The Canalside Cup

The Canalside Cup is about as back in the alley as it gets in terms of a local place that serves up good stuff, has been around for a while yet because of it’s low profile not even a lot of locals know that it exists (informal work poll where of the six people I asked about TCC not one had ever heard of the place yet the current owner (s) are in their 11^th year).
The menu is larger than you would expect with a full menu of hard/​soft ice cream, sundaes, drinks, banana splits, toppings/​dips and a good sized menu of your cardiologist’s favorite fried apps, entrees and platters. Speaking of the menu, I would love to share more details or a link but sadly TCC does not have a website and their FB page does not list their menu so you’ll just have to trust me on this one.
The few things that keep this place from being five star would little nitpicky stuff like they are cash only, the parking lot/​area is small and the bathroom/​port-​a-​john situation is less than ideal. But, on the positive side both times that I was there the customer service was fab as were the menu items that they rendered for us (various soft serve flavors-​hot dogs-​cheeseburger-​sundaes).
If you go: Don’t forget to bring the greenbacks as TCC is cash only, don’t forget that TCC is only open seasonally from March-​October (they close for the year this Sunday), ideally you’ve taken care of your bathroom needs in advance, you have your insulin chaser + your defib paddles at the ready because it’s all about the grease and the sugar here but most importantly you enjoy the ride up/​down 611 along the canal/​river and the unique setting which adds to TCC’s rural roadside charm.

Yes yes and more yes. It is a bit out of the way for us (25 minutes in the car to get ice cream seemed daunting at first) but it was so worth it. My son loves any kind of ice cream so he was happy but as an adult trying to watch my diet while enjoying dessert I was thrilled! They have a «one bite» size sundae that is basically a sample size of any sundae on the menu or your own creation. The sample size is just enough for the taste of dessert and just enough so you don’t feel guilty for having indulged!
Blasting the oldies, eating ice cream and watching the cars go by was a perfect afternoon date for my son and me. Will definitely be back.

My kids go here a lot for cones and shakes and love it! I tagged along one day and found I could get a coffee flavored soft serve cone! I was surprised by the flavor choices because I have only ever know soft serve to be vanilla, chocolate, or swirl! So give them a try if you are heading north or south on 611, it’s worth it! I just saw they now have Fall flavors Pumpkin and Maple nut in hard and soft serve, so I will have to run up this week for a cone or !

This «Fifties» style country road ice cream haven is so picturesque it hurts.
It is a tiny free standing building that harkens to an earlier age when driving the winding road along the Delaware south of Easton, and considerably north of New Hope, was both a joy and a challenge. It would be a perfect place for an antique car show.
I stopped for a bite after a long drive. I wasn’t in the mood for cold and sweet, so I went with their Cowboy Burger — Onions, BBQ Sauce, Bacon, Cheese, and sat on one of the old picnic benches facing the canal as the early dusk began to take hold of the remains of the day. The meal was fine, if not the best burger ever created. What carried the moment was the environment surrounding The Canalside Cup. Bucolic. Summer dreams. Running water. Early stars. Old folks. Young lovers. Fireflies. Wheeling hawks surfing the air currents.
It was a perfect evening catered by an historic cultural phenomenon — the roadside ice cream & grill.
Timeless American Pie.

The desire for ice cream took over and thus the stop. It is a drive up ice cream place with more flavors then you can read. Additionally they had a menu of quick fast food from hot dogs to fish sandwiches. The ice cream was good a nice size. No complaints here. Now time to walk the canal to burn it off