Van Dyk’s Keeps Ridgewood in Ice Cream

A small cup at Van Dyk’s can look like a fairly ambitious promise. The homemade ice cream is notably rich, smooth and creamy, and the portions are generous enough that the smallest order often does the job for one person.

That abundance is a useful thing to know before you make a flavor decision. Ridgewood’s longtime ice cream stop has plenty of familiar choices, but it also gives you blueberry pie, black raspberry chip, cappuccino Oreo and other reasons to spend a few extra minutes at the counter.

The setting is appropriately cheerful: Van Dyk’s operates from a converted cottage with a pink exterior that is hard to miss from the street. It has the simple, recognizable look of a neighborhood place where an ice cream run has been a regular warm-weather ritual for a long time.

Van Dyk’s has become a Bergen County staple for generations of local families. It draws the usual after-playdate crowd, sports teams and parents, along with people who have made the stop part of their own seasonal routine.

The building contributes plenty to the mood without needing to be fussy. Its pink cottage look is especially fun for children, and the operation remains pleasantly straightforward: park out front, step inside, order at the counter and head out with something cold.

There are no tables or chairs inside, so this is not a long indoor parlor visit. People commonly take their cones and cups outdoors, wander nearby streets or settle carefully into the car before the first drip makes its move.

The ice cream’s homemade character comes through in its texture. It is fresh-tasting and dense in the agreeable way that makes a plain scoop worth ordering, even before you get into the more elaborate flavor combinations.

Portion size is another longstanding attraction. A small is substantial, which makes Van Dyk’s a particularly good place for a person who wants a satisfying serving rather than a tiny sample dressed up in a fancy cup.

Cups, regular cones and waffle cones are all on the menu. Toppings are available, including chocolate sprinkles, but a well-chosen flavor has enough going on that it does not need much help.

Blueberry pie is one of the flavors that keeps coming up in conversations about Van Dyk’s. It has the homey appeal its name suggests, fitting neatly with a shop that has stayed rooted in familiar neighborhood ice cream habits.

Black raspberry chip is another recurring favorite, especially for anyone who likes a fruitier scoop with a little chocolate in the mix. Mint Oreo and cappuccino Oreo offer two different routes for cookie fans: one cool and bright, the other more coffeehouse-like.

The selection is not limited to predictable standbys. German chocolate crunch, maple walnut, strawberry chip, raspberry chip and coffee chip give regulars plenty of ways to vary the order. Cantaloupe is an especially unexpected name to spot in an ice cream case, and exactly the sort of choice that can turn a routine stop into a small experiment.

The lineup changes enough to reward repeat visits. People who come weekly or several times through the season are not simply returning for the same cone; there is often another flavor to try or an old favorite to catch when it returns.

Pumpkin Oreo has been a notable seasonal favorite. It brings together the autumnal side of the menu and one of the shop’s more playful cookie-based combinations, a nice change from the fruit and chocolate choices that dominate summer cravings.

That rotating quality also means it is wise not to arrive assuming every talked-about flavor will be in the case. The fun is partly in seeing what is available that day.

For a first visit, a cup is the sensible answer to the shop’s generous serving style. It is easier to manage while standing outside or making the short walk back to the car, particularly with a softer flavor on a hot afternoon.

A waffle cone adds a little more dessert to the dessert, while a regular cone keeps matters simple. Chocolate sprinkles are there for anyone who prefers a bit of crunch without changing the flavor profile too much.

Milkshakes are also available for days when a scoop seems too restrained. With the number of ice cream flavors in circulation, a shake is another useful way to revisit the counter without repeating the same order.

The format is uncomplicated. A parking lot sits directly in front of the shop, orders are placed at the indoor counter, and most people take their treats back outside once they are served.

Van Dyk’s is cash-only, with an ATM available on site. That detail fits the shop’s old-fashioned character, but it is worth having cash in hand before choosing between a cone and a cup.

In the busiest stretches of summer, the line can extend beyond the shop and into the parking area. Once an order is placed, service generally moves quickly; the wait is mostly the price of joining a crowd that had the same ice cream idea.

Van Dyk’s works nicely as a quick detour, but it also invites the unhurried sort of visit: a cup in hand, a little neighborhood walking, a few people lingering outside and comparing their picks. The pink cottage makes the meeting spot easy to identify.

The shop appears to operate seasonally, so current opening dates are worth checking before making a wintertime detour. During ice cream weather, though, its combination of creamy homemade scoops, large servings and a changing flavor case gives Ridgewood plenty of reason to keep coming back.