Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard

- 1317 E 17th St, Brooklyn, NY 11230

Introduction / Overview

When the New York heat is on, or simply when a craving for a genuinely unique and delightful frozen treat strikes, locals in Brooklyn know to turn to **Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard** at 1317 E 17th St. This establishment is more than just an ice cream shop; it is a dedicated dessert destination, proudly operating as a local small business that specializes in a signature blend of treats, primarily their famous Italian Ice and rich, Old-Fashioned Frozen Custard.

Rita's is renowned for its core product innovation: the **Gelati**. This signature creation combines alternating layers of their famous, smooth Italian Ice and creamy soft-serve Frozen Custard, delivering a perfect balance of texture and temperature that is a true highlight in the frozen dessert landscape. The menu, however, extends far beyond this signature item, encompassing a diverse range of blended treats, sundaes, and take-home options, ensuring there is a cool treat for every New Yorker's preference. The focus on quality is evident in their use of high-quality ingredients for their award-winning custard and fresh daily preparation of their fruit-flavored Italian Ices.

Nestled in the 11230 zip code, this Brooklyn spot has cultivated an atmosphere that is both **Casual** and **Trending**, making it an immediate neighborhood favorite. It’s highly rated for being **Family-friendly** and is the quintessential choice for a **Quick visit**. Whether you're seeking a creamy shake, a fruity, non-dairy cool-down, or an indulgent blended creation, Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard delivers a top-tier dessert experience, evidenced by its "A" rating with the local health department.

Location and Accessibility

Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard is located at **1317 E 17th St, Brooklyn, NY 11230, USA**. Situated in the Midwood section of Brooklyn, its street-level presence is easily accessible to the local residential community and those passing through this busy area. E 17th Street provides local access to surrounding blocks, connecting it to the larger Brooklyn street grid.

For local users, the convenience of the location is paired with practical amenities. The shop features a **Wheelchair accessible entrance**, demonstrating a commitment to serving all community members. While there is **No indoor seating**, customer reviews confirm that they provide comfortable **Seating** options outside, allowing patrons to enjoy their cool treats right at the shop during the warmer months, which is a major plus in dense urban areas like Brooklyn. This set-up perfectly facilitates a **Quick visit**, catering to the New York pace of life, where getting a treat fast is key.

As a local, highly-trafficked dessert destination, the focus is clearly on efficiency and speed, supported by their primary service options of **In-store pickup** and **Takeout**. For those arriving on foot, by bike, or via local transit, the location serves as a perfect pit stop for a refreshing and satisfying dessert.

Services Offered

That Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard provides a streamlined and efficient service model centered around convenient access to their delicious frozen desserts.

• **In-store Pickup:** The core service caters to the high volume of local traffic, offering rapid service for customers to select their favorite treats from the counter and continue with their day.
• **Takeout:** All items are prepared for convenient carry-out, whether it's a single Gelati or a larger order of "Freezer Fillers" to enjoy at home.
• **Catering & Events Availability:** While focused on individual treats, the shop offers services for larger groups, including the sale of large **Quart Bundles** of Italian Ice and other products designed for parties and events, such as **Custard Cookie Sandwich 6-Packs**.
• **Payment Flexibility:** To ensure quick transactions, the location accepts a full range of modern payment methods, including **Credit cards, Debit cards, and NFC mobile payments**.
• **Seating and Dining:** Although lacking indoor dining, the provision of **Seating** outside offers a pleasant **Casual** spot for New Yorkers to pause and enjoy their desserts immediately.

Features / Highlights

Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard stands out in the Brooklyn dessert scene due to its unique product offerings and strong local focus.

• **The Signature Gelati:** This is the ultimate highlight—an inventive combination of fresh, smooth Italian Ice layered with creamy Frozen Custard. It's often described as "heaven on earth" by customers, with popular combinations like **Black Cherry Ice and Vanilla Custard** being local favorites.
• **Award-Winning Frozen Custard:** The shop is famous for its Old-Fashioned Frozen Custard, which is recognized as rich and creamy, made with high-quality ingredients, and offering a different texture and richness compared to standard ice cream.
• **Massive Italian Ice Variety:** The Italian Ice is made **fresh daily on location** and features an enormous rotation of flavors, including real fruit selections like Lemon, Mango, and Cherry, alongside imaginative and fun options like **KOOL-AID Sharkleberry Fin**, **Skittles**, and seasonal/limited-time flavors.
• **Unique Blended Treats:** They offer several proprietary blended products, including the **Concrete** (Custard blended with toppings like the **REESE'S Peanut Butter Mudslide Concrete**) and the **Blendini®** (Custard, Italian Ice, and a topping blended together). Additionally, the **Gelati Blender** or **Misto** (a drinkable Gelati) offers a liquid version of their signature layered treat.
• **Family-Centric Experience:** Recognized as **Good for kids** and **Family-friendly**, the shop is a reliable and welcoming spot for parents and children to find a delicious treat in a lively, safe atmosphere, with the added confidence of an "A" health department rating.

Contact Information

For local customers in Brooklyn, you can reach Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard using the following details:

Address: 1317 E 17th St, Brooklyn, NY 11230, USA

Phone: (718) 684-9764

Mobile Phone: +1 718-684-9764

What is Worth Choosing

For a New Yorker, particularly one in Brooklyn, Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard is worth choosing because it provides a **Great dessert** experience that few other places can replicate. The genius of Rita's lies in the combination of their two signature products: the smooth, fruity, non-dairy **Italian Ice** and the rich, dense **Frozen Custard**. This unique duality means whether you're seeking something light, refreshing, and full of fruit flavor, or something decadent, creamy, and indulgent, Rita's offers the perfect answer.

Specifically, choosing the **Gelati** is the quintessential Rita's experience. It’s a layered masterpiece that fuses the best of both worlds, creating a cool, textural sensation that is immensely satisfying, as one customer noted about the black cherry and vanilla combination being "like heaven on earth." The extensive, rotating flavor list for the Italian Ice ensures that no two visits are exactly the same, making it a place you can return to week after week. Furthermore, the specialized blended treats, such as the **Concrete** and the **Blendini®**, offer an additional level of customization and indulgence that goes far beyond a standard ice cream scoop.

Finally, supporting Rita's means choosing a dependable, **Small business** with a transparent commitment to hygiene (A-rated by the health department) and a welcoming, **Family-friendly** environment. It’s the perfect Brooklyn spot for a **Quick visit** to cool down, treat the kids, or enjoy a truly unique frozen dessert that has earned its reputation as a local highlight.

Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard

1317 E 17th St, Brooklyn, NY 11230, USA