Cabot's

Cabot’s Ice Cream in Newtonville, MA is one of those classic Boston-area dessert spots known for generous sundaes, creamy ice cream, and a nostalgic neighborhood ice cream parlor experience. We stopped by while exploring Newtonville and tried a couple of their desserts. The portions were honestly impressive for the price. For about $7.50 you get two scoops of ice cream topped with whipped cream, a cherry, and one topping of your choice, which makes it a really great value. If you order the regular size, you get three scoops of ice cream, which is even more generous. One thing we really appreciated was the large selection of eggless ice cream options, making it easier for vegetarians to enjoy dessert here. There are also so many flavors to choose from, and the ice cream itself is incredibly creamy and rich. The coffee ice cream was especially delicious with a deep, smooth flavor that really stood out. We also ordered the nachos, which were surprisingly great as well and made a nice savory option before diving into dessert. Overall, Cabot’s feels like a hidden gem in Newtonville if you’re looking for a classic ice cream shop with big portions and great flavors. Definitely worth visiting if you’re in the Newton or Boston area and craving a proper sundae. We also shared our visit on Instagram @bostonvegeats where we highlight vegetarian-friendly spots around Boston. Tip: If you visit, bring friends because the portions are generous.

What an incredible ice cream experience! There are so many sundaes to choose from, and everything was absolutely delicious. They’re super generous with the portions — plenty of syrup, ice cream, chocolate, and even cider! Watching them make the ice cream right in front of you while enjoying it was such a fun and unique experience. Definitely a must-visit!

Not bad, surprisingly good. I came in here with low expectations, because a restaurant that's mainly known for their Ice creams generally do not have good food. But I was pleasantly surprised. The food I had, specifically the Shepards Pie, was pretty good. While its not traditional, the flavor was great. For the amount you're paying, you get a decent portion. As for the Sundae, it was pretty spot on. Presentation was great, flavor was pretty good. Overall a very good 7/10, would recommend!

Places like this have been lost to time, luckily Cabot’s is going strong giving you the ice cream you actually paid for. Go for ice cream (oh and they have food too) and stay for the diner atmosphere. There’s wraparound bar seating or tables, and it’s always packed but never takes long to get some scream. They even have a non-dairy base if needed, it’s ice cream for all at this local gem

Delicious is an understatement. The smell of hot waffles and ice cream fills up the restaurant, and most booths have direct views to where they’re making the sundaes that add so much to the fun. The ice cream is delicious, highlight the warm chocolate sauce that is so gooey and delicious. You wouldn’t expect the food to be as good as it is, and at very reasonable prices. Such a fun place, highly recommend. Expect it to be busy!

Food was delicious! You can tell they use multiple fryers, because the fried chicken and mozzarella sticks were not onion-y even though we also got fried onions. Thats a 10/10 for me. Service was great, the staff was all friendly and they were having fun together. The sundae was delicious and messy!

Great vibes, very pretty , super delicious ice cream with all kinds of flavors ,and toppings. Great service❤️.

This is my first time visiting Cabots, but it won't be my last. I got the two foot long hotdogs with beans and brown bread, delicious. My wife got a chicken teriyaki roll up with fries and coleslaw, very good. We shared a dish of chocolate ice cream...wow was it good. Highly recommend, great place!

Stopped in for bite to eat . Very good ice cream options. Plenty of straight forward food options. Quick, excellent employees . Opted for a coffee frappe... excellent Had 2 eggs, hash and bagel 5 stars, but was canned hash vs a real brisket so; 4 stars for excellent frappe All good , no issues and didn't break my piggy bank

What a lovely diner that takes you back. The red booths, open kitchen and delicious grilled cheese specials are all spectacular. I tried the cream of tomato soup and it was delicious. They serve breakfast all day with omelets, pancakes, waffles, eggs Benedict's and beyond! They are known for their own Root Beer and their ice cream too! Our waitress was very kind and fast. This place is perfect for young families and couples for date nights. They're open late until 10 PM! Cannot recommend this place enough family friendly and all the incredible foods and ice cream flavors! Enjoy!

Loved this spot. Everything you want out of an old-school diner-type vibe. Reminded me of Friendly's in its glory days. Footlong hot dog was grilled to perfection, buffalo chicken wrap was wrapped nice and tight with the perfect amount of spice, and the cottage fries were nice and hot. The star of the show was, of course, the ice cream. We got the traditional banana boat (which was HUGE and very reasonably priced given the size) and loved every bite.

Ice cream! Ice cream! I scream for ice cream! If you are craving delicious never ending scoops of ice cream with an insane menu option then this place is for you! Every time we want to treat ourselves to a traditional old fashioned ice cream parlor we think of this place. The restaurant is very big and it has tons of seating for big and small groups. You can stand in line and order to go or dine in. If you dine in they bring you a huge menu which is filled with many ice cream options such as sundaes, ice cream sodas, parfaits, and their signature creations. I have tried several of their over the top creations and all were delicious! The portions are extreme but it's surprising how each time I manage to finish every last drop of ice cream. I always like to get hot fudge as a topping because it comes nice and hot and gooey. The banana split sundae is also incredible! It comes with all the toppings you desire and you can just pile on as much as you want! We definitely crave this place and keep on coming back!

They are always amazingly staffed with a great menu and the food is priced affordably. This is even by todays standards! They are amazing!

Wow, tried Cabot's for the first time recently after living in the city for 20 years. In the city, I always went to JP Licks. Now that I moved out to the Newton suburbs, I mourned my loss of proximity to my fav dessert place. But WOW. Cabot's is incredible. HUGE sundae's, almost overly nice and helpful people, and they have food as well!! Like really good food, not just food to say that have more than just ice cream. I am so impressed!! A+++ My new favorite place

Talk about old-fashioned ice cream parlor vibes in the middle of Newton, MA. There's nothing quite like it. The place looks the same as it did 50 years ago and that's the beauty of it. No need to change what's working type of dealio. Cabot's has been a favorite of mine and so many others. Truly, people travel to Cabot's from near and far. You can't blame 'em. It's the type of place you make sure to hit if you're visiting Boston. Or, you bring a friend because a hot fudge sundae or mile long hotdog will always do the trick. They've got an ice cream menu as big as their food menu. I mean the possibilities are endless. There's something for everyone. Danielle's Choice is on my list of top 3 go-to ice cream orders, same with building my own sundae, and of course an Oreo frappe. The staff is some of the most hard working people in town. They're hustlers making the place run like a well-oiled machine. Huge respect and a lot of love for Cabot's! Oh, and if you ever have a crazy big party (up to 175 people) be sure to inquire about The Great Pyramid. It's a bajillion scoops of ice cream stacked up in a bowl for a showstopper display and a yummy dessert too. :)

The perfect spot for late night ice cream. The interior has classic diner decor with an extensive menu of diner classics and TONS of ice cream and sundae options. Service was quick. Everything is a little pricey but the portions are gigantic, all sundaes could easily be split by 2 people. I ordered the brownie sundae -- the fudge on top and ice cream flavors for that sundae and most sundaes can be customized. Peanut butter fudge and Oreo ice cream were a good combo on top of a dense and decadent chocolate brownie. My friend got a cookie sundae which also hit the spot. Taking off one star as I wish the prices were a little cheaper and that they stayed open a few hours later on weekends to better accommodate the late night crowd.

Historical ice cream parlor with so many different flavors of both ice cream and Frozen yogurt.. the general manager served us and was very attentive. Seems like a good family place . I had frozen yogurt with mounds and it's definitely standard commercial ice cream. It's home of the ice cream cake.

Classic diner with great ice cream dishes and diner eats. Friendly staff. Highly recommend! Lively fun atmosphere

Food and ice cream were sooo good..it was nice dining expo will def be back and not overly priced

Your typical diner restaurant that is also sort of an ice cream parlor? I usually get ice cream from here which is AMAZING and has lots of different flavors and combinations. This is the first time I got food here. The nachos were alright nothing too special or crazy. My chicken salad sub and my friends chicken cutlet was also alright. Nothing too amazing but it wasn't bad at all, just the ole classic. the salisbury steak though was really good and flavorful. I definitely would get a more home cooked style meal here than like a typical sandwich. The potatoes thought were the star. I forgot what kind of potatoes i got but i think it was the breakfast coins or something like that. It was tender, crisp, hot, and exactly what i wanted and expected. The people working here were nice but you definitely need to flag them down if you need something because it gets really busy in here! Again it's a diner style so the tables are pretty small that ranges from bar seating, booths, and regular tables. Definitely want to try other foods here next time.

Love their Danielle's choice peanut butter sundae, banana splits, and spumoni log cake. This is a gem of an establishment. Hospitable and friendly customer service

My mom and I love this place. We don't get to come often but when we do come we are not disappointed. Either if we are there for food or the ice cream both are good. The service is exceptional. Nice people. They have all sorts of food. They have great ice cream. Would definitely recommend coming if you have the chance

Amazing cute diner and ice cream shop - can't believe it's taken me this long to visit. The peanut butter sundae was amazing for a pb lover like myself (I think it's called Danielle's sundae) and although it was huge I did my best to finish it. It was super fun to sit at the counter and service was great and friendly. Can't wait to go back.

Great local spot with a huge selection of food and ice cream. I love the coconut mound ice cream

Been here many times with the previous owners. Never an issue. Went tonight, sat down and waited 15 minutes. Never got waited on. Three parties came after us and got waited on right away. Got up and left. Service has clearly gone downhill.

If you want fine dining, go somewhere else If you want pampering service, go somewhere else If you want white linen, fine china, and cutlery, go somewhere else HOWEVER If you want an old fashioned ice cream parlor with premium home made ice cream, solid diner food, and blue collar Newton charm - Cabot's is the place and has been for 53 years First time I've been back in 3 decades. Place is exactly the same - raised prices of course, but not outrageously Ice cream was as delicious as I remembered A true Newton (and Boston suburb) LANDMARK One of the few restaurant landmarks left A REAL 5 Keep them going!!!

Not only is it a great place for a casual family dinner that ends with awesome ice cream, but it has great food and management. The Philly cheesesteak sandwich was delicious and the grilled cheese is fantastic. Also, when we were there last week, there was an issue with my meal (50% my fault and 50% theirs), the manager couldn't have been nicer about it and insisted on comping it. Such a great experience!

Cabots ice cream sundaes are the sundaes you dream about but in real life! I came here ALOT during my pregnancy I had a big sweet tooth and this was always one of my cravings! They never disappoint!

I tried the nachos today. They were very good. For dessert, I got the Danielle's Choice sundae. It had peanut butter with Reese's peanut butter cups ice cream, hot fudge, peanut butter sauce, whipped cream (instead of marshmallow) and Reese's Pieces. It was really good.

Awesome place for ice cream with a classic and retro decor. They have good amount of indoor seatings and a wide selection of flavors and toppings for ice cream. I like to try a different flavor every time I go and it never disappoints. The employee there are friendly and helpful. Will definitely keep visiting especially during the summer months! Food: 10/10 Service: 9/10 Experience: 9/10 Value: 9/10

YUM! I'm a huge Ice cream girl and when on a trip to Boston my boyfriend insisted on taking me to Cabot's - not disappointed! Family owned ice cream parlor, also offering food. The owner was the one who served us and he was very friendly and helpful. I loved the old timey feel of this ice cream parlor. They had a lot of diffent and seasonal flavors and even offered a few non dairy options (soy based) - so there's something for everyone! I had a seasonal - pumpkin Oreo - and it was incredible!!!

I just read on Facebook that the family is selling the ice cream parlor. They promise it won't change. I really hope not! The ice cream, the atmosphere, and the service are all so awesome.

First, I'm resistant to giving an honest review because it's hard enough to get a table, but we LOVE this place. but, hate to wait in line. That said, here's to Cabot's -- who sells happiness. From the street it's an ice cream shop. Who doesn't light up seeing all that ice cream--but, there are ice cream stores everywhere? No. Cabot's besides offering a variety of ice cream treats, backs it up with all American diner fare.The restaurant seating wraps around the ice cream prep area, so while you're waiting for your breakfast lunch o dinner diners may take in the ice cream prep ballet. From a two scoop cup to a wide variety of ice cream favorites in hundreds of flavors. WAIT THE FOOD--their six to eight page menu ranges from diner standard 2 eggs, sausage and toast to Yankee Pot Roast specials and everything in between. All at reasonable prices. An American diner that should not be missed--let alone that ice cream!

Love this place :) very busy, they take care of their customers allot to choose from on the large menu. Wait staff is very nice

Subpar and unfortunately not the same as the restaurant that we have known and loved for so long. Will be finding a new go-to ice cream spot.

Cabot has not failed me as of now. I have been here multiple times and loved it every single time and its always crowded. I ordered a brownie sundae and a coffee. Brownie sundae was the BOMB. Warm Brownie, with two scoops of chocolate icecream (comes with 1, asked for 2), lot of hot fudge and whipped cream. Can anyone go wrong with this combo? Coffee was okay, they did not give me a refill though! And since its crowded, you get the vibe that they want you to leave soon.

I've visited many times with my family (examples: 6/15/22, 4/20/22, 3/8/22, 12/18/18, 11/1/18, 3/9/18 and 10/11/12) but I'm finally getting around to putting my review into words! We love coming here because it still feels like visiting a family diner. Everyone is friendly, helpful, and efficient. I usually alternate between ordering the stuffed turkey dinner and a chicken salad sandwich on a bulkie roll. For dessert, I almost always get a frozen yogurt with Oreos mixed-in and hot fudge on the side - but sometimes I splurge for marshmallow (homemade every day!) or other sundae toppings. They're closed on Mondays but be sure to stop by any other day! Even if there is a line for a table, it's worth the wait!

Family favourite growing up nearby, and still such a great choice! Extensive menu, good quality food, and friendly staff. Great burgers

With three good icecream places within walking distance, just wanted to add my two cents that Cabot's reigns supreme! It's Richardson's icecream which if you go up to Middleton you can actually see the cows it comes from. It's that fresh and homemade. Been coming here all my life (a few decades now) and still love it! Plus you'll likely see someone you know if you're a local so always a double treat!!

The pandemic has forever changed our world and has forever changed Cabot too! I walk in to find the ATM is gone, and they are using Toast! Loved seeing this! I'm glad that they have upgraded and take credit now. Makes it so much easier for the customers. During the Halloween of 2020, our family stayed at home and hosted a mini Halloween party for the kiddos. For the party, I picked up a Halloween themed ice cream cake that left quite an impression on me. I've never forgotten about that cake. The combination of ice creams and candies was out of this world! For Christmas Eve dinner 2022, I asked my niece if she wanted cookies or ice cream cake, and ice cream cake won. So, I knew I had to return to Cabot's for a Christmas themed cake. I got the Christmas themed Neapolitan ice cream cake which has chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla ice creams with a layer of golden cake at the base. Honestly, I wanted something more similar to the Halloween one we had which had coffee in it, but there wasn't something like that in the freezer. However, this Christmas ice cream cake didn't disappoint as it was devoured in less than 24 hours! All our guests loved it, with many asking for a second slice, and then the next day, we finished it after lunch! Thank you Cabot's for making our holiday celebrations extra celebratory with your decorated themed cakes!

We came in on a Saturday morning for breakfast. There were plenty of tables to choose from. We were greeted by a friendly server who answered all our questions with a smile. I loved my breakfast sandwich. Their English muffins are homemade I think and the eggs were fried perfectly. We also split a chocolate milkshake which was incredible - thick, rich, and tasty. Yum! Take a break from the trendy brunch places and check out Cabots. This place is the definition of comfort food and a classic, homey staple for the area.

Still a favorite of mine good diner style food and ice cream , great family place always good when I go!

Went in here for dinner first only because we didn't have dinner plans and my kiddo really wanted the ice cream after dinner. Tl;dr: skip the food and go for just ice cream, eat it outside or take it home if you can. Food: I got a cheddar melt with sweet potato fries, hubs got a Greek salad with chicken, kiddo got a grilled chicken melt. Everything tasted blah, dry, stale. Ice cream: I got a strawberry and banana milkshake which was not good but family liked their ice cream. My kiddo loved his classic hot fudge sundae and hubs liked his plain two scoops of ice cream, I think he got pistachio and strawberry. Service: our server was extra inattentive so most of the time we had long waits between check ins with him. We couldn't flag him down either. Other servers walked past our table and looked at us pityingly so maybe this guy is notorious for bad service and we MAY have had better service with another server? We'll find out when we go for ice cream only next time. Ambiance: meh too unfortunately. Super overcrowded and noisy in a small space. The place was also pretty dirty and dingy with old-looking tables and booths. Floors were covered in crumbs from each party served. Conclusion: I can see the nostalgic draw of the place for folks who've lived in the area for a long time. It does not have that for us, so we'll skip dinner here and come back for the ice cream when wanting a sit-down ice cream experience.

We went on a Saturday night. It was super crowded and had to wait a little. The inside was super cute and homey. The food was fine and mostly comfort food esk. Want to go back and get icecream !

The older lady who is in charge is a total Dbag. She had screamed at our party which included two small kids. It was our first time here and we didn't know we weren't supposed to sit inside as they had us order at the to go area. Our intention was actually to order at the sit down table but no one greeted us and so we thought we had to go to the to go line. We would have gladly put extra money on the table. Please improve customer service don't assume people know what to do especially first timers. Nasty lady and mediocre food and ice cream at best.

Stopped in here after dinner for ice cream & sat at the bar. Food: 5/5 Delicious ice cream & huge portions. Service: 4/5 It was a bit unclear whether we needed to be helped to sit at the bar, but seems you can take any empty seat. Otherwise, no issues.

For a diner experience that feels like old time family fun you can't beat Cabots! My daughter goes nuts for the chicken tenders for home fries and they'll make you a vanilla Coke right at the counter!

The decor is classic and retro, it's awesome! The food is great! The desserts are delicious! And the staff are great too! I hope the new owners keep it the same.

My intention was to come here for just ice cream, but the burgers were pretty good! For ice cream, we got the Slice n' Bake sundae. It was huge!!! So worth coming here for! It was super filling and the cookie dough pieces were my favorite!!

This place has just been bought so we will need to see if they can up with the reputation. Previous owner is a puller in the community with donations to help grow the city. Ice cream is amazing and Service is great.

If you're looking for a place where you'll find a great selection of kids' food then this is the place. There's also an extensive list for everyone that included waffles, omelettes, wraps, sandwiches, melts, burgers, fish & chips and more for less than US$10. I was in Boston for a few days and my friends invited me here to celebrate their son's bday. This place was packed on a Saturday night and we lined up for about 15 mins. My friends' two kids really loved the food. They had chicken fingers and fries, burger and a float. They finished everything! I had the fish & chips which was pretty good. I was too full to order dessert but I really wanted to try their pumpkin spice ice cream so they gave me a bit to taste. I'm definitely coming back if I'm visiting Boston again since there were so many items that I like to try. As others have mentioned, it's cash only but there's an ATM machine there.

Good time with friends! Still the same after all these years. Started with a salad so I could totally go all out with the ice cream sundae.

Though the ice cream is great don't both going here for breakfast. They certainly don't know what an omelet is and when ordered the veggies were under the fried egg. The waitress wAs in another world . New owner should take heed!

Excellent service, amazing ice cream, and the food is consistently fresh and delish! I guarantee the hot fudge sundae is a cure for the blues! (Or as a meal replacement )

Drove all the way here because their website advertises dairy-free ice cream options. When I got there I couldn't tell from their posted menu which flavors were dairy free, although the menu did say "dairy free" on it. After waiting in line, I asked which flavors were dairy free and the person told me "I don't have any". Idiotic. You are dead to me, Cabots.

I had a craving for a banana split so I immediately went to Yelp to satisfy these cravings and discovered Cabot's. After reading through countless reviews, I decided to take two busses just to satisfy this craving and was left wholeheartedly disappointed. We went on a Saturday morning around noon and had to wait about 15 minutes for a table. There's no host, so we just kind of waited around until a server spoke to us and gave us a table. I ordered a special which was a patty melt. I ordered it medium rare but you can see form pictures it was cooked far more than that. It was also advertised as coming with pickles which it clearly didn't. I would have told our server, but they never did s table check. The taste was alright albeit greasy. I really enjoyed the bread. My boyfriend got the fish & chips. They were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside but there were only five of them. Not filling enough for $9.50. Also, they serve the tartar sauce in the Ken's ramekin. Clearly nothing to be desired and also shows the lack of homemade food here. They couldn't even bother to put their tartar sauce in a ramekin. Now, on to the banana split. We ordered the classic banana boat. The banana was browning which already made me disappointed. The ice cream was ok, but he clearly frozen in syrup strawberries and canned pineapple just ruined an already abysmal treat. Everything was watery and there was clearly a pool of water at the bottom of the dish. We only ate a few bites before leaving. It's cash only but they don't tell you that. Apparently you're supposed to go to the register to pay? But no one told us that so we just left an over-tip as our waitress never came back with change. Overall, I wouldn't come back. Bad service, bad food, and no one there to help make it right. Just wondering if they even hire managers because no one checked on us...

A throwback place for sure, truly earning the description "ice cream parlor." Huge selection of ice cream in cones, dishes, sundaes, parfaits, frappes, and ice cream sodas. While the ice cream itself (Richardson's) is merely adequate, the quality and depth in the types of fudge, fruit toppings, and such is superlative. Peanut butter fudge, anyone? Creme de menth? Yes, please. Each item has its own style of goblet or glassware, making every tray that goes by a feast for the eyes on a few different levels. Squeaky clean teen servers are straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting. Going here recently brought back memories from decades ago.

Was in the area and told my kids they were in for something special as I had enjoyed a sundae at Cabot's several years earlier... We waited in line in our masks to order takeout ice cream. Our turn came and an older fella looks at me with an annoyed vibe and then looks down at the counter. No hello. No "can I take your order." Nothing. Considered leaving but didn't. I order a small cone. My son orders a medium cone. My other son orders a small cup. No eye contact. No thank you. No idea of what comes next. I pull out my credit card to pay and just stand there. The employee (owner?) turns away and starts taking phone orders. Finally I tell my kids, "let's get out of the way and stand over here." A little while passes and our orders start coming out one at a time. Medium cone. My cone. I'm standing there holding my cone (wearing a mask and waiting to leave so I can eat it). It starts to melt down my hand. Two minutes later--my son's dish. More melting. "Can I pay?," I ask. I flag down a young woman and tell her that I want to pay. She rings in the order and is sooooo close to taking my payment. The original guy stops her, resets the order, types it all in off a sheet of paper, and charges me $19. As a final gesture he flips me a screen that recommends I leave a 20% tip. At this point my cone has melted down my hand and the fun of this moment has officially passed. I walk outside and start hanging out with my kids eating our cones. A couple minutes later my son finds a short white hair in his cone. He and his sister think it's a chest hair. The guy who took our order has his shirt open two buttons. I go in and discreetly break it to the guy and I hear him utter the first words of my entire visit. "Sorry-it happens." That's a gross thought. He offers another cone. I tell him my son has lost his appetite and he finally offers a refund. He then refunds me the price of a small cone when my son's cone was a medium. Lazy. Rude. Gross. Unprofessional. Final thought: Put up a sign that at least tells people what your mask policy is. This comes across as a very anti-mask business and I can understand that since the place relies on packing people close together with questionable ventilation and no employees wear masks. If your rudeness was a response to my mask (I have no idea, it's a guess) then just put up a sign and I'll take my business elsewhere.