A pastry chef’s guide to ice cream on Martha’s Vineyard

Few foods capture the feeling of summer on Martha’s Vineyard quite like going out for ice cream. On vacation, ice cream becomes a consideration during any time of day, whether you’re strolling Circuit Avenue before grabbing lunch on the harbor and are tempted by a scoop at Mad Martha’s, or stopping for frozen yogurt at Tisberry after watching a movie at the Film Society. For us locals not on vacation, rushing to grab groceries in August at the Edgartown Stop & Shop and rewarding yourself with Dairy Queen is almost a rite of passage. 

As a trained pastry chef, I always remind people that not all frozen desserts are created equally, but before we start explaining technicalities, let’s go through the places where you can score a delicious frozen sweet treat: 

Edgartown

• Ice Cream and Candy Bazaar
• Vineyard Scoops
• Dairy Queen
• Ben & Bill’s Chocolate Emporium
• Mad Martha’s Homemade Ice Cream

Oak Bluffs

• Rosie’s Frozen Yogurt
• Carousel Ice Cream Factory
• Ben & Bill’s Chocolate Emporium
• Nauti Cow
• Big Dipper Ice Cream & Cafe
• The Sweet Spot
• Mad Martha’s Homemade Ice Cream
• The Good Shoppe 
• Vineyard’s Best Ice Cream and Coffee Co. 

Vineyard Haven (Tisbury)

• Bernie’s Ice Cream and Fudge
• Tisberry 
• Mad Martha’s Homemade Ice Cream
• Yommi + Morning Dew (popsicles) 

Up-Island

• Menemsha: The Galley
• Aquinnah: Cliffhangers 

Please note that the list above is not an all-encompassing list of where you can get ice creams and frozen treats, because you can also order ice cream, mostly house made scoops, at local restaurants, markets, and more. This is a general list of popular locations. 

Gelato vs. Ice Cream: What’s the Difference?

Let’s keep this really simple because people often use the words interchangeably, but gelato and ice cream are not created equal.

Traditional American ice cream contains more cream than milk, giving it a higher butterfat content. It is churned quickly, which incorporates a lot of air into the mixture. That extra air creates the light, fluffy texture many of us know.

Gelato, on the other hand, contains more milk than cream and is churned much more slowly. Because less air is incorporated, gelato is denser, silkier, and more intensely flavored. It is also served at a slightly warmer temperature than ice cream, allowing flavors like pistachio, hazelnut, chocolate, and fruit to bloom on your palate instead of being muted by extreme cold.

Neither is better. They’re simply different experiences. 

Vegan, Dairy-Free & Alpha-Gal Friendly Ice Cream

Today’s dairy-free ice cream has come a long way from the icy soy desserts of years past. With the rise of vegan lifestyles and increased awareness of Alpha-gal Syndrome, most Martha’s Vineyard ice cream shops now offer delicious plant-based options.

For those living with Alpha-gal Syndrome, traditional dairy ice cream is generally not suitable. Plant-based ice creams and fruit sorbets, which are typically made with fruit, sugar, and water, are often excellent alternatives.

Sorbet vs. Sherbet

These two frozen desserts are often confused. 

Sorbet contains no dairy. It’s made from fruit purée or juice, sugar, and water. The result is bright, refreshing, and intensely fruity. Lemon, raspberry, mango, watermelon, and blood orange are all classic sorbet flavors. Sorbet is one of the purest expressions of fruit. Not just in my personal opinion, but technically. 

When made properly, a great strawberry sorbet tastes almost identical to biting into a perfectly ripe Morning Glory Farm strawberry. Mango sorbet should remind you of tropical vacations, or to me, of my upbringing in the Dominican Republic. Lemon sorbet delivers bright acidity with refreshing sweetness.

Sherbet, despite sounding similar, contains a small amount of dairy. That addition gives it a creamier texture than sorbet while remaining lighter than traditional ice cream. If you’re avoiding dairy entirely, always choose sorbet rather than sherbet.

The Joy of Soft Serve

Soft serve deserves its own category. Unlike hard ice cream or gelato, soft serve is dispensed directly from a machine at a warmer temperature with more incorporated air. The result is lighter, smoother, and incredibly creamy. Thankfully on island you can get a variety of soft serve flavors, aside from the classic chocolate and vanilla. Head to Vineyard Scoops in Edgartown for Chilmark Coffee, Black Sesame, and Pineapple, or check out The Good Shoppe in Oak Bluffs for a variety of flavors and toppings, like their olive oil and sea salt cup, which is vanilla soft serve served with olive oil and sea salt. 

Choosing Your Cone

The cone is more than just a way to hold your ice cream. It contributes flavor, texture, and aroma to the experience.

Cake Cones: Light, crisp, and mildly sweet, cake cones are nostalgic and let the ice cream remain the star.

Sugar Cones: Sugar cones have a satisfying crunch and a caramelized sweetness. They stay crisp longer than cake cones. 

Waffle Cones: Fresh waffle cones are the gold standard; buttery flavor, vanilla aroma, and an irresistible crisp texture. 

The Sweet Side of Martha’s Vineyard

One of the joys of exploring Martha’s Vineyard is discovering that every town has its own personality, and the ice cream shops reflect that spirit. The ones that are bustling become family traditions where the line stretches down the sidewalk after dinner, packed with kids of all ages.

Whether you choose a towering cone of homemade ice cream, a refreshing fruit sorbet after a day at the beach, or a dairy-free scoop that everyone can enjoy, the Island offers something for every sweet tooth. The best advice is simple: slow down, savor each bite, and enjoy one of summer’s sweetest traditions. And if you’re wondering what I gravitate towards time and time again, I’ll let you know: it’s the Chilmark Coffee Co. soft serve at Vineyard Scoop in Edgartown. Truly exceptional, a treat I try to have at least once a month during the summer. 

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