. It was not what I expected at all so I tried to exchange it and they made me buy a new cup of ice cream. This could have been solved if I could have tried the flavor. Not to mention the line was long and slow and the workers were cranky.

This little ice cream shop isn’t as well known to travelers as the Hallmark Drive-​In because it’s slightly off the beaten path. But for those willing to drive a measly half mile off Route 156, the small departure is definitely worth it. Plus, as an added bonus, you get to experience a beautiful main street through a quintessential small New England town. No street is more Norman Rockwell-​ish than Lyme Street in Old Lyme, Connecticut.
All ice cream is made on site. I doubt Hallmark Drive does the same. Because all ice cream is made on site they make limited batches and their daily flavors are constantly changing. I’m writing this review because today I had «Moroccan Delight». It was absolutely terrific. It was cinnamon flavored ice cream with dates and nuts and some other spices. I highly recommend it if you like those ingredients. I know I did.

My choice for first ice cream cone of the season! A delicious treat! Well worth a stop when you’re in Old Lyme, CT

O-​LICS (old lyme ice cream shop) is a true gem.
run by maybe the nicest couple on the planet. Eileen is a second generation ice cream chemist and boy should her dad be proud!
any of the beer ice creams are a treat!
I think they are trying to get into local distribution of the beer flavors — take note ben and jerry: your days are numbered!

went back over the long weekend and had two scoops of their ‘black & tan’. nice, super-​rich, guinnessy, super-​creamy stuff. 5 stars — super connecticut ice cream :) i didn’t realize they made sandwiches too!
unfortunately, it was gone before i had a chance to take a picture!