Herrell's Ice Cream & Bakery

Herrell's is a good ice cream shop with some flaws. The ice cream is good, not great. They have a nice array of flavors but it doesn't taste any better or higher quality than store bought. Hot fudge, whipped cream and homemade sprinkles are top tier. When they get it right it's the best sundae in the area. Herrell's prices are high. You can get a sundae that's about twice the size and generously loaded with toppings at half the price at a bunch of other places in the area. The other local spots also have better service and atmosphere but most are only open in the summer. Waiting in line and ordering is confusing, not because of the menu but because the line curves around the shop and there's not a spot designated to order from. Service is usually slow and/or they're short staffed. I don't blame the staff for their poor service as I'm sure they're underpaid and not treated well by the management. You're also unable to tip the staff if you pay with a credit card which is unfair. The inside of the shop is small, poorly decorated and in rough shape yet they have a poster celebrating their "renovation" in 2016. It could use some updating. It feels like Herrell's is coasting off their reputation while their product, service and experience are falling off. I hope they make some changes. It could be better. EDIT: I went to Herrell's last weekend and had a much better experience. Service was great, they had plenty of nice staff and the sundae was excellent.

My partner had been hyping up this place for quite a long time. He can be a bit of an ice cream connoisseur, but he grew up in the area and even with many other creameries around, he said this was his favorite and most nostalgic one for him. He has the book written by Mr Herrell himself, and even had a t shirt for this place that he wore when he brought me here. I'm from the West Coast and this was my first trip to the East, but he had been telling me about this place the whole time we've been together. I was thinking it was just nostalgia and it being nearby him that he kept hyping it up to me, but boy was I wrong. For context, I typically like ice cream without all the added stuff like sprinkles, chocolates chips, cookies etc. I just want to enjoy the ice cream without the other things in it, unless it's maple, pecans or walnuts. I love those. Herrell's had many options and I couldn't choose. However, when I saw peanut butter, just peanut butter ice cream by itself which for me is damn near impossible to find, I had to try it. I love peanut butter. No added chocolate or nuts or Reese's pieces etc. Just plain peanut butter ice cream. Hands down, it actually was some of the best ice cream I've ever had. It was delicious, and most importantly, so thick and creamy. You could lick it and it will absolutely keep its form of where your tongue left it slicked up lol. My boyfriend even explained Herrell's method of creating ice cream of not over stirring or over whipping it so that it could keep its texture and creamy consistency. I tried his sweet cream flavor as well and a few others and they were all really good. This place is definitely one of my top places of favorite ice creams. Prices were great too and lots of indoor seating. They also have little baked goods on the side. 100/10 will be coming back here for sure my next trip out east.

My husband was keen to get ice cream here, because he and his family were into it. When we got there the line was long, but I figured it would move fast since it’s ice cream, and it did! The place is a well-oiled machine. I had classic cookies n’ cream and it was great, it had a lot more cookie cream filling than cookies and creams I’d had elsewhere. I really enjoyed it! My husband had date almond halva and he was really into it.

Not from Massachusetts so I was looking for ice cream while visiting. I didn't ask Google about wheelchair accessibility, but if I had I would have been misled. Wheelchair accessibility not available after certain hours. I had to manually lift my chair and climb steps on the South Street entrance to enter. No effort was made to speak to me directly, I had to order through the glass and couldn't easily hear or be heard by staff. Seating where a wheelchair could go was roped off; only available seating required staircase to access. Wheelchair accessible parking lot not found. No staff offered assistance with my chair, I had to ask. Wheelchair accessible elevator was available only after staff contacted security staff from main building; I then learned that this was the only way for wheelchair accessibility that ended an hour before I arrived on August 30. Ice cream was good so that merits three stars but the experience was belabored.

Herrell's ice cream is a tradition in this traditional New England college town - and for good reasons. The ice cream is top quality and delicious. Maybe I could complain that there are too many appealing flavors, making it hard to choose. The centrally located shop is attractive, and the staff are friendly & helpful. Could I have another scoop, please?

For me, Herrell's is one of the few constants in a downtown Northampton life that has changed so dramatically - both for me and the town. These days, ice cream is not on my regular diet but when I am able to indulge I will be at Herrell's. It is wild to think I once applied for a job there, but I always liked the vibe there and post-college it seemed like a potentially nice option for a while, if it had worked out. I am especially partial to the double thick shakes, as well as the malted shakes. The creativity applied to the flavors, as well as consistent quality - it's pretty amazing that has held up for decades now in my experience.