America's Oldest Ice Cream Company Is Right Here In PA

PHILADELPHIA, PA — Pennsylvania is home to America's oldest ice cream company, and its sweet treats are delicacies still enjoyed by residents today.

Bassetts Ice Cream Company, located at 45 N. 12th St. in Philadelphia's Reading Terminal Market, was founded in 1861 by Louis Dubois Bassett, a Quaker school teacher who started making ice cream in his Salem, New Jersey, backyard using a mule-turned churn, according to the company's website.

While Bassetts originally sold ice cream from a spot on 5th and Market Streets, it moved to its current location in 1892.

What sets Bassetts ice cream apart? It's the way it's made, according to Alex Bassett Strange, the sixth generation in his family to join the company.

"Bassetts Ice Cream is a Philadelphia-style ice cream. While most ice creams are made with egg yolk, our ice cream is made without it, which leads to an emphasis on the taste of fresh cream," he wrote for the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. "This style of ice cream also features vanilla bean specks in our vanilla flavor, which sets us apart from other brands."

While much has changed over the years, guests can enjoy their ice cream on the store's original 125-year-old marble countertop. At Bassetts, more than 40 flavors of ice cream are sold by the cone, cup and container.

In addition to the company's store at Reading Terminal Market, Bassetts also sells to independent dipping parlors, restaurants, country clubs and retirement communities.

"We also have an international presence: thanks to a connection made at an international business networking event, we have been selling ice cream in China since 2008," Bassett Strange wrote.

As of 2017, Bassetts also started selling ice cream in Korea.

"While we stay true to the brand’s heritage, we’re also constantly innovating," Bassett Strange wrote. "Whether it’s adding digital menus at our storefront or adding new flavors, we carefully consider every change we make to ensure that it will keep the business running for generations to come."

To learn more about Bassetts Ice Cream, visit bassettsicecream.com and follow them on Facebook and X.