Stew Leonard's, Iconic Diner To Team Up For Ice Cream Sampling Event In Norwalk

NORWALK, CT — Two iconic local dessert specialists are set to team up this weekend for a free event at the "World's Largest Dairy Store" in Norwalk.

Popular grocery chain Stew Leonard's will collaborate with fellow family-owned business Elm Street Diner for a fun and flavorful ice cream sampling event Saturday at the Norwalk store, located at 100 Westport Avenue, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Elm Street Diner's flagship location opened in Stamford in 1987, and in recent years has become a viral sensation with a huge social media following for its over-the-top milkshakes and creative food creations.

The Norwalk location opened at the Waypointe complex on West Avenue in October 2024 and serves up menu items such as Nutella Reese's Churro French Toast, "The Viral" Churro Pancakes Brunch Burrito and a "WOW Waffle Tower" consisting of two large belgian waffles, five scoops of ice cream, layer cake, homemade donuts, assorted candy, multiple toppings, whipped cream and a jumbo sparkler.

According to Stew Leonard's Spokesperson Lea Papakosmas, the Elm Street Diner team will bring their signature "WOW factor" to Stew's customer-favorite treats this weekend.

"Using Stew Leonard's soft serve ice cream, candies, donut holes and more," Papakosmas said to Patch, "they will be whipping up ice cream samples that combine their artistic flair with our high-quality ingredients, giving customers the best of both worlds."

According to Papakosmas, the idea for this unique collaboration came together shortly after Elm Street Diner opened its Norwalk location and reached out to Stew Leonard's.

"As two family-owned businesses passionate about food and fun," Papakosmas said, "we knew collaborating would be a great way to bring something exciting to the Norwalk community."

Papakosmas also noted the company finds it important to offer events like this collaboration to help create a memorable and enjoyable shopping experience for Stew Leonard's customers, something that has always been the heart of their business.

"As a family-owned business, we deeply value family, fun and community, and we want every trip to our store to reflect that," Papakosmas said. "Whether it's through our animatronics, demo stations or special in-store events, our goal is to make shopping not just a task, but something families can enjoy all together. These experiences help bring our stores to life and create lasting memories for customers of all ages."

It is also part of the store's commitment to making Stew Leonard's the most exciting and welcoming place to shop in town, according to Papakosmas.

"I actually grew up coming to Stew Leonard's with my family, and some of my favorite memories are from those visits," Papakosmas said. "Whenever my mom said we were going to Stew's, I'd get so excited because, as a kid, this store truly felt magical. And of course, in my opinion, we still have the best ice cream around."