And the Winner of Best Ice Cream in Milford is...

Milford is full of ice cream shops and we have visited them all -- 10 to be exact: Walnut Beach Creamery, Carvel, Friendly's, Scoopy Doos, Cone Zone, Dairy Queen, The Sundae House, Praline's, Rita's, and Twilight Cone.

Before declaring who serves the best ice cream in the city, let's take a quick look back at the competition:

• Twilight, Scoopy Doos and The Sundae House all feature Buck's ice cream, which is delicious and made right in Milford.
  
  
• is adjacent to the beach, has ample outdoor seating overlooking the harbor, and The Sundae House has homemade italian ice and cool ice cream concoctions.
  
  
• has had the same committed owner since opening in the '60s (that says alot), so it is one of my favorites in Milford.
  
  
• was also yummy and conveniently located at the mall. Praline's is a chain, but the ice cream is made in Connecticut.
  
  
• is open year-round and the owner's always greet you with a smiling face and friendly demeanor.
  
  
• is creamy, open year-round and has weekly buy-one, get-one free specials.
  
  
• is conveniently located, has good ice cream, friendly service, serves full, inexpensive meals all day and is family-friendly.
  
  
• is a fun place to go -- fun colors, good ice cream (Gifford's), and lots of parking and outdoor seating.
  
  
• Of all the parlors, Friendly's, Dairy Queen and Praline's are the only to offer indoor seating.
  
  
• has some of the best ice cream I have ever tasted and gives your mouth a run for its money. Since opening this year, they have been involved with ongoing fundraisers, which shows their commitment to our community. They are also open year-round.

But, when it comes down to it, takes the cake ... or, better yet, the cone.

The ice cream is homemade by the owner on-premise at this boutique shop and offers the palate fresh, creative flavors in addition to traditional favorites. There is limited, tasteful seating in the rear of the creamery, and the parlor is a short walk to the beach.

Walnut Beach Creamery is also involved with the community and offers free ice cream at different events throughout the season. Though there are times when I felt certain flavors should be more generous with mixed-in ingredients, overall this parlor shines.

You can't beat homemade ice cream by the beach with reasonable prices and good service to boot. In my opinion, Walnut Beach Creamery scoops the the title of best ice cream in the city.