The Village Scoop

The ice cream is ok but the staff is the worst I’ve encountered. The employee working tonight seemed completely annoyed by the paying patrons. When my 11 yr old daughter asked for a milkshake, the employee said «well, they take a long time to make, may be too big for you and will cost over $ 6». Strike 1.
Then, after spending over $ 30 on ice cream, I decided to use the rest room. Turns out the light bulb was out so the restroom was pitch black. I told the employee who said ‘Yeah, the light’s out. Sorry.’ How hard is it to change a light bulb? Thank goodness for the flashlight on my iPhone or I would’ve peed all over the floor. Strike 2.
Outside, the garbage can was turned upside down to discourage people from using it. Strike 3.
It appears that laziness is the culture for this ice cream parlor. What others have said about this place is correct. The employees are running this place into the ground and the owners could care less.
The reason I have taken the time to write this is because it is my hope that the owners will see this and realize how their shop is being run. I know I would want to know.

I usually stop here after having dinner at The Depot restaurant next door. Each time I stop here with friends, we are here visiting the village while out boating (special thanks to the Cold Spring Marina for their availability of free dock space for daytime visitors). The service at The Village Scoop has always been efficient, fast and friendly. The ice cream is sold out of tubs, but still has a creamy, homemade taste to it. They also make egg creams, which is a personal favorite of mine and seems hard to find nowadays. Bring extra cash because the prices are not cheap.

Because I was still hungry after stuffing my face with fried chicken and french fries, I came over for a good scoop of ice cream. They had a bunch of Perry’s flavors, so I got my Death by Chocolate fix. One scoop was big enough to temporarily salve my stomach.
The people working seem like they could care less about what they were doing, but I’d be pretty grumpy working on a holiday I guess. Still very off putting, I’d probably go back to another place for ice cream next time.

The ice cream here is good with fun flavors like cannoli (made with mascarpone) and cherry pie. There are tables inside and outside with umbrellas where you can sit.

I hate to do this, but I think that two stars is actually really generous given the number of times that I’ve been here and the fact that I’ve left each and every time thinking «why do I keep doing this?» I’ll reserve the ‘one star’ treatment for dining establishments with filth issues or horrendously bad service.
That said, Village Scoop is awarded a pity star because the product is basically good. (But really, how do you screw up ice cream?) They have a decent selection of flavors and the ice cream tastes good. Usually, that’s enough to get me in the door and spend three dollars for two scoops. After all, it’s just ice cream and I enjoy the convince of walking around the corner (I live in Cold Spring) and grabbing a cone on my way to the river.
However, after last weekend I will not go here anymore. In the past, it’s been annoying things like getting the wrong change back (I was over charged) or the shop runs out of napkins (I mean, really? You sell a sticky melting product.) Or the time that the counter person gave me my sloshing milkshake in a big Styrofoam cup without a lid. I asked for a lid and she said «we don’t have any». Okay then, why didn’t you tell me that before I ordered? Or give me an extra cup? I had my son in the stroller, so naturally, the overflowing (it’s mostly milk, of course– nice and runny) cup of milkshake spilled onto his head as I placed it in the cup holder. I was the only person in the shop. She watched this happen and didn’t so much as offer a napkin. Nice.
Last weekend, I ordered two scoops in a dish. I asked about a flavor that wasn’t labeled as chocolate but looked like it. He had no idea what it was and thought that that was pretty amusing. So, I order mystery flavor for the thrill of discovery. Apparently, he didn’t want to make much of an effort to reach across to the front of the bin because I watched as he scooped a very small scoop and then made another lazy attempt at scoop two but gave up and topped it off with a little bit of shaving. Thanks. Nice work. I said, as politely as I could «That’s not really two scoops, right? I’ll pay just one if that’s all you could get.» By now he’s already rung up two scoops and says «yeah well… uh…three dollars.» It was easier to pay than to deal with this guy.
Basically, the employees are running this place into the ground and the owners don’t care enough to notice.
There are a million other places to get better ice cream: Cuppocino (more expensive, but they load it up and the service is terrific), Frozenberry (fun, cheap), Cold Spring Pizza (ice cream and gelato), Hudson Hil’s (caramel sea salt, anyone?), just to name a few.

Adorable little ice cream shop located next to the Cold Spring Depot. This was the only joint in town serving up ice cream before the Cup-​o-​Ccino Café opened its doors recently, but the Village Scoop’s offerings are good and far cheaper.
This place is small and popular with weekend tourists who flock to the village, as it’s only a short distance from the Cold Spring MetroNorth station, and sometimes the line for ice cream will be out the door. It’s a very neatly kept little place with quaint tables and art lining the walls. You can actually buy some of the paintings on display, although the quality of the paintings used to be better. But I’m an art snob, so I urge you to take that into consideration should you contemplate any of these works personally.
In addition to the indoor seating, there’s also a small area outside with tables, and these are popular in nice — but not overwhelmingly humid — weather.
The Village Scoop serves up a decent selection of ice creams — yay pistachio! — at reasonable prices, and they also serve other items, such as cookies. They’re staffed by friendly people from the Depot, and coming in here is always a nice way to cap off a visit to Cold Spring.
P. S.: Although some sources give the address for this place as 2 Depot Square, an oft-​unnoticed iron grating by their outdoor seating area lists the address as «1 Railroad Avenue,» in delicate script. That address is also listed as applying to the Headlines Hair Salon next door, so I guess the actual address for The Village Scoop is up for debate.