The Big 1 Ice Cream Stand

Very good choice for ice cream but their portions are not that big compared to other places and you can’t mix match flavors with a kiddy.

This place has to be tied with Hayward’s for best ice cream in Nashua. Just don’t get anything bigger than a small, it’s just so much ice cream.

I have been living in Nashua for 8 years and I just tried The Big 1 for the first time this summer. I wish I tried them sooner. They are SO good. They have both soft serve and regular ice cream. And it’s all homemade. I highly recommend.

I have been coming here since I was a kid. The ice cream is great; offering both hard and soft serve. They are famous for their «Big 1» size (soft serve only… I recommend the twist) which easily feeds a family. You can even get this in a cone, but be warned that it is HUGE. The service is great. The servers are very friendly-​friendlier than their competition across town. My kids love the «Nor’esters» which is essentially a blizzard. The prices are better than the competition as well. Definitely a go-​to place. They do have hot dogs, popcorn, soda etc but come here for the ice cream. If I had to offer one complaint, it would be that the line protocol isn’t always obvious. Sometimes people line up in one line to go to the next available window, and sometimes people line up directly behind each individual window. Watch the protocol or you might get screwed!

Excellent ice cream!!!

Awesome ice cream and mostly friendly prompt service. Try the Maine black bear, it’s to die for as is strawberry cheesecake actually it’s all good at the big one!

I had driven by this place tons of times over the years and never stopped in thinking it was just like a Dairy Queen. I was very wrong.
Yes they serve lots of soft serve and even do dips in a couple different flavors. The cones are very oversized so plan accordingly. They also have lots of hard ice cream flavors available. The prices were very reasonable and the staff are very quick. The only downside is a strangely laid out parking lot and being on a main st that is difficult to turn in and out of.

I’ve loved this stand forever and the thought of having one of their ice creams this summer is the only thing helping me stick with my diet until my trip home!
Purple Cow, Mint Patty, Strawberry Shortcake and Chocolate Peanutbutter are all awaiting — - so if you live near there stop reading and go enjoy it already! I’m 3,000 miles away and can’t wait!

The BIG 1 is right! I get the baby cone and it is HUGE! More importantly it is absolutely delicious. This is my favorite ice-​cream stand in NH. My favorite in Mass is for hard ice cream (purple cow) in Newburyport on the way to Plum island — the little crab shack on the left.

Great classic ice cream stand with very good soft serve.
Why do they call it the big one? I DARE you to order one and find out. I did and they had to get a special guy that could make this soft serve bohemoth! Seriously I thought I was on candid camera this was so big. This gravity defying tower of an ice cream cone could probably feed 4 people, but if you are one for eating challenges, I dare you!
Reasonable prices and a great destination for a motorcycle ride.

More ice cream please! Simply put, the ice cream here is soooooooo good. I got to try two flavors — Purple Cow and Maine Black Bear — in a fudge nut sundae. The fudge itself is finger-​lickin’ good. And the nuts are peanuts — unusual but good.
Only out here have I seen old-​fashioned ice cream stands — freestanding spots that only serve ice cream (somehow, the hot dogs seem an afterthought and definitely not the main attraction). The ice cream comes from this spot:
So, if you’re local, I am SO jealous. Oh well, that’s 15 pounds I could stand not to gain…
More info on «The Big 1»: