Avondale Dairy Bar

This place is amazing! The best handmade ice cream in Ontario! The service is friendly and fabulous!

Date of Visit – Saturday Oct 21,2023
After years of living in Niagara, and then visiting Niagara many times a year, We finally made it to the Avondale Dairy Bar – a place that has been in operation for decades.
This dairy bar is in an out of the way location that you more than likely will not drive by when you are in Niagara, but it is still the kind of place that people are willing to seek out, and locals are very familiar with.
This dairy bar is a throwback to the old days of dairy bars and soda jerks. Melamine counters, and vinyl stools, with retro (original) signage. They offer a wide variety of ice cream flavours made on site, as well as sundaes, banana splits and many other delightful treats.
We ordered some seasonal options: Hot apple cobbler Sunday & Pumkin Pie Sunday. They make the sundaes in the back and when they are presented 0 they are huge and lovely.

The Pumpkin Pie Sunday was delightful – tasted just like a pumpkin pie.
Unfortunately the hot apple cobbler – the apples had a bitter taste that just didn’t taste right. The ice cream was delicious, though and it all tasted great otherwise.

The prices are very reasonable at approx. $10 for a deluxe sundae.and the service is fantastic.

This is a great spot to go for ice cream when you are in the area.

Just go. You won’t be disappointed. So many flavours; so little time! And the staff are all sweethearts from what I experienced.

So good! Tried the pumpkin cheesecake ice cream and it was everything I needed. Locals said the knowledge and enjoyment of this place is passed down between generations and that was very obvious from the crowd that gathered!

It's the best freshly made ice cream I've had. A shop worth the visit if you're in the Niagara on the lake area. Especially on a hot day, it's such a lovely treat!

Handmade ice cream. Love the idea of charging by weight as this gives total control to the customers. Tried the apple caramel flavor. It was delicious!

Lot of choice! 2 vegan options available.
No price displayed anywhere.
Went trice and ordered same ice cream and paid 2 different price. 8.50$ and 16.50$.
Is it by weight? By flavours? Very strange.

Amazing experience, friendly staff- even at the end of the long day they were so sweet and happy. Worth the wait, great organisation and delicious ice cream, will be going back with all my family and friends!

We’ll organized, even when busy. Lots of staff to keep things moving along. Avondale Dairy Bar is a local landmark that needs to be visited at least once while in the area. Great product. A bit pricey

My first time trying the tiger ice cream on their waffle cone…Delicious! It’s like an orange creamsicle with a licorice swirl. Try it for yourself.

You literally cannot beat the freshness of the iced cream here. Their sundaes and banana splits are out of this world. The best treat for a beautiful day in Niagara.

Service is efficient and friendly. Great options for ice cream. Def one of, if not the top ice cream places in Niagara. If ever in the area stop by. Open 7 days a week.

Love this place. Always when I'm in Niagara. Always went when I was a kid now I take my kids. Just wish the staff would be quicker.

Ice cream was pretty good as usual. Prices are not bad. Busy place. Waiting to order is ridiculously long. Worth the wait. The only downside was that some of the items on the menu weren't available.

Excellent ice cream flavors! I had cinnamon pecan that was AAA+ for cinnamon lovers that also like pecans!

Always a hit. They have dairy-free vegan options! I had the Vegan chocolate raspberry chunk in a waffle cone. Delicious. Can't beat Avondale!

Nothing special. A wide variety of flavours.
They give off the illusion that their ice cream is sourced and made from their own dairy. However, I was disappointed to find out none of the dairy comes from the farm.
When I asked an employee for the price of a cone, the employee could not tell me how much their price by weight was! Instead she wanted to bring out the manager to tell me how much everything was.
Definitely had better ice cream than this

You should be prepared for long lines especially on weekends but the icecream is totally worth it. They have strict covid protocols to keep everyone safe.

Drove for 1 hour just to reach there, was not disappointed. Customer service is amazing and ice cream, loved it.would go again

It's been around for ever, and there's a reason for that. Great ice cream in a bazillion flavours.

Had a wonderful family outing here during the week. My first time trying the ice cream and I can safely say it’s the best I’ve ever had. Creamy, full of toppings and flavour! Plus everyone else enjoyed theirs too.

I also wanted to share how amazingly they followed covid safety protocols. There was a line that moved fast, a staff member to help direct people and everything was meticulously cleaned as well. Makes a big difference in making us feel comfortable enough to go out now a days. Thanks for being great, we’ll be back!

Favorite shop since I was a kid. Busy all the time but worth it. They are organized and keep the lines moving as quick as they can. Missing the pistachio flavour though: (

There is absolutely no place like this place. The ice cream is top shelf stuff! The staff work quickly and are all very helpful.

The Ice Cream there is amazing, the employees are nice, they have swings there for your little ones, you can buy tubs of ice cream and they over out door and indoor seatting.

The ice cream is made on site. You can taste the homemade natural flavors. The employees are very helpful and let you decide what you want to have. They sell the ice cream by weight or you can buy a tub of your favorite flavor. The one litre tub price is equal to roughly 2 cones. You have to try it at least once!

Never a disappointment.
Ice-cream at its finest!
You can sit inside or outside.
Many flavors too choose from and have lactose free variety that tasted excellent.

Lots of flavors and great icecream. Definitely a place to go if you like classic flavors. On the other side if you're looking for a fresh gelato that isn't too sweet then you should look elsewhere.

Some flavours are just ok. Nothing special seriously. But if you are Dora the explorer then you may find some exotic flavours of your choice. It requires repeated visits and experiments to get there.

For example, I have settled with a scoop of chocolate peanut butter + a scoop of salted caramel pecan pie.

Caution:
Unfortunately, their ice-cream flavours are so long (and their menu doesn't have item numbers) that order takers usually forget or confuse one flavour with the other. Please remember to double check your order before paying.

This place is like a hidden gem. Local dairy with fresh ice cream. Lots of variety to choose from. Best place to visit to satisfy your ice cream craving.

Great place to experience ice cream, sundae, banana splits, etc. Probability to have long que outside at times so try going a bit early if you have a tight schedule. Have place outside as well as inside to enjoy your ice cream. Try it.

Fresh ice cream made right there at the parmalat. I recomended sharing the fudgy turtle banana split or the s'mores sunday.

Halfway through the Original sundae I realised I need a picture to post for my "im coming back to this place for sure" review.

I had no clue what real ice cream tasted like until i came here. By far, hand down, the best ice cream i have ever had. If you are in the area this is a must do. You will not be disappointed.

Best ice cream anywhere. Friendly staff willing to do substitutions of ice cream flavours in sundaes and banana splits.

Best ice cream and best service. Been coming here since i was a young child and it is by far the best ice cream I've ever had. Every time!

One of the best ice creams I've had. Absolutely delicious, creamy, and filled with flavor.

Must pass by and grab a cone if you're around. You won't regret!

The ice cream is amazing. The flavors are endless and pricing is very reasonable.we visited the factory 4 times so far and have no complaints.

Avondale is one of the well known dairy bars in Niagara. When I paid a visit two weeks ago, there was a huge line up (due to capacity limits/COVID restrictions) but the line moved fast. I probably waited around 10 minutes to get into the store. Once you place an order, wait time is around 1-2 minutes for your icecream, not a long wait at all. The store is really clean and the staff is also very friendly! There are seating areas near the parking lot so you can sit and eat before getting back to your car. In terms of flavours, I highly recommend the maple walnut. The only reason I didn’t give a five-star is because I think the icecream here is a little on the sweeter side for me.

A local's favorite ice cream place. This place is worth the lineup even when it's out the door and around the corner. Ice cream is fresh and delicious. They do not cut corners when making this ice cream.

Well organised, great service - don't be discouraged if there is a line - it moves quickly and you will likely meet someone with a common interest - - great ice-cream!

They have an amazing assortment of flavours and the ice cream is fresh. Really love coming here.

One downside is that the price are changing drastically but we love fresh ice cream

These guys have always been a 5-Star rating for me as they have an amazing flavor assortment and customer service has always been top-notch for me in-person considering how busy they get. However, I was pretty disappointed in a conversation I had with a female "manager" over the phone for my son's birthday. It's mid-December, and I call on a Wednesday about cakes for Sunday. She (at the time I didn't know she was the manager yet) said they have two left and I can come in to purchase it as they're first-come-first-serve. I asked if they were making more from now till Sunday as we didn't have room in the freezer to store the cake, and she said that it's not the season for cakes. I asked if I can have one made for Sunday, and she said that she just asked her baker and he said no as it's not the season (she could've at least put me on hold and pretend to ask, but she quickly said the baker said no without even asking, lol).
After hanging up, I thought that was a disappointing conversation as per my initial opinion on their level of customer service so I decide to call back and ask for a manager. The same young female voice picked up, I said I just called about cakes and want to talk to a manager. She said you were talking to me and I am the manager. I continued to tell her that it was disappointing to not accommodate (she said it's just because it's the season.again), that I understand the season argument but it's a for sure transaction, I'd rather support a local business then go to a chain grocery store, but again she replied with it's simply because it's not the season.
I guess repeating the same point over and over is part of their manager training manual.

The best place for scoop ice cream in Niagara. Long and wonderful history here. Nice young staff.always serving you with a smile. Hard not to stop when nearby!

They make their own ice cream here and it is a favorite for our family! There are about 20 varieties of hard ice cream as well as a couple plant based offerings. The kids love the swings as well.

This is a nice stop a long the Niagara area. Large place with lots of options/flavours if ice-cream and variations. There are green areas with games to hang out with the family

Best place I've ever had for ice cream. An amazing experience with amazing people. I also love how late they are open!

First visit of the season and impressed as always. I ordered a scoop of the chocolate fudge brownie; the ice cream was delicious and the staff was polite. Will be back many times throughout summer!

Lots of choice of ice cream but I was disappointed knowing his reputation. It may be one of the best ice cream shop in Canada but any ice cream in Italy or France are better than here. Go there if you are North American but it doesn't worth it for an European.

Great traditional ice cream parlour with awesome staff. Prices can be steep but it is second to none and the type of place family traditions are built on.

My suggestion: Chocolate Peanut Butter Milkhake and get them to add a banana!

This is my favourite spot to go in the summer! I love how they have dairy free icecream now as well since I can't eat dairy, I just wish there was more than 2 flavours!

Daniela was great all I got was a chocolate malted and two waffle cones with chocolate and sprinkle s

Lots of flavours, more options than ice cream and cones/cups, friendly atmosphere, swings and outdoor benches

I visit the Dairy Bar as frequently as I can. They always have excellent sundaes and fast service:)

My go to for ice cream in the summer. I've been going here since I can remember. Love how they staff high school students. The lines get long but it's worth the wait.

Look forward every year to the opening of Avondale Dairies! Everything is delicious!
There sugar free ice cream is amazing!
So nice to be able to enjoy a cone with friends and family!

Great ice cream and options. My family has been coming here since it first opened over 50 years ago and we always stop by when in the area.

I've been coming here for ice cream since I was a kid! Made fresh daily on the premises, beautiful views, and nice places to sit outside.

Just as good as I remember 25+ years ago. Love love their pumpkin pie ice cream they bring out seasonly!

This is a staple. I remember going here as a kid and now bringing my own kids. It hasn't changed. I wreck a good thing

I go there about 5 times a year because I live in port colborne, it is a bit of a drive. I went there last night about 730 Ish with my family and friends. There were 4 workers and we all got served but they did not serve my wife who was holding the baby they did not even ask her she stood in front of the ice cream bar for at least 15-20 min she got upset and sat down. I did not want to make a seen so I went back in line and waited to get her ice cream. I feel the worker knew what happen but did not want to ask about it.

Very disappointing that's all

This iconic dairy farm turned dairy bar has been serving up delicious handmade ice cream treats to families, couples, university students, and first dates since 1955. The list of ice cream flavours is long and the choices beyond a cone or a cup are extensive as well. When was the last time you had an ice cream float or banana split? There are even treats for the dairy free folks among us. (My DF pineapple whip was cold, smooth, and delicious!)
Lots of swings for the kids to play on while dad finishes his triple scoop cone.
Take someone you love there today!

I've been coming to Avondale since I was a kid in the 90's and it's always been delicious and well priced. We take all of our friends from out of town to Avondale.

Decent ice cream but a serious fly infestation that makes it different to enjoy. Oh and don't even try to use the restroom. Sorry Avondale but you need to do better.

Great selection on menu, a lot of options. Very very long line ups, expect to wait 15-20 minutes to order. Price was on the expensive side, 16 dollars for 2 average size sundaes. Ice cream was perfection. Soft, fresh, some amazing creations, real ingredients. Can't stress how good the ice cream was. Whipped cream lacked flavor. Just tasted like coffee cream, needed to be a lot sweeter. Cute 50s music and old fashioned portraits on Wall. Adequate seating. Air conditioned.

Overall I would go just be prepared for a long wait and somewhat high prices. The ice cream itself lives up to the hype.

Busy but fast and efficient service moves the line along and before you know it you are enjoying your creamy delight!