11-03-2025
Our Elite Eight finalists are here: Vote for your favorite North Jersey ice cream
The weather outside might be screaming May, but I promise, hungry folks, that it's still March.
It just happens to be a March where the temperatures outside are absolutely perfect for the game I'll be reintroducing to you right now:
Welcome back, dessert-lovers, to North Jersey Eats Ice Cream madness.
While last week's Sweet 16 round of competition saw the elimination of many local powerhouses (Cliff's and Holsten's, for example), you guys have spoken, and that's just the way the cookie crumbles (into a smooth batch of slow-churned vanilla), I guess.
This week, we continue into the Elite Eight, and — as surprising as Thursday's results were — I'm sure things are about to get even more cutthroat, as multiple ice cream shops promising free ice cream to their customers should they win are now pitted directly against each other.
Who will emerge victorious? That, readers and eaters, is up to you.
Before you rush back to the polls, however, please take a moment to review the game logistics.
Here are the official rules for round two:
Voting for this bracket begins at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, March 11, and ends at 11:59 p.m. Thursday, March 13.
You can vote once per matchup, per round.
Final Four voting will begin on March 18, featuring winners from the previous round.
And now that the directives have been covered, let's begin.
Vote below for the ice cream shops you think should move on to next week's Final Four.
**NOTE: If the polls do not immediately load, refresh the page. The poll generally loads better on desktops and laptops rather than on mobile devices. If you have issues voting in the app, try using your browser. Also, avoid using Firefox browser.
may have just opened in 2021, but the husband and wife-owned spot boasts nostalgic vibes — and classic ice cream treats — that'll convince you its been there forever. A little, brick walk-up stand, the tiny-but-mighty shop has all the vibes of an old-school frozen dessert establishment, but scoop flavors rich with the taste of modernity. Some to try include Chocolate Fudge Crunch and Oatmeal Cookie. Go: 686 Goffle Road, Hawthorne; 973-304-4322,
Ice cream fans go into mourning every time closes for the winter, because a season without 10 flavors of soft serve (and seemingly infinite varieties of hard scoops) is just too hard to bear. When the cash-only shop revs back up for the summer, then, peak hours draw lines out the door — as hungry Morris County locals can't wait to get their hands on peanut butter banana twists, or waffle bowls full of Campfire S'mores. Go: 240 Route 46, Dover; 973-366-1650,
Red Velvet Cheesecake, Ghost Pepper Chocolate and Golden Raisin Kulfi are just a few of the innovative flavors I've seen pop up in ; a father and daughter-owned scoop shop in Budd Lake. At the hidden gem strip mall joint, unique ice cream varieties — that are constantly changing — are the name of the game. Visit one week and you may see Sweet Potato Pie, while, another seven days later, it'll be replaced by Colombian Cookies and Cream. Whatever's on the menu when you stop by, however, is certain to be delicious. Go: 100 Route 46, Budd Lake; 862-258-3593,
is a newcomer to the North Jersey ice cream scene (when considering many of its competitors have been open since the 50s, 60s or before), but that hasn't stopped it from becoming a Morris County dessert favorite. The secret to the shop's popularity? Contemporary flavors like Dunkaroos, Grasshopper Guinness and Reese's With-a-Spoon (Reese's Pieces, Reese's Cups and a peanut butter swirl). Go: 38 Morris St., Morristown; 862-260-9221,
Bergen County residents know just how frustrating the summertime line at of Ridgewood is. When the temperature rises above 70, the wait for the beloved store seems to stretch into Glen Rock (not really, but kind of really). Patience always proves a virtue, however, when you finally reach the counter — and are rewarded with one of the dreamiest, most fantastic bowls of ice cream around. Go: 145 Ackerman Ave., Ridgewood; 201-444-1429,
Every winter, I thank my lucky star that 's seasonal break only lasts for the month of January, because — if the shop were closed any longer than four weeks — I'd seriously miss it. On a weekly basis, I frequent the spot for its one-of-a-kind flavors, flawless hot fudge and top-notch peanut butter sauce. While it shuts temporarily, though, I make sure to load my freezer with half-gallon containers of Vanilla Crunch Swirl; because, with sticky ribbons of fudge and cake crunchies, the flavor is one of my favorite local desserts. Go: 34a Broadway, Denville; 973-627-4214,
A drive down Route 23 in the summer is never complete without a stop at vibrant blue ice cream stand. Featuring one of the best renditions of Cookie Monster in the area, the menu at the highway-side parlor is loaded with crowd-pleasing creations. Some of my go-to flavors? The aforementioned cookie dough hot-seller, of course, as well as the Graham Slam, Vanilla Peanut Butter Swirl and Pillsbury Cake Batter. Go: 30 Route 23, Riverdale (with a second location on Monroe Street in Boonton);
Home-making ice cream is a century-old tradition at ; a Montclair icon that serves, in its owners' words "sweet scoops of the past." Within its barn-reminiscent store, flavors — like Summer Peach, Extreme Cookies & Cream and all-natural White Pistachio — sell like Tickle Me Elmos in 1996. Though each are tasty, my favorite is the Peanut Butter Fudge Brownie, because I love that I can devour a new-age flavor in such charming, rustic digs. Go: 616 Grove St., Montclair; 973-744-5900,
Come back on Tuesday, March 18 to see who advanced to the Final Four.
Sweet 16 (nominated by readers): March 4-6
Elite 8: March 11-13
Final Four: March 18-20
THE FINALS: March 25-27
Winner announced Tuesday, April 1
Kara VanDooijeweert is a food writer for and The Record. If you can't find her in Jersey's best restaurants, she's probably off running a race course in the mountains. Catch her on Instagram: @karanicolev & @northjerseyeats, and sign up for her North Jersey Eats newsletter.
This article originally appeared on North Jersey Eats Elite Eight: Vote for favorite NJ ice cream
