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    The Great Escape Ice Cream Parlor

    213 Reviews
    #2 of 5 Dessert in Watkins Glen#2 of 36 Places to Eat in Watkins Glen
    $Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options
    221 S Franklin St, Watkins Glen, NY 14891-1508
    +1 607-535-7354
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    Overview
    4.5
    213 reviews
    • Excellent71%
    • Very good22%
    • Average4%
    • Poor1%
    • Terrible2%
    Travelers talk about
    “gelato” (28 reviews)
    “ice cream” (106 reviews)
    “sorbet” (6 reviews)
    Restaurant Hours
    + Add hours
    CUISINES
    Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options
    PRICE
    $
    RATINGS
    Service
    Food
    Value
    Atmosphere
    LOCATION
    221 S Franklin St, Watkins Glen, NY 14891-1508
    All Details
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    Write a ReviewReviews (213)
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    1 - 10 of 212 reviews

    Reviewed 2 days ago
    Love their home made chocolate custard!

    Great home made local ice cream...I love a pineapple Sunday with chocolate custard...great staff...great service....Vegan choices also!

    Thank Brian-David-209
    Reviewed 1 week ago
    Nice Variety but Just OK

    A convenient stop next to our lodging and nice variety, but the vegan options could use some help. Didn't like what I ordered but after spending nearly a fortune on it, I felt I had to finish it.More

    Thank L P
    Peter H, Owner at The Great Escape Ice Cream Parlor, responded to this reviewResponded 1 week ago

    Hi. Thanks for stopping in our store. I am disappointed that you were unhappy with your selection and I wish you would have told one of my staff and they would have given you another selection. We offer tasting spoons so that people can taste...More

    Reviewed 2 weeks ago via mobile
    Step back in time

    Cool little place we visit each year on vacation, making the drive over from Keuka. Fun variety of hand-dipped and soft serve ice cream along with cool novelties (ice cream tacos...). Place has a cool 50s vibe with old singles records on ceiling and checkerboard...More

    Thank bowman44
    Peter H, Owner at The Great Escape Ice Cream Parlor, responded to this reviewResponded 1 week ago

    Hi. Thank you so much for visiting our ice cream parlor and taking the time to write a review. Although the road construction is a inconvenience the village will look so much better when completed. Hope to see you again soon Peter

    Reviewed 2 weeks ago
    My favorite

    This is my absolute favorite ice cream parlor. Their ice cream selection is fabulous including homemade specialty ice creams, gelato and sorbets (I wait all winter for pink grapefruit sorbet). They also label everything if it's GF and offer vegan and, I believe, dairy-free selections....More

    Thank Eloise3734
    Peter H, Owner at The Great Escape Ice Cream Parlor, responded to this reviewResponded 2 weeks ago

    Thank you so much for your review. 2018 is a very active year as we now have a whilesale license so more places are using our ice cream In addition we are selling pints of our homemade ice cream to take home and enjoy. I...More

    Reviewed 2 weeks ago via mobile
    Great variety

    Cute ice cream shop that has a great variety. Everything from gelato to hard ice cream. They offer vegan and gluten free options as well. Everyone was friendly and it was a great way to end the day at the Glen!

    Thank Heather G
    Peter H, Owner at The Great Escape Ice Cream Parlor, responded to this reviewResponded 2 weeks ago

    Thank you so much for taking the tie to write on trip advisor. This ice cream business is a fun way to try new flavors and get response from customers. Hope you come back soon Peter H

    Reviewed January 3, 2018
    Get their Grape Pies...

    The ice cream is good but don't travel miles just for it. However, in the fall, September to October time, go there for the Grape Pies! They make them fresh and sell out fast.

    Thank JGMelville
    Peter H, Owner at The Great Escape Ice Cream Parlor, responded to this reviewResponded January 8, 2018

    Thank you so much for our first review of 2018. I am so glad you enjoyed our grape pies. This is our third year of making grape pies and our sales continue to increase. I hope you come back soon Peter

    Reviewed December 10, 2017
    Opted out the Hike but found this!

    We opted out of the hiking tour of Watkins Glen (hopefully next time) but found this great place to while away the time. tried the home made cake and ice cream and they were wonderful. My daughter Amy and son Alexander really enjoyed this little...More

    Thank vicaner
    Peter H, Owner at The Great Escape Ice Cream Parlor, responded to this reviewResponded December 12, 2017

    Sorry you missed the hike but so glad you came to our shop for ice cream. I hope you come back and hike and stop and have ice cream.

    Reviewed October 27, 2017 via mobile
    Best frozen custard I ever ate!

    My sister and I stopped at Great Escape because we saw a sign that said “Coffee and Scones” which was just what we were looking for. It is a classic ice cream shop with hard ice cream, gelato, and locally made sodas along with a...More

    Thank Rebecca K
    Peter H, Owner at The Great Escape Ice Cream Parlor, responded to this reviewResponded October 29, 2017

    Hi thank you for visiting The Great Escape and taking the time to write a review. We have been serving custard for 35 years and we love the taste vs soft serve. Hope you visit us again soon. 🍦🍦🍦 Peter

    Reviewed September 24, 2017 via mobile
    Best ice cream EVER!

    We had such a wonderful time visiting the shoppe. Pete greeted everyone with a friendly "how are you folks today?" His wife Eileen was tasked with making sure everyone was satisfied. The choices of homemade ice cream were so good, that I had to get...More

    Thank Michelle C
    Peter H, Owner at The Great Escape Ice Cream Parlor, responded to this reviewResponded October 4, 2017

    Thank you for visiting our shop and taking the time to write a review. We are finishing our 35th year in the ice cream business and we are still having fun. I am glad you enjoyed your visit and look forward to seeing you again...More

    Reviewed September 18, 2017
    good ice cream

    Ice cream was our lunch, friendly service good ice cream. They have a pinball machine and all our friends played and won plastic ice cream cone banks by hitting the magic #. Something to do while eating ice cream

    Thank Stiegjl
    Peter H, Owner at The Great Escape Ice Cream Parlor, responded to this reviewResponded September 19, 2017

    Hi. Thanks for stopping in and I am glad you enjoyed our ice cream and playing the games. I hope you come back soon !🍦 Peter

    Restaurant Menu

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    Nearby
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    Nearby Attractions
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    Restaurant Details

    Rating summary
    • Food
      Service
    • Value
      Atmosphere
    Average prices
    $5 - $15
    Cuisine
    Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options
    Restaurant features
    Highchairs Available, Takeout, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Free Off-Street Parking, Wheelchair Accessible, Accepts American Express, Accepts Mastercard, Accepts Visa, Free Wifi, Accepts Discover
    Good for
    Kids, Families with children, Special occasions
    Location and Contact Information
    • Address: 221 S Franklin St, Watkins Glen, NY 14891-1508
    • Location: United States  >  New York (NY)  >  Finger Lakes  >  Watkins Glen
    • Phone Number: +1 607-535-7354
    • E-mail
    Description
    Family owned ice cream parlor in Watkins Glen NY for 36 years. Come enjoy dozens of flavors of Hershey's Ice Cream, Homemade Gelato, Sorbet, Vegan hard homemade ice cream (coconut & soy milk based), Soft Custard & a ever changing rotation of Homemade Hard Ice Creams, mostly made through suggestion. Gluten Free CONES!!! Also serving dessert specialties, ice cream cakes, homemade novelties and our famous homemade waffle cones made fresh daily. Perfect for the family and please bring the kids. Outdoor seating and convenient parking lot next to Burger King in downtown Watkins Glen. In Season Homemade Fresh Grape & Pumpkin Pies!! So Much More Than an Ice Cream Store! Open 7 Days a Week, Just a 1/2 block away from Watkins Glen State Park Main Entrance! Catering for Special Events Available Call us for Details!
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