Peterson’s Ice Cream Depot
7150 Main St, Clifton, VA, 20124
Peterson’s Ice Cream Depot Menu
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Address :
7150 Main St
Clifton, VA, 20124 - Phone (703) 830-7898
- Website https://www.petersonsdepot.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :12:00 pm - 10
Specialities
- Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
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Ruth C.
A little hut recessed through a fenced walkway just past the railroad. Two benches flank the entrance to the walkway, and a modest little sign for the business. Seating and a kiddie area in back. Your container options are arranged on the counter, weighed down by pennies to keep the wind from bowling them over. The staff were a bit busy chatting, so I ended up rapping politely on the windowsill when I was ready. No minimum for credit card usage. I opted for a waffle cone of the flavor of the week, strawberry cheesecake. I like soft-serve to begin with, and the generous helping practically made me full before I'd even had dinner. The flavors were muted, but still quite good. Multiple flavor requests in the same shake get mixed, not swirled or layered (blackberry and key lime pie are better separate). I can see why this attracts so many regulars. Maybe next time I'm down this way I'll try their barbq hot dog and fries.
(4)Justin L.
Truly glorious amount of ice cream options here. Malt shakes with just the right amount of thickness. Plenty of other different creations unique to their establishment. This should be a mandatory port of call during any visit to Clifton.
(5)Lori B.
OMG the ice cream is amazing!!! It is custard style and just delicious. When you are in the mood for real soft ice cream and need a treat beyond Fro-Yo.. take the trip here. They have all different flavors.. although traditional vanilla and chocolate on a cone is my favorite! They have tons and tons (25+) of sundae, milkshake, and float combinations.. WARNING: The portions are HUGE!! I got a small cone with vanilla and it was enough for at least 2 people. Beware and plan to share! They also have a very large menu with hot dogs, hamburgers, fries, etc... There is a cute seating area in the back with a TV and an area with kids games. You can also order beer in the back. Very, very nice and cute for an ice cream treat. Additionally, the town of Clifton is just adorable and very family oriented. There is a nice park next to the ice cream parlor to take the kids and work off some of that sugar!
(5)Alex S.
If I could, I'd give half a star. Not more. We really have to question how this establishment receives such acclaim for their offerings. Perhaps it's the fun, colorful boards displaying large lists of words to flatter the eye, and bypass the brain -most menu items are actually fundamentally very similar, barring the shake flavorings, or "ice cream" toppings that you could choose to add. 1. From experience, most DC region summertime county fairs in the offer tastier hotdog options than those encountered here. Peterson's dogs appear to be cooked on one of those sad hot roller cooking devices you would see at a minor movie house struggling not to close down. Too bad the dogs aren't grilled out back (more on this below) - it would actually give them some flavor. The menu suggests there's a "snap" when you bite into them. Mine, and those of my companions, were limper than overcooked asparagus. And those dogs, hyped with wonderful terms in colored paint on the menu board such as "signature," "premium," and "big in taste," were pretty bland, our merry troupe, and other, nearby diners concluded. The four "specialty" dogs listed on the menu are almost all the same; in order of decreasing volume, the components are: 1) regular size bun, 2) "Sloppy Dog Sauce" (sic), which tasted like stale bolognese sauce, 3) the sausage of the moment, and 4) finally, a modest amount of topping of the differentiating ingredient - coleslaw, melted cheese, onions, relish, etc.. You can dress your dog from the Costco cafeteria with pretty much most of the same toppings on offer. I think one Peterson dog had yellow mustard. And another came with brown mustard. Yellow or brown... it comes down to that. Decisions, decisions... 2. I had to laugh when another customer sitting out back at another table finally declared in a loud voice how the fries are made... under a tarpaulin in the back of the parking lot. While we ate in the outdoor seating, out back, we kept hearing some popping and fizzing from time to time, and thought there was some kind of gardening device operating over the privacy fence in the neighbor's yard. It turns out this was the sound of freshly spuds hitting the deep fryers outside! It's conceivable that the lets-cook-fries-in-the-parking-lot setup finds it's raison d'etre in either an understandable aversion to having the smell of fries pollute the ice-cream extrusion (see below) process, or perhaps Petersons might not have full license to cook on premises, and is avoiding violation of local code by casually frying outdoors. I couldn't help but wonder whether, perhaps, those deep fryers were outside also for safety reasons. 3. Petersons doesn't seem to serve really real (i.e. scoopable) ice cream. As far as I could see, it's soft serve extruded from machines and mixed with flavorings (I think there are just three flavors available on any given day - not quite the litany found at Pitango or Coldstone). Toppings are benign - you'd find them anywhere - gummy bears, M&Ms, nuts, etc. I was impressed that fresh fruit was included in the list - the "fruit du jour" was strawberries. These seemed fresh. HOWEVER, as I happened to visit their restroom upstairs, I noticed their stockroom piled high with items and gasped! The shelves contained lots of bottles of ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS with ingredient lists that looked like extracts from my high school chemistry textbook. Call me a snob, if you will, but I'd rather go to the grocery store and hand my kids some Turkey Hill All Natural ice cream (contains recognizable ingredients - example: cream, nonfat milk, sugar, black cherries, vanilla), than give them a styrofoam cup of frozen artifical stuff, resembling "High Fructose Corn Syrup, Potassium Sorbate, Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine, Mononitrate , Hydrogenated Cottonseed Oils, Dextrose, Sodium Bicarbonate, Soy Lecithin, Vanilla, Cherries, Propylene Glycol, Calcium Chloride, Artificial And Natural Flavors, Red #40, Sodium Benzoate, Sulfur Dioxide, Butter Oil, Mono And Diglycerides, Cellulose Gum, Polysorbate 80, Carrageenan, Locust Bean Gum, Guar Gum" 4. And now the finale - Among the dozen or so people present at the same time I was, there was a unanimous sentiment - spontaneously generated - that the milk shakes were waaaay too stiff, and could not be consumed with a straw. From what I could see the shakes were likely made with: mainly soft serve + chemical flavoring + a wee bit of milk. It was interesting to see people's faces - some turning red or purple - as they struggled mightily to extract the frosted confection through a straw. Petersons's claim to fame is that they were voted winner in the NoVA Magazine "Frozon Four Bracket" ( goo.gl/jiwKf ) Quite why, it's hard to tell. Other regional contenders included luminaries such as Dairy Godmother or Moo Through. I don't know if they, too, use agro-industrial ingredients, but I suspect not.
(1)Mukur H.
Love the entrance and the cute 'shack' where you order. We got the brownie sundae and loved it! for about $7 you get 2 scoops of soft serve ice cream, we got vanilla, a piece of brownie resting on top of fudge, some whip cream and a cherry. The vanilla ice cream was awesome! The fudge was awesome too!!! The brownie was great, but nothing special. Overall, it was great and I would pay them a visit again.
(4)Samantha S.
More than just an ice cream shop. Great hang out in the back with hot dogs and beer. Cool games for the kids too. Don't forget to visit Clifton town park. The park has basketball, swings, firetruck, etc.. Both are great places to take the family.
(5)Monica V.
Totally delicious custardy ice cream. I got the root beer float and the husband got a shake. It was so good. The place is too cute for words and we are definitely going back to "The Dog Pound" for one of those hot dogs!
(5)Ali B.
Oh Peterson's. How you make me long for the days of yore, when summer vacations didn't require a PTO form. After spending a picture-perfect day at a nearby winery, the Mother's Day crew decided to stop for a sweet treat on the way home. To get to Peterson's, you walk under a quaint little pergola with pictures of Old Clifton hung on both sides and a community chalkboard for people to leave their mark. This place screams first date in a rom-com. And I mean that in a really, really good way. When you get to the back, there are chalkboard menus (yes, plural) for you to gawk at until you decide what you want. They have every topping imaginable...and more. I got their Flavor of the Day (peach) on a sugar cone. Rich, creamy and subtle-y peachy. They also offer ice cream "squish" sandwiches, milkshakes, malts and smoothies. All of which I plan to try this summer.
(5)Rob L.
My wife and I have been looking for good ice cream places in NoVa for a while now and we've tried a couple of the regulars. We've had Milwaukee's Frozen Custard in Chantilly and Kline's Freeze in Manassas and liked them both, but there always seemed to be something lacking. Then we found Petersons. Let me tell you, this place is A-MA-ZING. First, the food. They have tons of great hot dog selections, brats, half smokes, turkey dogs, pretty much anything you could want. Lots of delicious toppings to go with them. These hot dogs are legit too. They aren't some $2 Sheetz type hot dogs, they're big, grilled, REAL hot dogs. Also, their fries are so good. You can get them with different flavorings on top, like ranch or bacon or just go the traditional route with some good ole chili. They even have sweet potato fries with cinnamon toppings for you foodies out there. Now, to the main event. The ice cream. This place has such great ice cream I can't even begin to describe it. Huge milkshake menu with at least 20-30 flavors on it. The milkshakes are a little thick so you tend to eat them more with a spoon than a straw, but they're still great. They also have soft serve flavors of the week, I've had graham cracker and key lime and they were both incredible. There's also a sundae menu that features several huge delicious sundaes. You really can't go wrong with anything that they have. The ambiance is great too, everything is outdoors, including a beach-patio style sitting area. There's cornhole set up with great board games like connect four and checkers on random tables. Just an all around great place. I wish I had found it sooner, but I'm glad I finally did as it is my new favorite place in the area.
(5)Tuesday's S.
One of the best soft serve ice creams around. A simple cone is fantastic, but great with mix-ins, too. The chocolate is really very good. Worth the line. Great small town ice cream experience.
(5)Nancy S.
Peterson's Ice Cream Depot boasts the 2008 Best Ice Cream Shop award from Northern Virginia Magazine. That's pretty amazing considering all the ice cream shops across NOVA. I went there last night and oh myyy! I thought the soft serve ice cream tasted more like custard than ice cream. It was amazing! They also offer one pound hot dogs with different topping options. It's out in the middle of a small historic town and definitely worth the trip!
(4)Marian L.
You know I love to find a place that the whole family can enjoy and this is one of the best. The "Dog Pound" is where its at for a bite to eat and btw did I mention the ice cream !!!! Tom Peterson, the owner, is by far one of the friendliest and best hosts around. I shouldn't even tell you about this place b/c then we won't get a table, but you know I can't keep a good secret. I love the shakes most of all. Some evenings we'll head over after dinner, grab a cone and walk over to the playground. It was only last summer that I discovered that they had dinner food. My son gets the Bird Dog (turkey hot dog) and my girl gets the Puppy Dog (smaller, all bee dog). I like the BBQ sandwich. Hubby like the addons for his dog. The kids run wild and we sit back and just relax. Oh Yeah, they have the most amazing fries! YUM YUM. We love the Town of Clifton but we are IN LOVE with Peterson's Ice Cream Depot!
(5)C R.
The ice cream is fantastic and the atmosphere is so much fun! Twinking lights lead to a seating area in the back that has table games and a TV showing sports. Lots of fun!!
(5)Rebecca P.
Faced with only three ice cream flavors, you'd think the decision on what to get would be easy, but nothing could be further from the truth. There's still too many options! With nearly 20 different candy topping options, a multitude or syrups and sundaes and such, the possibilities are endless. The milkshake and malt list is even more dizzying so I decided to stick with the basic waffle cone with chocolate ice cream and reese's pb cup candies. It was delicious. Also, I found the prices to be quite reasonable considering the chain ice cream joints around that charge way too much for one tiny scoop. I agree with the last post that the ice cream is much creamier than a traditional soft serve, and the vanilla bean pieces were quite evident throughout, even though I was having chocolate. The store isn't viewable from the road at all - the historic property next to it has a fenced lawn that spans in front of it - so keep your eye out for the twinkle-light adorned pergola walkway. It's near the intersection of Clifton and Chapel roads. It had been raining on the day of my visit, so while I couldn't sit down to enjoy my cone, it did afford us the alternative of walking around the town. Each of the historic homes bears a story signs, so you can learn about how one had the screenplay 'Sleepless in Seattle' written in it, and another was a 'genteel and orderly bar' during prohibition. Too fun...the whole ambiance made the ice cream that much tastier. It was a throwback to a different time. I'll be going back again soon.
(4)Kerry O.
Love Petersons! Perfect for a summer night with a beautiful setting. Will definitely regular! Relaxing setting and family friendly seating. Great small town ice cream shop. Enjoyable for any age :)
(4)Morgan B.
They've started doing French fries. I am ecstatic. Peterson's cheese fries with salt and pepper...mmmmmm...
(5)Brendan J.
The only time I've previously been to Clifton was due to some mixed up directions trying to find a friend's house, and I didn't expect I would go back. I've never heard of Northern Virginia Magazine before and don't know what the criteria were to claim that this is the best ice cream shop in Northern Virginia, but if it was able to beat out some of the area's other excellent choices (Dairy Godmother, Nielsen's, Dickey's...), I figured a trip would be worth the go. The sign for Peterson's isn't all that big and the place is easy to miss - blink and you'll probably pass right by it. Considering that downtown historic Clifton is tiny, you could just park and walk around. It is right after the train tracks and across the street from Heart in Hand. You walk down a little path and get to an extensive menu of various ice cream concoctions spanning several boards. Order and pay at the furthest window down and then pick up at the other. They have a patio thing out in the back where you can sit and relax, or on a nice day you can just wander around Clifton. They have a water cooler near the trash can in case there are any sticky fingers. They have a just a few flavors of ice cream, but then there are the sundaes, shakes, banana splits, ice cream sandwiches, floats, malts...You can also pack some to take back home (soft from the machine or hard from the freezer). The ice cream here is like a combination of soft serve and frozen custard - a little icier than frozen custard, thicker and richer than soft serve. I was in the mood for a milkshake on a gorgeous late summer day. There is a ridiculously long list of milk shake flavors and I decided to go with the buttered pecan. The milkshake consistency is super thick to where it barely sucks up through your straw. Really tasty. I think it was a flavored syrup as opposed to pecans being blended in there, but it was still really good. The staff were very friendly. One lady in front of me had only received a few pieces of chocolate chip cookie dough, so they took it back and loaded that sucker up. Apparently, whenever a train goes by and blows the whistle, the first person in line gets the chance to spin the ice cream wheel and get whatever it lands on for free, be it ice cream topping, ice cream, or milkshake. What a fun idea. While not very far out from Fairfax, this is more a destination stop than an "on the way to something else" place. I know I'll need to convince others to make the trip out to Clifton. Once they taste the ice cream though, they'll probably start to look for excuses to go back like I currently am. The drive down to Clifton is really nice and you pass several horse farms and some ridiculously ginormous plantation style homes. FYI, depending on which direction you're driving from, Chapel Road is a bit hilly and windy and might make some people a little carsick, especially after some ice cream. Clifton Road is much flatter and smoother. The website indicates that they're only open seasonally and they are closed for the winter months. It looks like the hours change depending on the season as well, but no hours are posted on the website. Fall 2008 hours, based on the sign in front Until November 20 Monday - Thursday. Closed Friday - 4 pm - 8:30 pm Saturday - 11 am - 8:30 pm Sunday -11 am - 8 pm
(4)C O.
Although they only say they have three flavors of ice cream, a plethora of toppings and shake flavors means the selection is almost endless. The shakes are so thick they might as well be soft-serve in their own right. After getting the ice cream, it's worth walking around the town. It's a cute place, with a lot of signs about its history. The service at Peterson's is very friendly. (Some of the employees also make good babysitters, as advertised.)
(5)Lauren G.
Great ice cream with an awesome background story! While I'm from Clifton so I may be a bit biased, I think it's a great spot! Out of town visitors should note that parking may be difficult. It is located in a small town and especially during peak hours, it could be hard to find LEGAL spots.
(5)Derek W.
Nothing like finding a mom and pop ice cream shop! My wife and i stumbled across this place, and have made it a point to stop back anytime we are in Clifton. The ice cream they use seems more of the custard variety.... Including their hard ice creams. We have yet to have anything we didn't like. Be sure to try to secret recipe, any of their shakes, etc
(5)Mr S.
Love this place. They do just about everything ice cream, but their handmade hard ice cream is my go to. If they have their version of Almond Joy available, try it. It is quite tasty.
(5)Jodie R.
ICE CREAM LOVERS UNITE. Creamy. Smooth. Chilling. Sweet deliciousness. ^Some adjectives for the ice cream found at Peterson's Ice Cream Depot. My friend said he was "wowed" by the ice cream here in a matter of two bites, and took me here the other day for me to try the ice cream! I have to say, the ice cream here really does taste homemade. I got the Vanilla Bliss, which was described as, "Made from the finest vanilla beans in the world, 'bourbon'" -- You see and taste the actual vanilla beans in the ice cream. Simple -- but great. My friend got the Cafe Marcus, which was their coffee flavoured ice cream. Now that ice cream was absolutely delicious. If you're a coffee addict like me, consider it. You can also see and taste the grinded up coffee beans left in the scoop of ice cream. The flavour was neither too sweet nor too bitter, seriously one of the best coffee ice creams I've ever had *^* Their scoops are QUITE generous -- I got a kid's scoop, but as you can see in the picture, it wasn't that small (hey, more ice cream the better c: ). They have so many other things on their menu, from shakes/malts to a variety of unique hot dogs -- so this place seems like a good lunch spot too! I know I'll definitely be back to try other items on their menu! (I really want to try their Secret Recipe ice cream flavour...). Overall, some seriously tasty #TreatYoSelf goodies.
(5)Jacinta L.
If you have a sweet tooth, Peterson's should be added to your bucket list! I in particular, do not like sweets too much, so I got the coffee flavored ice cream in a cup, and my boyfriend got the almond joy flavored one also in a cup. They go by scoops, and since I wasn't too hungry, I thought a scoop would suffice. Boy was I wrong, because one scoop was HUGE. This one scoop was probably a little over the size of a baseball. Needless to say, I didn't get to finish my ice cream because I got too full. For the coffee lovers out there, I would recommend this flavor because of the grinded up coffee beans left in there and how it wasn't overly sweet. The almond joy one my date had was sweeter, but tasted a bit like pecan flavored ice cream. He also didn't finish his because like I said before, one scoop alone was so much! Another thing I loved about the place was its exterior design. When you first enter, there's sort of like this fenced 'corridor' with vines and signs to give off this "romantic backyard" feel. Behind the ice cream building is a fanned area with tables, benches, potted plants, Christmas tree lights, and they leave out cold water for you in case you get thirsty! The place was beautiful, affordable, and a cute little date spot!
(5)Jeff W.
Great local, family-run IC joint. It's a Clifton experience. Don't be deterred by the lines, it's part of the fun.
(4)Phung H.
Stop reading the review and just drive here. The coffee ice cream is probably the best coffee ice cream I've ever had! I use to go to the dairy farm near where I grew up to buy fresh, creamy ice cream, but moved away and I'm so happy I finally am able to go somewhere that is comparable if not better than that!
(5)Kelsi G.
It was my first time ever going to Clifton, and my friend recommended this place for some ice cream and other summery foods (hot dogs, nachos, fries, etc.) They have separated menus for each type of food, and there are tons of options for toppings/flavors! They're all handwritten which adds to the homey/old-fashioned feel of the place. I was debating between hard or soft serve ice cream, and ended up going with a coffee flavored ice cream. Even though it was "hard", it was still really creamy and the coffee flavor was on point! There were really small specks of coffee bean throughout the ice cream which was really yummy. I can't really comment on portion size because they accidentally gave me 2 scoops instead of a kid's scoop, but judging from my friends' orders it seems like a good amount of ice cream for the price! I would definitely come back if I was in the area; there's lots of seating in the back with different games like Connect 4 and checkers. It's a good place to stop by with friends in the summer!
(5)Tim T.
This review is for the ice cream they also serve hot dogs in various ways that sound really good. The ice cream is very creamy and tastes very good, I was looking forward to the butterscotch ice cream but they didn't have any on this trip.
(4)Nargis A.
I came here yesterday and their ice cream is beyond amazing! They have a great selection of flavors and toppings. I got the cotton candy with sprinkles on a cone. At first glance, I didn't think the ice cream would be that good it just looked like a pink ball on a McDonald's ice cream cone. But I was wrong; their ice cream is so creamy and rich it's way better than any cold stone or baskin robins I've been to. They have cute lights that they've hung up along the way to the ice cream stand and they have some outdoor seating. The only issue is that their lines are too long. I waited over 20 minutes but it was definitely worth it.
(5)Greg A.
Wonderful family owned business! Great homemade ice cream! It gets busy after 6 so be prepared to wait. Worth it!!
(5)Kay H.
I am by no means an ice cream person but I had a scoop of the key lime pie and now I'm hooked!
(4)Melissa M.
Not sure why so many reviews on here say that all they have is soft serve. Perhaps they are older reviews...but we were with company and decided to check it out. I was pleasantly surprised. They had several flavors (maybe 10-15?) of homemade ice cream and even regular food...hot dogs, sausage, a whole menu with different toppings for fries. We didn't eat food but the ice cream was delicious. Would definitely go back!
(5)Ryan H.
Solid ice cream place, I got brownie bear and it was good. Home made ice cream and a cool spot to visit in Clifton. Try it out!
(4)Jen R.
Everything is amazing and the staff makes me feel at home. I'm a huge fan of their salted caramel anything and their chocolate malts with extra malts! Yummmm
(5)Anna Laura B.
Peterson's is in the adorable Old Town Clifton. It really doesn't get more picturesque than this little shop, and I never thought I'd say that about an Ice Cream Depot! All the flavor combinations and toppings you could want or imagine and then some. To top it off they offer dog-friendly sizes and are outdoors so my sweet little canine companion can come along. She has learned to get excited when we say to her, "Wanna go to Peterson's??" because she knows that means one thing- DELICIOUS ice cream! I only wish they had real ice cream rather than just soft serve.
(4)T B.
Well, this review is Cliftonite Blasphamy, but we really didn't have a very good experience today. We ordered an English toffee shake and a cake batter shake. They both tasted like pure vanilla, and that, is in fact what we got: Pure vanilla. No flavoring, no nothing. Apparently, someone couldn't be bothered? It wasn't at all crowded or busy today, no lines. And, there were 3 adults working, along with a new young guy taking orders. I guess it wouldn't bother me normally, but today we got the distinct impression that customers were not of any importance, whatsoever. Seriously, we just took our vanilla shakes and walked away. Clearly no one gave a "hoot" about the customers today. So like I said...Petersen's is an institution here in Clifton. We normally love going there...it is a big treat. But, i sure hope that this isn't the trend for the upcoming summer?
(1)Jeannie S.
I've been going to Peterson's for a few years now and have always enjoyed my experience. I went last night for the first time in a while due to my hectic schedule, but found it to be quite disappointing. First of all the menu for fries were misleading. Bacon ranch fries are described as ranch with bacon flavoring. It came out with real bacon bits and ranch flavoring. (Cant complain about real bacon though!) Secondly, I went with a friend and both our orders were incorrect. One with the wrong hotdog (how do you get a simple bun and hotdog wrong?) And I asked for coleslaw on the side instead of on my bbq sandwich and ended up not getting any slaw at all. (I would have mentioned something, but I was too preoccupied with my COLD bbq sandwich. ) I'd understand if it was incredibly busy and they were rushed, but we got there when there was no line and pretty slow for that time of night. Lastly, we ordered ice cream to go, the specialty flavor right now is coffee, and you could barely taste any coffee at all! I will most likely go back, but I will stick to a simple chocolate or pecan shake..&hopefully not be disappointed again!
(3)Reshelle W.
Great ice cream, the restaurant is ok. Their fries are not as good as I had hoped, My burger wasn't as juicy nor did the ingredients taste fresh. However the prices are fair their brownie special is delicious and I loved every bite! The out door seating was convenient and comfortable. Great place to try if you haven't yet!
(4)Albert L.
Had to go back again for some different menu items, and this time I went for a mint chocolate shake and a Big Dog. I should have also tried some of the fries, but I didn't think I could finish it all in one go if I did. The shake was awesome - smooth and minty with a hint of chocolate flavor. I didn't see any actual chocolate bits, so I'm guessing it was a malted shake. Still, it was delicious and old-school. The Big Dog was a success as well. It comes with the original Depot Dog (their take on a hot dog but with some spiciness thrown in), diced onion, house chili, melted cheese, mustard, and house sauce. The potato bun it sits on is substantial and not flimsy. Loved the combination of flavors, and the chili wakes up the whole experience.
(5)Sam M.
Stop looking, this place is the best your gonna find!
(5)Lyn L.
Walked by this place MANY times but never had an urge for ice cream. After reading some fellow yelpie reviews, I was dying to try them! It was a nice Sat afternoon, perfect for ice cream and walking around Old Town Clifton. The line was long so it must be worth it. The menu(s) were overwhelming..fries, hotdogs, shakes, but where was the ice cream flavor menu...OOPS, did I read that right...SOFT SERVE.... I was bummed. I thought I would be searching for 30+ flavors..wrong venue. Window service was great, hubby loved his shake, and some day I may try the fries. I opted for a kiddie sundae, flavor vanilla with a butterscotch topping and nuts, whip cream and cherry. The cost $4.75. I'm not a fan of the 'soft serve' but if I was, then I'm sure it would rate up there in the 5 star bracket.
(3)Minji L.
I love their ice-cream!!! I love the atmosphere of Clifton Old Town, and Peterson's backyard with it's lights and picnic tables. Good post-dinner date spot! I went on a busy Saturday summer night. So there was a long line, and by the time I got my ice-cream it was a quarter melted.. I am not particularly a fan of ice cream soup. Maybe if I went at a better time, I would have given it 5 stars. But the part that was not melted tasted great, and it was a huge portion. I also loved that it was not heavy ice cream, but more like soft serve! I got a banana-split, with rainbow sprinkles and fudge and I KILLED IT! I'm a fan! This maybe my new favorite ice-cream spot! I'm so lucky I live nearby!
(4)Dave U.
This small biz has been on my radar and we had a chance to try them out last weekend. There was a giant list of Shake flavors and I selected the strawberry banana. It was very tasty and large. The line was pretty long and people seemed to know the ordering process. I'm looking forward to trying many other flavors.
(4)Bil G.
I spotted a review of this place and I thought it didn't have any ice cream and sure enough, I was correct. Some people just don't know what ice cream is. This place is soft serve, they have no ice cream. For soft serve it isn't bad but for ice cream they just have NONE!!! If you aren't using an ice cream scoop to scoop the ice cream out of a freezer then it is NOT ice cream!! If the "stuff" comes squirting out of a nozzle then it is soft serve. Reminds me of how some people don't know butter from margarine. Some restaurants call margarine butter and butter "real butter". For those places I tell them I don't want a steak, I want.a REAL steak. I don't want mushrooms I want REAL mushrooms, etc. They get the point.
(3)Sarina P.
I hate to leave a bad review for a local place, so I'll temper it with this: I prefer "regular" ice cream or gelato over soft serve... and that's all they have. That said, I've had soft serve that I've liked, and this isn't one of them. The vanilla, even with mix-ins, tasted strange and stiff. Hubs figured put it perfectly, declaring it similar to cold cake frosting, but not even half as sweet. The location is great, the decor very kitschy, and they seemed to have an extensive hot dog and fries menu. The ice cream menu is a very confusing plethora of cute names that cover a multitude of variations on 3 flavors of soft serve ice cream. I can see how it would get kind of dicey if there was a big crowd.
(2)Stephanie T.
Amazing ice cream! BUT, the wait has gotten to be too long and just not worth it. We waited 25 minutes in line on a Wednesday night at 7pm. Peterson's can't keep up with its own popularity. They need to become more efficient... I don't think we will be returning any time soon.... We can't wait that long with a small child.
(2)Daniel R.
I love going on a hot day to grab some Petersons! Most amazing ice cream ever! While the pros totally out way the cons. The lines can be very long! That's a great sign for business but not so much fun to wait in during the Summer heat. The back outdoor patio is beautiful too!
(5)Nancy V.
The quality of the soft serve ice cream here is really great. I've only had the vanilla/chocolate swirls but they have a very extensive menu with different shakes, floats, etc. I was also pleasantly surprised at how great their FRIES were. I saw a sign saying that more than a few of their customers have commented their fries are the best they've ever had. That's a huge statement but honestly they were pretty yummy. They were definitely bigger than your typical fries but they reminded me of boardwalk fries at the beach!
(5)Mason G.
Great soft serve ice cream. I had...I think #6. We were 10 people, and all orders were delivered perfectly and super fast. We then sat in the back, as other reviewers noted, and had a great time. I loved the chalk and the water for sticky fingers!
(5)Gretchen P.
I truly believe that dreams might very well be made of the creamy, dreamy, pillowy, sugary deliciousness served at Peterson's Ice Cream Depot. You think I'm joking, but this was some of the absolute best frozen custard I have ever had in my LIFE (and I am a frequent customer of Frozen Dairy Bar, whose frozen custard is also top notch). Peterson's is a tiny little shack right off the main road in Clifton, VA (which, I mean, I think there's only like... one road... in Clifton... so...), with lots of chalkboard signage and local flavor. It really fulfills its name as an ice cream depot, considering you order at one window, pick up at the other, and then can swing around back to sit on some benches or otherwise stand around to nosh on your sweet treat. Their menu is IMPRESSIVE. While they only serve 3 flavors of ice cream at one time -- chocolate, vanilla, and their flavor of the week (when I went it was strawberry), they make up for that with the rest of their extensive list of offerings. I think they have just about every possibly flavor of shake or frozen malt you could think of, plus many, many different kinds of sundaes -- and they do hot food too! Their hot dogs sounded slammin, and if we hadn't had lunch before coming, I just know that the manfriend would've downed an order of their cheese fries faster than you can say, "Can I put chili on that?" I got the banana split with vanilla and strawberry ice creams, plus crushed walnuts, raspberry syrup, whipped cream, and a cherry (natch.) -- it was HUGE! I only made it like halfway through before I had to call it quits. Manfriend got one of Peterson's "Squish Sandwiches," which is an ice cream cookie sandwich. It was yumtastic, but the fact that they're pre-made and frozen makes it a little harder to really bite into that cookie. Next time, I'll be going back to try a pistachio shake and something off their lunch menu fo' sho'. Check their website for closures and flavor updates -- they close in heavy rain and if the temperature falls below 50*. For the rest of this hot and sticky Virginia summer though, you'll have it made in the shade at Peterson's. They're not kidding when they say it's worth the drive!
(5)Susanna S.
My only complaint about Peterson's is that it isn't open year round. :) What a fun, happy place to visit, and the ice cream is wonderful. It's our favorite family go to place love the ice cream and the atmosphere.
(5)James V.
Sadly I have probably been to every ice cream place in northern va and petersons is easily the best tasting of them all. I never thought I could tell a difference in the taste until I had there's. I always thought the toppings made the difference but they prove the flavor of the ice cream can set them apart. Now I gave 4 out of five because I also ordered the fries but was very disappointed. They seemed to be "yesterday's". Fries not fresh and I couldn't even eat half of them they were so chewy. Could have been the to go package that did it but maybe Ill give them a shot again next year. Again best tasting ice cream in town.
(4)Mel L.
best ice cream place in nova. super creamy, delicious flavors and v generous sizes. the back has a little sitting area decorated with lights and board games like checkers and connect 4. everything's written in colorful chalk. great place for family friends or a hot date ;)
(5)Brie R.
We experienced Peterson's for the first time after a playdate yesterday at the park. Both my kids had the cookies and cream milkshakes and the few sips I got were amazing (mom tax). They were super nice here as well. My 4 year old's milkshake somehow managed to explode out the bottom of the cup (yeah...not sure how that happened either) and they replaced it without charging us, which was very appreciated. I can't wait to go back and sample some of the other flavors they had. My eye is on you Pistachio.
(5)Madison O.
Ok this place is tucked away in the quiet little spot (Clifton) which is good because I want to keep it to myself. I went this past Saturday after dinner at my new favorite restaurant, Trattoria Villagio next door. It was pretty busy but the line went quick. Be prepared for a lot of ice cream if you get the small. We all got the small, some got the kiddie size and it was all more then enough. They also have so many great flavors to choose from, my favorite is toasted coconut. I always take my two kids, their friends, our friends and family there when they visit from out of town...they all just think its the coolest, most charming little spot.
(5)Katie F.
Average. Everyone we've talked to has raved about this place but to us it was no more than average. We asked for a vanilla soft serve on top of a brownie with sprinkles and we got the vanilla with sprinkles but literally a crumbs worth of brownie. My husband and I shared and each had half a bite of brownie and we're expecting more with the next bite, but got none. I guess our recommendation would be to make sure you specify how much brownie you want in your sundae. Other than that it is a cute place with good soft serve!!
(3)Deanna B.
This really is the best soft serve I've had in nova. Their ice cream is delicious on it's own but what is nice is they have so many flavor options for milkshakes and toppings for sundaes. For sundaes they layer the syrup and toppings so you get the toppings throughout the sundae. It's a cute place to eat ice cream and there's a very decently sized outdoor seating area behind the building.
(5)Megan W.
This place has delicious homemade ice cream. I got vanilla ice cream with chocolate chips and cookie dough for $5.25, which isn't too bad. They have tons of toppings and flavors. The shop only has outdoor seating, which is good for the summer months.
(5)Stephanie J.
Creamy, dreamy gourmet ice cream, shakes, floats and homemade ice cream sandwiches. The outdoor patio and charming town of Clifton heightened an already delightful experience. The ice cream is soft serve and portions are large.
(5)Min Sae C.
This place was a bit over hyped for me and didn't quite meet up to expectations. I have an issue with calling this an Ice Cream shop. I was pretty disappointed to learn that they only have vanilla, chocolate and special soft serve ice cream. The special was Salty Caramel. Staff was friendly and the area is pretty cool. Biggest issue is their menu is cluttered and all over the place. It took me a couple of minutes just to get my bearings and figure out what kind of ice cream they had. They should have some menus posted on the sidewalk so that you can get an idea of what you want. People at the window were feeling pressure to quickly order so that the line wouldn't get too backed up. I ordered a regular sized cone of the salted caramel. It was very good but the kids size would have been plenty for me. Remember this is soft serve ice cream, not frozen custard which is totally different from this. I won't compare this to Mc Donalds but I personally prefer real ice cream and not soft serve. Wife got the White Russian malt shake. Would never have guessed it had anything to do with a White Russian if it weren't for the name. This place has a great location and capitalizes on it.
(3)Taylor K.
Nestled right on main street in the heart of old town Clifton, this joint has VERY good soft serve ice cream! I ordered a S'mores Sundae and it was fantastic; the ice cream is very creamy and the marshmallow fluff, hot fudge, whipped cream, and graham crackers tasted amazing. I would rank this place slightly ahead of Kline's Freeze and Nathan's Dairy Bar in Manassas. Can't wait to try one of their 30 milkshakes; they also serve hot dogs, fries, and sandwiches too! They only downside is the price; WAY more expensive than Kline's and Nathan's for the portion size. My Sundae was $7.50 and was by no means huge. Would deduct a half star if I could.
(5)Johanna E.
I can't understand why the line was so long at this place. If I could give it zero stars I would. This is the WORST ice cream I have ever had. First off, you only have a choice of chocolate or vanilla soft-serve ice cream (and a special of the week). There are a dozen different chalk menus all over the place, with all different specials. I looked and looked for the board with the different flavors of ice cream and couldn't find it. And did not realize until I got to the window that that is all they offer. There are shakes and malts and toppings galore. But the shakes are not shakes. They are ice cream with whatever flavor mixed in (if you're lucky enough to get any flavor). They put a straw in it to pretend like it's a shake. My husband ordered an Irish Cream shake. What he got smelled and tasted just like a pina colada. He does not like coconut. This is the first time in his 42 years, that my husband has NOT finished an ice cream. I got the Pat Herrity root beer shake. If Pat Herrity does indeed order this every time he goes here (as the board claims), he is getting completely ripped off. After getting half-way through this shake, I was still looking for a hint of root beer. I couldn't even bring myself to finish what was basically a large cup of tasteless soft-serve ice cream. While the staff was friendly enough, my brother-in-law's order was apparently forgotten about. We stood there for about 10 extra minutes while several different parties behind us all got served and were told repeatedly that they were working on his order. The sad thing is, we passed up dessert at Trummer's On Main down the street to try this ice cream.
(1)Jennifer H.
I don't get it. The hot dogs were good, but not THAT good. The thing that makes this place great is how freakishly cute it is! I got the #1 which has chili, cheese, onions, and mustard. What a great combo right? Except the chili was meh and the white, melted cheese was meh. I recommend asking for a nice normal cheddar instead. The fries were good though!. In fact, that white, melted cheese was better on top of the fries. I wouldn't recommend the sweet potato fries. I've def had better. The shakes I tried were delicious as their name would imply. I guess all in all, don't expect much from the food.
(3)Nick H.
When I was a kid, I was envious of friends who had ice cream trucks drive through their neighborhood. Or lived in areas where they were walking distance to ice cream shops. If I had known that a place like Peterson's even existed, I think I would've asked my parents to move. Peterson's is the best ice cream parlor in all of Northern Virginia...and no one knows about it. Located in the heart of historic Clifton, it's literally a small shack hidden down a narrow alley. But once you get there, you're given your option of dozens of delicious ice cream flavors, sundaes, shakes, and other sweet goodies. Not only that, but they also have a variety of delicious hot dogs as well. Once you actually receive your food, head to the back of the shack where you will find benches and and tables where you can eat. You can also play all sorts of games that are located here behind the shack as well. There's really no reason not to go enjoy Peterson's. I discovered this diamond in the rough because I coached youth soccer down the street, but now that I know of it, I come here anytime I get the chance!
(5)Kimberly S.
I always imagine that I am a student about to board the Hogwarts Express on Platform 9 3/4 when I am at Peterson's Ice Cream Depot. Modeled to look like an old fashioned train station, this neighborhood gem was created by the town's mayor as a family gathering place for Clifton residents and visitors. If that doesn't sound like a scene out of the "Leave it to Beaver" to you, just wait...it gets better... The well manicured back patio has plenty of tables and chairs for lounging with friends over sundaes, milkshakes and hot dogs during those long summer nights. For the kids or young at heart, they set up a Super Nintendo gaming section as well as a vintage basketball game that is free to play. Bring your kids, bring your wife, bring your husband because they're making everybody happy out here!
(5)Jennifer D.
Went a few weeks ago, after a delicious dinner at Trummer's On Main. The line was long, seems a little league game/practice had just ended and everyone had gone here. I was a little disappointed that the sundaes could only be made with limited flavors. I was also surprised that Reese's Pieces was not a toppings option. My sundae had hot fudge, Oreos and Heath bar. My husband got a milkshake and said it was good. Service was a bit slow, the line was crazy, and the other reason I took off a star was for toppings and selections for sundaes. Overall it was good, and if I happened to be in the area I might try it again.
(4)Kristel H.
So hard working next door and not eating here everyday! Yum I love their chocolate ice cream. I don't know what people are talking about the ice cream being flavorless or the menu being confusing. Ive never had something I didn't enjoy! The ice cream is so creamy and the menu has a lot of choices but I don't find it overwhelming.
(5)William M.
Outstanding soft serve! This place is fantastic, and so cheap! I'm so sick of fro yo and gelato - which seem to be the norm in DC. This place perfectly meets my soft serve needs. Take a trip out to VA and enjoy it. Clifton is TINY though, so make sure you plan other things to do if you're hitting up Peterson's from DC or Arlington. Though I may have trekked out from DC just for ice cream on one occasion..or two..
(5)J Paul S.
I went there a bit ago and am finally getting a review. I didn't do my research and found out when I was there that it all soft serve. Not my favorite, but despite that it was really good. My wife really raved about it. The mud creek thing is the best and they have a card so you eventually get some free ice cream down the road. The place isn't much, just your old school ice cream place, but of course Clifton right next to the tracks is pretty. Prices are pretty high, but the quality is excellent. I DO want to go try ALL their hotdogs! Haven't gotten to those yet.
(4)Samantha E.
If you want to feel like you have travelled back in time and entered the picturesque small town America of years past, take a short drive out to Clifton. It is amazing what changes in atmosphere and nature occur only 20 minutes outside of Alexandria. Petereson's is located right on Main St. in Clifton so as you park you walk by a number of historic buildings and landmarks with interesting little facts about the town. It is absolutely adorable! Now, onto the food. My family tried out the cookies and cream shake, cookie dough shake, cake batter shake, and chocolate cake batter shake. They have a huge list of shake options that remind me of Cook Out's menu. The regular shake is $4.50 and well worth it. All of the shakes were absolutely delicious and the perfect consistency. Looking at the rest of the dessert menu, there were a number of tempting sundaes and the simple soft-serve ice cream also looked great. the staff was pleasant and helpful and you can tell this really is a wonderful local favorite. Next time I come by I will definitely try out some of their "real" food along with my dessert.
(5)Natalie T.
I love the setting behind the trees. This place has only chocolate, vanilla and flavor of the week soft serve, but tons of different toppings, shakes and awesome hot dogs! absolutely delicious but make sure to go on a nice day since its outdoor seating only
(5)John C.
My family an I love going here during the summer months, it's also great it is only 5 minutes from the house :)
(5)Leslie B.
Chalkboard menu...so adorable!! Great place to grab a milkshake, sit on the patio, and enjoy a beautiful afternoon. You'll find excuses to go back!!
(5)Karen V.
Soft-serve is not my favorite ice cream, but Peterson's does it extremely well. Your first trip there will likely be confusing, since they have piles of menus and yet only 3 flavors of ice-cream at a time, but once you've sorted it all out, you'll definitely find yourself wanting it again. There are a wide variety of mix-ins available, as well as various special sundaes and some of the thickest shakes I've seen. I haven't had the hot dogs, but the fries are delicious. It's an outdoor stand, so it's only open seasonally, but it's adorably tucked away down a path from Main St, has room for kids to play a bit, and the staff is always friendly. Definitely worth checking out.
(4)Lauren B.
Stopped by here for an after dinner treat tonight. The Depot has a really great location on Main Street in cute little Clifton with multiple places to park. Its tucked away off the street down a little pathway surrounded by plants. Around back is a cute seating area with some outdoor games to play, cornhole for ex. Although we only got dessert there are basic sandwiches, fries etc that can be spiced up with many sauce, condiment, spice mix and match options. I got a regular salted caramel shake and my fiancé got a large coffee Kahlua shake with candy mixed in. Both were generous, and while the flavors were good they weren't really recognizable as what we ordered. While there are many toppings and shake / malt options there are only 3 soft serve flavors. I knew this going in, and it obviously didn't stop me from ordering, but if I'm going to splurge I still prefer scoop-able hard ice cream. As long as you are in the mood for soft serve ( shake, sundae etc.) this could be a worthwhile stop. Average prices.
(4)Joseph H.
This place has the best ice cream in Northern Virginia. Service is great and locale is awesome.
(5)Tiffany T.
Delicious creamy soft serve. The best I've ever had. The kids working here are delightful and full of energy. My only complaint is the inconsistency of my milkshake. I ordered a banana shake with graham crackers for the second time today but this time it was missing the banana chunks. Which is one of the highlights of my shake. Over all this is yummy good stuff!
(4)Diane M.
WOW their ice cream beats Dairy Queen, McDonalds, Cold Stone and Sweet Frog. We had a choc/vanilla mixed cone, best thing ever. Kid portion was the perfect size for an adult or to share! It's an outdoor place, so go when weather is permitting. If you have kids, make a day out of it and go to the park up the street. Good times!
(5)Genny P.
Any hike is a regional park (nearby Hemlock Overlook Park) is met with well deserved ice cream. Spied Peterson's on the way to the park, and it gave me an incentive all through the hike. Wow, was that great. One in the party didnt want ice cream - but when he saw how great Dave's Rave Sunday was, he went running from the car to the Depot. Late in November there was no crowd. The staff were wonderful. I had a white Russian milkshake which was just delicious. We also had a Brad's Brownie sunday think was got rave reviews. Great ice cream. Lots of character. I perfect way to end a great day. Would come back to Clifton just for this icecream.
(5)City Of Angels Z.
So, I am going to run counter to the masses on this one. First, the good. Appearance was nice. Outdoor seating, good layout, atmosphere is really nice, The place looks like a spring day. And it is a pretty drive to get there. Now, uh, the food. We had hot dogs, chili cheese fries, and ice cream. The kids hot dogs were way over-cooked and looked like a 90 year-old man's, well, you know. Our hot dogs were normal, at best - nothing better than an Oscar-Meyer. In fact, if I had to guess.... As for the chili cheese fries - for everyone from out west - think a bad attempt at Tommy's. They are not like Tommy's They were not good. Not good at all. The cheese, which was the cheese "spread," was not even yellow. It was disturbing actually. We moved on to ice cream. NOTICE: SOFT SERVE ONLY. I hate soft serve. If I can buy it at McDonald's, I should not have to pay more for it somewhere else. Especially since I hate soft serve. And what ice cream place only serves soft serve? However, the wife loves soft serve. So, at least, one of us wins, right? Um, no. Remember what I said about McDonald's? Well, according to her, that's what it tasted like. So I gave it a try. Yup, McDonald's. We're not even talking Wendy's here. So, if your jonesing for ambiance, its a good place. If your jonesing for ice cream, Baskin-Robins is (shockingly) better.
(2)Zuleikha S.
Trying to find the entrance was a bit confusing in the beginning, and once the entrance was found (while driving), we needed a way to find parking! We parked across the street and walked over. There are lots of plants and vines everywhere. We ordered Jude-something (it was a sundae with chocolate and strawberries) and a half-pound traditional fries. When we got the sundae, we got a little confused halfway through...we wondered when we would find the strawberries! We went back to the counter and found out they had given us the wrong sundae and accidentally gotten an almond type. They took back our old sundae and gave us the strawberry one in a larger cup. The fries were good too. The one thing that will stop me from going there again is the bugs!! They were crawling everywhere. I killed one after another on my tray, and my sister was freaking out thinking she may have accidentally eaten one on her fry LOL. I am SO glad I wore a long sleeve top and pants, otherwise I would have had mosquito bites all over my body. I forced my sister (and my self) to quickly gulp down the fries and run out of there! I wasn't sure what to do with my tray, I asked, and realized we just leave it on the table. My sister and I raaaaan outta there and ate the rest of our ice cream in our air conditioned car lol. I'm not sure why there were so many bugs, I'm guessing it may be due to the trees and plants. They really need to groom the surrounding plants.. The play area looked very dirty and unkempt as well.
(4)Vanessa N.
I was visiting my in-laws who live in Clifton and they took me to the darling main street. This street somehow takes you back in time to simpler days of yesteryear. The soft serve ice cream was pretty basic but the ambiance and giant connect four games in the back make it a hit for me. Great spot for a visit!
(4)Barry S.
Loved the town, the vibe and the friendly service. Ice cream was just soft serve with good topping selection. Chili dog was pretty darn good but the "famous" fries were just "british chips."
(3)Jennie T.
Whether you're craving something sweet, or savory - you can choose from over 30 different milkshakes and malts, over ten different hot dog combinations, and endless ice cream sundae creations (such as Jasien's Almond Joy, and Barb's Brownie Sundae). One of my favorite shakes at Peterson's is their 'Clifton Red Shake' - the strawberry soda float made with soft serve ice cream, and strawberry soda. The first thing I need to emphasize is that these portions are (awesomely, and incredibly) generous. The crunchy tortillas in the nachos were topped with warm heaps of chili, cheese, and sliced jalapenos - all of which - I practically inhaled without saying a word, in fear of anyone (particularly my super hungry teammates that were also waiting for their food to arrive) devouring any of it before I did. It's one of those things that your server (in seemingly slow motion) brings to the table, and you know everyone watching had already been eating it with their eyes before it even made it's way over to you. Bacon and ranch seasoned fries - possibly the biggest reason why I couldn't finish the rest of my meal. These fresh, thick-cut, highly addictive fries came from a recipe that Tom's grandmother 'perfected while growing up on a farm in Pennsylvania'. If you know me, you know that my taste buds get a little bored, and that I can never really finish a single plate of anything. So - saying that I finished each and every fry before I even got to the main event - should not be taken lightly. Ordering Jay The Ripper was an easy decision. I don't think I've ever seen a hot dog fried in oil (until the skin of the hot dog literally 'rips') on a menu anywhere before. And since frying anything in oil generally makes (mostly) everything taste ten times better, and because I am a huge fan of hot dogs, I had to allow myself a deep fried hot dog at least once in my life. At least while my body can handle it without suffering a massive heart attack shortly after. Last but not least - the Carolina BBQ Pulled Pork, ON TOP of a hot dog, being drizzled in an unnecessary, yet very necessary addition of even more tangy barbecue sauce. *Applause* Best. Creation. Ever. Cookie sandwiches, milkshakes, malts, floats, and gigantic kid-sized ice cream sundaes that could feed three girls at a time (true story) - like I said, there are endless possibilities when it comes to dessert at Peterson's. And at the core - the secret recipe to their award-winning ice cream (which they stumbled upon during a family vacation) is what makes it all so wonderful. Catch them on a sunny day, and bring your family along. This beautiful town is also home to an antique store, a quiet internet cafe, exotic florist, charming wine shop, and a sweet grocery store that sells fresh, local produce and pastries. There's much more to see in Old Town Clifton, and it's all just waiting for you to discover. For the full review and photos, click here: thehungrymuse.com/2012/0…
(5)Meredith H.
I love this place! Can be busy. Seasonal, so not open in the winter. As soon as the warm spring hits they are open! lots of yummy ice cream options to choose from and even have good hot dogs. Neat small ice cream shop
(5)Danielle S.
Super-adorable place. A MUST if you're in Clifton. This past weekend, their flavor of the week was Key Lime, and it was GREAT. I love hand-scooped ice cream, but when you're craving soft serve, this place is worth the trip. They only have chocolate, vanilla, twist, and the flavor of the week; but some 30+ shake flavors add depth to the ice cream selection. They offer a wide range of toppings for 75 cents per topping. The servings are SO big; I ordered a regular and will order a kids' size next time. A garden out back has a variety of rocking chairs and gliders, and patio chairs, and there's actually a bar, which wasn't open when we were there. I saw the menu, which seemed to be mostly hot dogs.
(5)Zach J.
Disturbingly good ice ceam and a ton of flavors for most of China to never get bored with!!! This is a jewel to behold as the food here is very good and the folks that take your order are always just helping people out and trying to make your time here fantastic. I love how they put a local magazines bracket for the best ice cream/froyo/custard in Northern Virginia... needless to say, this depot came in #1 overall! Hotdogs are high quality and not your regular basic dogs. Good amount of seating around the property, back or the side where you ordered. Fries are incredible... but you have to get something with ice cream before you leave. Delicious! Kids rave about this more than any other quick eat place and especially would chose this spot over Cold Stone, DQ or BR any day! Oh... may want to try a good old fashioned malt too -- it's just like a malted milk ball in a cup.
(5)Stephanie L.
Great Soft Serve Ice Cream, a cross between ice cream and custard. Lots of topping and a wide variety on milkshake creations. Reminds me of a New England ice cream shops on the coast. Wonderful atmosphere, super friendly service. I'm glad my temp job allows me to drive through Clifton!
(5)Alicia N.
How did I live in the area for 3 years before knowing about this place!?! Flavors are limited, but they have a HUGE menu -- seriously like 10 different sundaes, 30 milkshakes, tons of toppings, etc. Shakes are super thick, which is a good thing. Also, not only is the ice cream incredible, the food is good too! All different kinds of hot dogs (including turkey!) with toppings. Only thing that disappoints me is that they don't have a flavor of the week menu any where online! Also, seating and parking is limited and they close due to inclement weather.
(4)Martha W.
Give me sunny, lazy Sundays with ice cream dripping down my hands: that's heaven. I was told that Virginians drive for miles and miles to get to this celebrated ice cream spot. So my friends and I decided to check it out - as we were in Fairfax Co. Good sign that we saw a long line snaking out and around the building, confirming the rumors. No matter: We walked around this lovely little historic town until the line dwindled. I will definitely be back: not just for the great ice cream (with dozens of toppings) and smoothies and sloppy joe hot dogs - but for more exploration of the town. As one of Jane Austen's character's said: "A delightful visit - perfect in being much too short."
(4)