There are plenty of places to grab a cone of ice cream in the Binghamton area, but while some have smooth, inventive flavors, others will give you a sugar rush without any satisfaction. We traveled around the 607 to sample ice cream (and Italian ice) to bring you Pipe Dream’s guide to the best frozen treats in the area. We included a ranking too, out of 10, based on the texture, flavor and atmosphere of the ice cream and shop, but encourage you to try them all and make your own decision.
Sugar Lips
103 Riverside Dr., Johnson City, New York
Small chocolate-vanilla twist in a cone — $2.95
Sugar Lips is the easiest ice cream spot for BU students to get to without a car since it’s right on the DCL bus line, but other than that, it might be best to skip it. The ice cream there, at least the soft serve, is cloyingly sweet, and any flavor in the ice cream falls by the wayside in favor of a taste of sugar. In the chocolate-vanilla twist that I ordered, there was much more vanilla that chocolate, and the imbalance, coupled with the overpowering sweetness, made it unsatisfying.
Rating: 5.8
Sammy’s Italian Ice
191 1/2 Robinson St., Binghamton, New York
Small watermelon Italian ice — $1.25
Italian ice is just like shaved ice, but with smaller pieces of ice so that each bite melts a little quicker in your mouth. The watermelon flavor at Sammy’s on the East Side of Binghamton is obviously fake, but not too sugary. It still melted really quickly in the 4 p.m. sun, but if the combination of heat, humidity and dairy makes you clutch your Lactaid pills, Sammy’s offers a fine alternative to ice cream.
Rating: 6.5
Jones’ Humdinger
1441 Upper Front St., Binghamton, New York
Small black raspberry-vanilla twist — $3.25
Jones’ is the best ice cream you’ll find in the Binghamton area. It wasn’t too sweet, and it was creamier and softer than the other options we tried. The black raspberry-vanilla twist is a unique flavor, and I promise that you won’t miss chocolate. The location is the only drawback, as it is right on Upper Front Street, with cars whizzing by. The ice cream itself is beautiful, however, with a soft light purple color, perfect for creating beautiful Instagram shots.
Rating: 9.1
Joey’s Italian Ice
200 Oak Hill Ave., Endicott, NY
Small mango Italian ice — $1.50
This Italian ice stand is located right off of Joey’s Brick Oven Pizza, in Endicott’s Little Italy neighborhood. The ice here was more sugary than at Sammy’s, but the fruit flavor still tasted fake. It melted quickly, but was more enjoyable than the other Italian ice we sampled on this tour because of its lighter texture. Though it may not be worth a visit all on its own, Joey’s Italian Ice is the perfect stop after a trip for pizza next door.
Rating: 7.4
Lickity Split Ice Cream Shoppe
152 Vestal Parkway, Vestal, NY
Small chocolate-vanilla twist in a cone — $2.05
The ice cream at Lickity Split was the least icy of all, but it was also the least balanced of the twist flavors I tried. It was much more chocolatey than it was vanilla and the chocolate tasted like hot chocolate powder. At this spot, you eat inside, so it’s not really a place to celebrate summer. Overall, Lickity Split left several things to be desired, but if you’re looking for ice cream come November, it’s probably the best choice.
Rating: 7.8