My Five Favorite Ice Cream Parlors in Warwick, RI

The people in Warwick, Rhode Island are no different than folks anywhere else in New England when it comes to ice cream. We can't wait for summer when our favorite ice cream shop opens for the season. It doesn't matter if the ice cream parlor is a chain or a "mom and pop", there will always be a line. Here are my top five picks.

Newport Creamery is a chain that has been around for a long time. They've given up the little plastic cows that dispense the cream, but their ice cream is still tops. The one nearest to me is on the corner of Warwick Ave (Rt. 117) and Namquid Drive. Right on the corner of a major road, It's easy to find a reason to go in that direction! There's a gas station, car wash, drugstore, and a liquor store within a few steps. During summer there's an outside window so you can order your ice cream and sit in your car to enjoy the good weather. Or you can still go inside to order a sandwich before your desert. Newport Creamery is the home of the "Awful Awful", their specialty - an extra thick milk shake with ice cream blended in. From Memorial Day to Labor Day they are open until midnight.

Friendly's Ice Cream Shop, another chain, is about equidistant from my house in the other direction. Also located on a corner of Warwick Ave (Rt. 117). The cross street is Church Ave. Again, there are plenty of things nearby to take you in that direction - drugstore, gas station, bank, and a laundromat. Friendly's has it's own list of specialty sundae's that are always available, the biggest is the Jim Dandy with five scoops of ice cream. This Friendly's has no takeout window, but they do have a takeout counter inside. They are open until 11pm weeknights in the summer and until midnight on Friday and Saturday.

Dear Hearts Ice Cream is a very popular "mom and pop" small local ice cream shop chain with unique flavors and great handmade ice cream. The one in Pawtuxet Village (all the neighborhoods in Warwick have their own names) is my favorite. Set in a quaint, historic part of town, right next to the bridge with the river rushing underneath. Benches line the area so you can get your treat and pretend the years have fallen away as you sit and relax in a quiet breeze. Their prices are quite reasonable and it is a great ice cream parlor for a small child because you really can get a "kiddie size" serving.

Papa's Ice Cream Store at 2987 West Shore Rd in Warwick is also on a corner. It crosses Carpenter Street. It is just a little "hole in the wall" kind of seasonal ice cream store with only a walk-up window. These are the kinds that dot the beach roads all along the shoreline. It doesn't really have any specialties, but you can get all the best tasting regular ice cream in a cone or a cup. Open until midnight most nights in the summer, it only closes if the weather is really horrible . It is in a very busy part of town so it will fit right in with your errands, and is an easy place to stop after the little league game with lots of sweaty little ballplayers. It is very close to the main sports complex for the city of Warwick. The prices are very reasonable.

Yes, there is a Ben & Jerry's if you insist on "designer" ice cream in your ice cream parlor (which I do sometimes). The nearest one is at the Warwick Mall inside the Showcase Cinema, which is on Bald Hill Road (Rt. 2). The variety is good and the hours match the movie theater for the most part so you can get served right up to 11pm most nights and usually midnight on the weekends. The drawback is that this is about the most expensive ice cream in town since all food within the movie theater tends to be escalated. Of course, you must buy a movie ticket to get into the Showcase too, so you would likely only go if you planned to see a movie. Of course there is also an entire mall to shop at right next door.

These are my top five, but I know I could find something to like at any ice cream parlor anytime, anywhere.