Duck, duck, delish: Spotted Duck Creamery

The Finger Lakes frozen custard shop and farm, home to a flock of Ancona ducks—whose eggs are used in every batch—was known locally for its rich, creamy treats. Spotted Duck co-owner and “Chief Duck Officer” Sam Solomon says folks came for flights of the ice cream served by friendly scoopers and delighted in watching the creamery’s resident peacock, Alejandro, strut his stuff and wander the grounds.

“If Riesling is the representation of the Finger Lakes in a bottle of wine,” Sam says, “then Spotted Duck ice cream is a representation of the Finger Lakes in a scoop.”

Then came a visit from TikToker Cohen Thompson with his hundreds of thousands of followers and millions of likes. The influencer stopped by Spotted Duck during a quest to find the best ice cream in the contiguous United States. Thompson’s pick for the top spot? Spotted Duck Creamery.

The result was lines around the block for flavors like Fleur Blue and Real Cookies ’n’ Cream.

“From July to August last summer, we had hour-long lines around the building waiting to get ice cream, eight and a half hours a day,” Sam says. “Lines are great for business, but we do want visitors to know it can take 45 minutes to an hour at its busiest.”

Spotted Duck’s devoted fans in Penn Yan and far beyond will tell you that it’s worth the wait. It all goes back to the ingredients, most of which are sourced locally, Sam explains.

“Spotted Duck offers the cleanest ice cream you can get, with the highest quality ingredients,” he says. “We want to provide an option that you can feel good about eating, and that parents can feel good about giving to their kids.”

Sam, a Long Island native, formerly owned a popular Finger Lakes food truck called Pizza Posto. In 2021, he and business partner Oskar Bynke took over Spotted Duck Creamery from its original owners, along with nearly 100 ducks. When the previous owners first began making ice cream, they realized using duck eggs—rather than chicken eggs—made all the difference.

“We do everything from scratch,” Sam says. “Some of our flavors have inclusions, like cookies or pie crust, but for the most part, we’re trying to let the ice cream flavors shine through.”

Spotted Duck offers its ice cream in flights of four or eight in addition to a standard dish or cone. Visitors can check out the ducks and other farm animals and watch as Alejandro walks by.

If you are planning a visit (it’s about a two-hour drive from Buffalo), Sam advises buying some dry ice and bringing a cooler in case you’d like to take home some pints.

While you’re there

The Finger Lakes region is full of wineries, restaurants and scenic spots, so we asked Sam to recommend a few picks for travelers.

For a bite to eat, head to takeout restaurant Sans Dumplings in Penn Yan or Microclimate Wine Bar in Geneva.

Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard in Dundee is a popular stop for lovers of Finger Lakes wine, while beer fans can hit up Penn Yan’s Relative Risk Brewing Company.

Finally, families should consider the Geneva Community Lakefront Playground, and, if they are feeling a bit more adventurous, Penn Yann’s Finger Lakes Railriders, which offers a unique rail biking experience.