We love finding unique restaurants with a long-standing history in their community. It says a great deal about them, their service, and of course, their food. Seneca Farms was the perfect place to stop to refuel after a day of hiking and exploring, and their delicious food and sweet treats completely hit the spot.
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History
In the 1950s, Seneca Farm became the first drive-in in Penn Yan, making homemade ice cream and bottling milk. In 1976, the current owner, Joseph Trombley’s father, purchased Seneca Farms. Since the early 80s, Joseph Trombley decided that he wanted to serve his own homemade ice cream. His ice cream technique of using 16% butterfat is very rare and gives Seneca Farms ice cream its signature creaminess. The Kitchen opened in 1978 but only offered a limited menu.
Ice Cream Parlor
As this was our first visit to Seneca Farms, we were not immediately aware that the Ice Cream Parlor and the Kitchen had separate entrances. We went into the ice cream parlor first (because it is in the front of the building.) When we asked about ordering food, the staff nicely told us that the kitchen was located on the other side of the building.
Stepping into this ice cream parlor is like stepping back in time to a turn-of-the-century ice cream parlor. The incredible smell of sugary sweetness practically slaps you in the face when you walk in the door.
After getting a look at the massive menu of delicious frozen desserts, we decided to “eat dessert first” and order some ice cream. There is basically every single kind of sweet treat available: A large assortment of sundaes, ice cream sodas, floats, flurries, milkshakes, smoothies, homemade ice cream, and soft ice cream. We were even able to get a doggy dish for Nova.
Seneca Farms’ homemade ice cream recipe is unique. The ice cream here isn’t just super creamy; it is next-level delicious. Beware, once you visit and try their ice cream, you will be hooked for life!
Kitchen and Dining Room
Just as the ice cream parlor is carefully decorated to look like a turn-of-the-century ice cream parlor, the dining room is also reminiscent of a bygone era. Seneca Farm is famous for its fried chicken and homemade salads, but the menu has a lot of other delicious dishes.
My husband ordered a bacon cheeseburger, which he proclaimed to be cooked to perfection. I decided on one of the unique menu items, a taco dog which came with a side of macaroni and cheese. My taco dog was absolutely delectable. I never in my wildest would have thought to combine these foods, but they actually worked together.
The dining room is small, but there is outdoor seating in a covered pavilion. This restaurant is quite popular and can fill up quickly.
Getting to Seneca Farms
Seneca Farms is open, according to their website, between the first Thursday in March until the last weekend in October.
Address: 2485 NY-54A, Penn Yan
Have you enjoyed a meal or ice cream at Seneca Farms? What did you think? We would love to hear from you. Please leave us a comment below.