Milk, cheese, yogurt, artisanal ice cream: while the Finger Lakes may be lesser known for its dairy production, the region is a quiet cornerstone in New York’s lactose industry.  During the summer months especially, ice creameries boom, from classic mom-and-pop shops to artisanal makers that specialize in unique styles and flavors.  CITY visited three creameries providing unique experiences that highlight the Finger Lakes. Cayuga Lake Creamery 8421 State Rt. 89, Interlaken | 215 North Cayuga St., Ithaca Jeff Kostick never expected to be in the food industry, let alone the ice cream business. But after being laid off from an IT career, Kostick decided to try something new. He noticed a lack of ice cream shops along the Finger Lakes wine trail, specifically around Cayuga Lake, where he owns a cottage — and he decided to open an ice cream shop as a summer project. Twenty-two years later, Cayuga Lake Creamery has two locations — in Interlaken (where the ice cream is hand-batched) and Ithaca — and is a year-round destination.  The creamery has gained local notability for their wine ice creams and sorbets, in particular, a fusion that was originally inspired when the creamery catered events for local wineries. Since then, it has evolved into a frequent collaboration between Kostick and various vineyards. “Local wine trail wineries will come to us and say, ‘can you make a wine ice cream using such-and-such wine,’” said Kostick. “A lot of times it (is) a discussion with the winemaker, (asking) what fruit do you think would go well with this wine.” Beyond the winery collaborations, Cayuga Lake Creamery is committed to sourcing their ingredients from local farmers and businesses for both their ice cream and their onsite eatery in Interlaken. Renee Rose, who has managed the creamery for 10 years, attributes the partnerships with neighborhood businesses as one reason for the creamery’s high-quality ice cream.  “We know (the farmers) are making an exceptional product, so it’s going to make everything taste better,” she said. “If we can support other small local businesses versus getting a commercial product, we want to.” cayugalakecreamery.com A cheese and ice cream board at Shtayburne Farm Creamery. Shtayburne Farm Creamery 2909 Chase Rd., Rock Stream In a region dominated by wine and cheese, it’s rare to see a different take on a charcuterie boards. But at Shtayburne Farm Creamery, a family run farm in Rock Stream on Seneca Lake, they’re known for their cheese and ice cream boards. Shtayburne started crafting cheese in 2010 and added ice cream production to their dairy roster in 2019. Co-owner Alicia Hostetler recalls how the pandemic inspired the invention of their cheese and ice cream boards.  “We used to do samplings,” she said. “But after 2020, a lot of rules changed so this was our way of switching it up and offering people samplings, in a sense.”  The cheese and ice cream boards are essentially side-by-side flights, and have grown to become the highest-selling item at Shtayburne.  “People often say they’ve never heard of this before,” said Hosteler. “You can have cheese and ice cream on the same plate and people seem to really like that.”  Shtayburne makes both the cheese and ice cream on site, with milk from their own dairy cows. While this can be time-consuming, Hosteler said is proud that three generations of her family contribute to the process, allowing them to prioritize the small batch nature of their products while keeping the familial roots of the farm. shtayburnefarmcreamery.com Spotted Duck  999 NY-54, Penn Yan Upstate New York is no stranger to frozen custard. With origins tracing back to Coney Island, soft serve’s silkier, denser cousin is deeply rooted in local culture largely due to Abbott’s, which will mark 100 years this summer. Spotted Duck in Penn Yan deviates from the classic frozen custard recipe, while staying inspired by the concept.  In 2010, original founders Daniel and Elizabeth Hoover started using duck egg yolks and A2 milk from local farmers as their custard base. They found swapping chicken egg yolks for duck egg yolks created a denser and richer texture without artificial thickeners or stabilizers, resulting in a signature custard that is smoother than the traditional version. The unique recipe has placed Spotted Duck in the national spotlight — something current owner Sam Solomon said is helped by being the only duck egg custard producer in the country.  “On a good Saturday, we see about 800 to 1,000 people,” he said.  The masses of visitors to the shop aren’t the only sign of the custard’s popularity. Solomon says that Spotted Duck was ranked the seventh best ice cream shop nationally in 2025 on the restaurant ranking app Beli (Yelp’s more hip, Gen Z-preferred competition). Looking ahead, Solomon is expanding Spotted Duck through wholesale retailing and nationwide shipping, with plans to open a second shop around the Rochester area in the near future. spottedduck.com Meili Shepard is a Rochester-based freelance writer and student at the University of Rochester. Follow her @meilishepard. The post Three Finger Lakes ice cream shops bringing the heat appeared first on CITY Magazine. Arts. Music. Culture.. ...read more read less