Lake Effect Ice Cream

A quality artisanal ice cream maker. The draw is the creativity in the flavor creations. Worth the detour if in the Buffalo area.

Since moving back from Italy several years ago, I have not been much of an ice-​cream consumer. But one hot day I wanted to go do something with my son so (based on reviews here) we went to this shop.
My faith in ice-​cream is restored, it is mind-​blowing fabulous. I look forward to trying out more of the endless and interesting variety of flavors available, but must pace myself. Between this and Rieds I could balloon to 200 lbs!

Great ice cream
Great creamy flavors
Family enjoyed a must repeat all summer long
Advertising would help increase traffic

I’m ashamed of myself. For real, you guys. I live in Lockport and Lake Effect is less than 10 minutes from my house, but tonight was my first time visiting. I’m going to go as often as I can this summer to make up for it, and because the ice cream is FREAKING AMAZING.
I’m not a huge ice cream fan actually, so I was a bit wary of their unique flavors. I stuck with two of my favorite everyday flavors: coffee and earl gray tea. Their revolution coffee ice cream tastes like the real thing and, I’m pretty sure, has espresso bean chunks mixed in! Their London Fog ice cream tastes EXACTLY like a London fog latte — YUM. I got it in a waffle cone and had to eat it fast because it was so drippy, but that’s my fault for taking too many pictures and not eating enough.
If the ice cream isn’t enough to draw you in, the location ought to do it (plus, they have milkshakes and other goodies if plain old ice cream just isn’t your thing, as well as local granola and jam). The parlor sits on the edge of the Erie Canal in a gorgeous little park that’s home to the Saturday Farmers Market. With a view of downtown Lockport, the calming smell of water and history literally at your feet, the owners picked the best spot to represent our city! Plus the interior is adorable: pretty tiles, lots of white detailing, high tables and a gorgeous gray/​blue paint make it insta-​worthy.
In Buffalo and don’t want to drive 45 minutes north? They serve their coffee ice cream at the Bread + Coffee Buffalo food truck in Larkin Square.

Mmmm. Can’t go wrong with the Flight of Five. It’s enough to share — or not! Love ordering my faves and then mixing in a new wild card. The Ice Wine Sorbet was the most recent winner.

You guys, get out here! Omg of course I gravitated towards the gray colored ice cream called London Fog. I asked what it was and she said «Well it’s earl gray tea yada yada yada» She had me at earl gray tea. Seriously?! Gray ice cream people. It was the most creamy amazing ice cream I’ve ever had. I had to look it up online when I got home to realize it also has chocolate covered toffee pieces in it. I didn’t care cuz earl gray! Go to the cave and underground boat ride and walk across the bridge to this place! And guess what? All three of us for only $ 9 and change. So worth every penny.

I have been waiting to go to this ice cream shop since it opened and I have been drooling over pictures! I live in Orchard Park so it was a drive and my boyfriend never wanted to drive «just for ice cream» and we finally had a day off and went! :) there were so many options/​flavors and he ordered the 2 scoops of Red Velvet Donut (Paula’s donuts) and I ordered the small Chesterfield and Chips sundae– it came with a scoop of couch potato ice cream, a scoop of peanut butter epiphany ice cream, topped with whipped cream, peanut butter sauce, and caramel sauce with 2 chocolate covered potato chips and it was to die for. I liked the peanut butter epiphany the best but overall it was amazing & satiating. Loved how cute the indoor seating was & it is right on the canal so you can walk around on a nice day! They have platters sponge candy, Paula’s donuts, and everything buffalo added to their ice cream. Why aren’t you on your way yet?

Delicious artisan ice creams. We both got a two scoop ice cream in a dish with Paula’s glazed donut ice cream, black raspberry truffle, rocky road and coffee ice cream. The flavors were true to their description on the menu and would definitely drive out to Lockport again just for a taste… But I really wish they would open one up in the city of buffalo!

So we were coming back from riding bicycles on the Erie Canal, and I had really wanted to pay this place a visit. It’s located right on the canal itself, so when the weather is nice, I suspect that getting a cone and going for a stroll is a popular activity.
So, we went inside, and there was a bit of a lengthy line. There were a lot of adults and a ton of kids having ice cream that day. I really needed to use the bathroom, so Lee stood in line while I went in search of facilities.
The sitting area, which is a separate room from the ordering area, was chaos. There were over-​sugared children making a bit of a ruckus, and I had a hard time getting into the bathroom. There was a pretty rude parent that was displaying poor parenting skills to their child, causing me to have to wait quite a while to get into the restroom. This isn’t Lake Effect’s fault, they can’t control their patrons, but it was a little bit of a bummer and caused us to flee outside with our orders once I got back in line.
Lee got a couple of scoops, and I got their volcano sundae, which was really quite delicious. They have excellent ice cream overall, and it is for sure a place worth stopping in when you’re in the area. I really loved that they also support other WNY businesses — they have a sundae named for Paula’s Donuts and Public Espresso. That’s really cool!
So beware of the children, but come for the deliciousness!

There is nothing like enjoying fresh made deliciously creamy ice cream! If you are looking for just that, you have found it with Lake Effect. Indoor, a clean scoop shop run by some fabulous locals daily, scooping a bit of heaven for everyone.
Too hot outside? No problem, the shop has ample indoor seating, accommodating of most small groups and couples looking for an inexpensive date night. Looking to enjoy the weather? Even better! The shop sits along Lockport’s stretch of the Canal, where you can enjoy the scenery and explore the old and modern Locks while sinking in to delicious flavors such as Sponge Candy, Le Vitre Land, and for the Fall season, Trick-​or-​treat and Blueberry pie.
You truly cannot go wrong with this scoop shop. Recently added to the menu along side their Freeze Pops, ice cream cakes, and Drum sticks. Oh, and don’t forget to bring the dogs, the can get some canine friendly sweets in too!
Check them out on Facebook for regular updates! Always something new to look forward to and, at the end of the season they host a massive pint sale.
Don’t be sad, they may close up shop for the winter but can always be found in local markets and stores like Wegmans and Niagara Produce so you never truly have to be without!

I’ve been to the shop a few times, and in the off-​season when they close the shop, I’ve been to Wegmans and Tops more times than I’d like to admit in order to get my Lake Effect fix. Most recently I tried the London Fog earl grey tea ice cream, which was incredibly amazing if you’re into floral notes. The Paula’s Donuts ice cream is ALWAYS a good choice. Seriously if you try it and don’t like it, I’ll forever question your ice cream judgment. If you haven’t already tried Lake Effect ice cream, do yourself a favor and do it.

Prompt service. Knowledgeable associates. Excellent product! I had the Salty Caramel and LOVED it. Definitely my go-​to next time. My husband had the coffee and my brother in law had the strawberry and cream and was mildly overwhelmed by the proportions. Haha
I tried the chocolate cherry as well and was very impressed by the amaretto flavor of the Ice cream.
In summary, go there. Get some ice cream. Sit on the benches outside or visit the locks.
I highly recommend.

This is by far my favorite place to get ice cream. It was started by two of my high school teachers and I’m proud to say I have been a supporter of their ice cream from the beginning. It tastes great and has unique flavors that you cannot find anywhere else. I have to go here everytime I am home.
This time, after trying a few flavors, decided to get the chicken and waffles ice cream. Luckily there was so chicken flavor because that might have been a little too weird for me but there was maple syrup and waffles inside the ice cream. It tasted so good.
They also have many sundaes that I love trying. I feel with all the variety that is there it’s so hard to pick what to get so you’re going to have to come back more than once!
They also recently started selling ice cream cakes. I cannot wait to go home next month and try one!

So many flavors! So many interesting flavors! So many interesting flavors and they are all made in this cute-​as-​can-​be ice cream shop right on the Erie Canal! It doesn’t get any better than this… well, except if possibly they were right in my neighborhood in Buffalo rather than so far away in Lockport.
It was hard for me to decide which of the many wonderful sounding ice cream flavors to try… and I guess I could have been «that person» asking for tiny tasting spoon after tiny tasting spoon… but I didn’t have to because (hooray!!!) they have a 5 scoop tasting platter. It’s just the thing for the decision making challenged… and ice cream freaks (of which I am both). I sampled the «Green with Envy», Frozen Hot Chocolate”, Strawberries & Cream”, «Couch Potato», and «Sponge Candy» and each was better than the one before and better than the one after. I can’t wait to go back! Road trip anyone?

Close stop after checking out the Erie Canal. You walk in and there are so many great flavors to choose from. Every flavor is explained on the chalkboard wall… Love the look of the chalkboard walls…
I got a 2 scoop in a specialty chocolate sprinkle waffle cone. First flavor was a vanilla chai and the other was a tropical coconut (Date at the Zoo). Both flavors were great, chai was definitely the winner of the two. Could’ve went without the chocolate sprinkles on the cone… Maybe it’s because I don’t eat or like sprinkles but it seemed too waxy for my taste.
Overall great customer service, and delicious ice cream. Nice area to walk around at on a sunny day too.

I scream you scream we all scream for lake effect ice cream!
Great location right on the Lockport locks! Unique flavored from blue moon to toast and jam flavors! Fairly priced as well. Around 5 dollars for a sundae which includes a topping (raspberry sauce is bomb) and whipped cream. Of course if you are on an ice cream bender and need a big fix you can create your own! Totally recommend checking out if your in sunny Lockport. Side note: This is place is popular be prepared for a line out the door, however it is worth the wait !

Lake Effect makes a homemade ice wine sherbet for the summer.
Oh.
Em.
Gee!
It’s the best thing ever. I can’t describe it in a way that does it justice, only to say that I was sad to finish it and I’m dying to have it again.
I also recommend the red wine truffle when it’s available. I’ve tried other ice creams with wine but they taste weird. Not so with the two I’ve tried so far at Lake Effect. The prices are super reasonable, too, comparable to places that simply dish up Perry’s. One scoop is $ 2. Two are $ 3.50. I’m officially over fro yo.
They make their ice creams from local ingredients so they taste better, and they are better for the environment and local economy. Did I mention ice wine sherbet is the best thing ever?
(EV. ER.)

What’s better than a local ice cream shop delivering delicious homemade goodies to many in the region (via Wegmans, other stores, etc) and their home base where you can order delicious home made ice cream? I don’t know. The fact that they serve coffee? Seriously, I’m a coffee addict and it was super awesome that they had some coffee when I came in here. It truly made the day a bit better (almost as much as the peanut butter ice cream I had).
They work with public espresso to develop some local coffee flavored ice cream. I’m not sure if that’s what they brew too. It didn’t taste like public to me. The ice cream itself was delicious. I got it on a sugar cone and it was delightful. My wife was disappointed because they didn’t have custard (their machine was broken) and that’s what she was craving. (We went somewhere else for her custard later, but I was perfectly content with what they had).
Lockport ice cream is becoming an institution to the region. What’s better than grabbing a cone and walking down the Locks? Worth the trip. Great business.

Another gem of a discovery on our wedding weekend, Lake Effect had outstanding and creative ice cream flavors. I had scoops of the Chai Black Tea and the Rice Krispie Treat, and wish I could have tried more. The interior was clean, with plenty of seating both inside and out. I don’t think I’ll ever make my way back to Lockport, but I would highly recommend anyone in the area try Lake Effect if you are looking for a frozen sweet tooth fix.

Had to bring our vehicle up to West Herr Honda to get worked on, and decided to check our Lake Effect Ice Cream while in the area. Heard nothing but great things about this place and have to say they did not disappoint.
The sheer amount of flavors to choose from can leave you a bit bewildered as to what to try but once I saw Whiskey and Brown Sugar I had to look no further. My wife decided on the Ruby Truffle wine, and both the boys wanted Blue Moon. The whiskey and brown sugar was great with a strong whisky flavor to it. The Blue moon tastes just like Fruity Pebbles cereal which both kids loved. The Ruby Truffle wine was my least favorite as it just seemed to lack some creaminess and depth of flavor of the others, but was still good within it’s own right.
Definitely will have to come back and try some more flavors, as the earl grey tea has my interest peaked.

This place has a pretty food amount of seating for an ice cream place. The ice cream here is creamy and sweet, rather than thick and dense. The flavors are very unique, as you’ll see from the ones I tried below.
Whiskey and brown sugar — my friend loved this one. You could definitely taste the alcohol. This tasted a lot like rum /​raisin though and actually I doubt I’d be able to tell the two apart in a blind test.
Trick or treat — this is vanilla with something like 11 (?) different candies crushed in. This might have actually been my favorite of the bunch.
Corn and blackberry — the corn taste was pretty strong and overpowered the blackberry. I guess I’m just not sure I dig having corn kernels in my ice cream.

This is actually a museum rather than a creamery. It shows you the history of the interactions between Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, and the concept of Ice Cream. You will learn, during your 3 hour 45 minute tour (which costs only $ 17.76 per person and half of that for kids) (which comes to $ 8.88 by the way) (in case you were wondering) (for kids, I mean) (the price, I mean), all about these interactions. Yes, indeed, you will learn the answer to that question you have all asked many times: how did the «Lake Effect Ice Cream.»
What to get: Salted Caramel Frozen Yogurt (soft serve).
Now you’re talking sausages. Lake Effect Ice Cream has really delicious ice cream, but it’s not even the star attraction. The star of the show is the frozen yogurt. They have delicious flavours like Salted Caramel Frozen Yogurt (from a machine), and it tastes as good as it sounds. The ice cream is excellent too, although I don’t think it’s as good as Sweet Jenny’s, or my fave in town, Antoinette’s.
It’s a bit of a hike up to Lockport, but there are now two good reasons to go instead of one. The first good reason is the best family style Italian food in WNY (Village), and now the second reason to go is delicious ice cream and yummy amazing salted caramel (and such) frozen yogurt at this really nice spacious fancy new location of Lake Effect Ice Cream.