What's the scoop? Cast your vote for Best Ice Cream Stand in Central Mass.
This is a reader poll that requires research. Lots of research.
Finding the top place for ice cream in Central Mass. is an endeavor best left to the experts. Our readers.
After receiving hundreds of nominations, we've put together a list of 16 ice cream shops that will vie for the title of Best Ice Cream Stand in Central Mass. The judges will be our readers.
We've shaped our poll after the Pizza Madness contest in March. We came up with the 16 ice cream places based on reader nominations we solicited over the past week. In the coming weeks, we'll narrow down the field in a bracket format. After voting by readers, the field will be cut to eight, then four, then two and, finally, to the ice cream spot voted tops in Central Mass.
Based on the initial rankings, ice cream shops are pitted in head-to-head contests, with eight contests the first week.
We'll keep you posted every step of the way until a winner is declared.
We couldn't include all the shops that were nominated; those with the most nominations are listed here.
Remember, as we noted with the pizza contest, this is an unscientific process, intended as fun, a departure from the sometimes edgy tone of the internet.
Rota Spring (1) vs. Meola's (16)
Rota Spring Farm, 117 Chace Hill Road, Sterling
Meola's Wayside Ice Cream, 165 West Boylston St., West Boylston; 1134 Main St., Holden; 110 Leominster Road, Sterling
Uhlman's (2) vs. Robbie's Place (15)
Uhlman's Ice Cream, 232 East Main St., Westborough
Robbie's Place, 790 Southbridge St., Auburn
Pinecroft (3) vs. Cherry Hill (14)
Pinecroft Dairy and Restaurant, 539 Prospect St., West Boylston
Cherry Hill Ice Cream, 826 Leominster Road, Lunenburg; 53 Main St., Townsend
Trombetta's (4) vs. Ice Cream Pharm (13)
Trombetta's Farm, 655 Farm Road, Marlborough
Ice Cream Pharm, 185 West Main St., Dudley
Kimball's (5) vs. Ronnie's (12)
Kimball Farm, 1543 Lunenburg Road (Route 70), Lunenburg; and Westford, Carlisle and Jaffrey, New Hampshire
Ronnie's Seafood and Ice Cream, 871 Southbridge St., Auburn
Christopher's (6) vs. Gibby's (11)
Christopher's Homemade Ice Cream, 22 West St., Millbury
Gibby's Famous Ice Cream, 42 Sunderland Road, Worcester
Kay's (7) vs. Froze Zone (10)
Kay's Dairy Bar, 196 State Road West, Westminster
Froze Zone, 184 West Boylston St., West Boylston
West End (8) vs. Madulka's (9)
West End Creamery, 481 Purgatory Road, Whitinsville
Madulka's Ice Cream, 193 Lake Ave., Worcester
Voting for this round ends at 6 a.m. Monday, June 12.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Reader poll: Best Ice Cream Stand in Central Mass.
