Putnam Pantry
Categories: Food Specialty Food Candy Stores Food Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Candy Stores, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt [Edit]
General Israel Putnam Highway - US Route 1Danvers, MA 01923
(978) 774-2383
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
30 reviews for Putnam Pantry
Review Highlights
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30 reviews in English
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Review from Michael W.
Melrose, MA
7/29/2011 3 Check-ins Here
I hardly ever award 5 stars, but there is no possible way that Putnam Pantry can have any other rating. I have been going here since I was a boy, and not a single thing has changed.
For those of you that have never visited, Putnam Pantry is a place where childhood dreams come true. You select your size and flavor of ice cream, and then you build your own sundaes using a smorgasbord of delicious ingredients like hot fudge and crushed oreos. And don't forget the penuche.
When your finished, you can take a stroll through the candy shop and purchase some delicious fudge or other treats- all made onsite.
All of this is set within an absolutely beautifully maintained historic building that has a very interesting story attached to it.
Stop in some time, you won't be disappointed. -
Review from Tracy B.
ICE CREAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wish they had Peanut Butter sauce, my only gripe...
This place is the coolest place for kids... Ice Cream bar with TONS of toppings, Great Candy selection (old candies too)...
and always make sure to check the pamphlets on the way out - they usually have good coupons on them...
OOHH WAIT, One gripe!! Hate the little paper plate they give you for under the ice cream, Cmon Putnam Pantry, the whole idea is to pile on toppings, well the tiny bowl & tiny plate make for items spilling everywhere... But thats prolly why there is someone standing there at all times with rag to catch drippings...
But Bigger bowls... I dont need more ice cream, just more room for toppings! -
Review from Betty P.
Peabody, MA
6/23/2011
Just average. When I read about a sundae buffet bar, I thought this was going to be epic. But it's not that spectacular. You just order your preferred flavor of ice cream and then go onto the buffet, which doesn't have as many toppings as I was picturing. It is just your standard hot fudge, whipped cream, strawberries, marshmallows, etc. And the sundae was not even that big. Even my husband who could live off of ice cream didn't seem too impressed.
The party area does look cute however and the nostalgic candy selection seemed pretty decent. I'd come back if I was in the area, but I would not make a special trip here just for a sundae. -
Review from Jennifer A.
Lynn, MA
5/15/2011
If you want ice cream sundaes, skip Friendly's and Treadwells and Dairy Queen and all the rest!
Putnam Pantry lets you decide your flavor of ice cream and then sets you loose on a smorgasbord of ridiculous toppings. The hot fudge, the penuche, the coconut, m&ms, oreos, cherries....and at the very end of the feast is a homemade whipped cream.
Only downside of this place is that they put the ice cream in these tiny cups so your toppings inevitably always spill over the sides. They give you a paper plate underneath, but still, you sort of wish they'd put it in a huge bowl so you could load it up with all the toppings!
Simply the best. My absolute favorite place of indulgence! -
Review from Dina C.
Atlanta, GA
3/10/2011
I have never found anything like this place in the world. Wow! Truly amazing! Putnam Pantry better be around for another 200 years or more. I had bday parties here as a kid and grew up coming here and dumping every possible sauce, candy, marshmallow, whipped cream, and nut toppings so that I ended up with some kind of cold goo and it was the best thing in the world to consume and it went so well with ta swig of tap water.
Here is what people do not realize. Massachusetts has incredible variety in ice cream. Consider yourself blessed and spoiled. In the hot climate of the Southern states, I figured that there would be numerous ice cream choices..even more so than MA. However, there are hardly any Mom and Pop ice cream joints at all. There is no culture here of going out for ice cream like there was in MA. We mostly get crappy Cold Stone Creamery or some other chain junk. If you say "Frappe," people will look at you like you have 6 heads. Ice cream scarcity truly shocked me when I moved to the South. Mass is full of amazing choices...Putnam...Treadwells...Richardsons..Salem Willows...Chandler's...Brighams...etc...etc. However, we do have very strong drinks..people go out for cold drinks here instead of ice cream ;) -
Review from Jeffrey H.
Washington, DC
1/4/2008
OhMahGah CANDY!
OhMahWurd ICE CREAM SMORAGASBOARD!
I may have come here with my childhood baseball team, but I left here with a smile and a stomach ache.
*They do birthday parties. I turn 24 in May. Just sayin'*Listed in: I'm serious about dessert.
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Review from Tracy S.
5/13/2009
Yes, you read this correctly -- it's an ice cream sundae smorgasboard!
I imagine it's how you teach little kids to do buffets. (At least it was for me and the rest of the kiddos in the area.) First you learn on an ice cream buffet.
If you are a plain vanilla person, you will hate this place. But if you'd like to concoct the best sundae ever with all of your favorite toppings, then this is the place for you!
If you haven't been, you should go because it's fun. It's fun AND historical. -
Review from Aimee G.
Salem, MA
1/3/2008
This place is a dream come true! Every kind of home made candy you could ever desire.
The best part about this place is the ice cream sundaes. You build it yourself and there is a ginormous selection of toppings to make your ooey gooey delicious ice cream creation.
Tummy is rumbling just thinking about it!!! If you have not been to this place, you're definitely missing out bigtime! -
Review from Craig C.
Boston, MA
11/14/2007
I go once a year.(today) and make a sundae 6 ft. high with everything on it and I do not share.
So get your own. It's make your own and the sky is the limit. and after pick all kinds of candy for desert.
(burp) excuse me. I need a Rolaids.Listed in: SECRET's golden places -…, Why I'm getting FAT
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Review from Eric S.
Salem, MA
4/30/2009
Candy? Make Your Own Sundaes? Historical Site?
Putnam Pantry is legendary for, amongst other things, all the great childhood memories it's provided for people. It's a veritable institution! You can go alone, or in a party, and make your own sundaes as high as they can go. And the toppings bar is huge and full of all kinds of insanely sweet goodness. ;)
I mainly hit the candy section. They have so many selections of things clearly labeled and in mini-batches so you don't have spend big bucks on a pound of something. A lot of things are pre-packaged and portioned out so you can grab a few different things quickly and easily.
They have a lot of complementary things like roasted cashews and maple syrup sugar candy. You'll also find a nice variety of fudge and large peanut butter eggs. It's a neat little trip and you never know what other special little goodies you might find there on top of the ones that have drawn people there from all over for years...
Definitely worth a fun, little party trip even if you're from Boston. ;) -
Review from Brian R.
Lynn, MA
6/26/2009
Used to come here so often as a kid. Best ice cream and toppings!
Bring your family here, bring your girlfriend here, bring your prostitute here! They will love it! -
Review from Alexis L.
Boston, MA
2/6/2008
Drool...
Ice cream AND candy.
Very cute and nostalgic atmosphere! Making your own sundae (from the Smoragasboard) then foraging through all the various candies is enough to make a girl fall in love. -
Review from Julie S.
Boston, MA
5/12/2006
Oh my! I didn't think this place was still around. This is like a joyful oasis from my childhood. I remember it all so clearly. Fitting every possible sundae topping on top (except coconut - yuck) and eating until I was sick! I would never even get to the ice cream the whole thing would be so thick with toppings. And all the children at the birthday party would scream and shout.. all sticky and hopped up on sugar! Oh what joy! My son would looooooooover this.. and would probably not sleep for 10 days after. I would have taken him for his birthday if I had only known. Thank my dear Yelpers for letting me know this magical place still exists.
if you have never been.. think the original Charlie and the Chocolate Factory without the scary tunnel and the chickens having their heads cut off. -
Review from Leanne L.
Beverly, MA
7/4/2008
I was surprised by how unimpressed I was by Putnam Pantry. I love homemade candy shops, and the ice cream bar sounded right up my alley, but overall, I was disappointed.
First, I prefer cases of fresh candy. The packaged stuff made me feel like I wasn't getting fresh stuff. Same goes for fudge - I'd prefer cases of fudge made fresh every couple days, rather than a package of fudge with an expiration date a month from now - it just makes me question how long it's been sitting there.
The ice cream bar is a cool concept, but again, not impressed. I would've liked more candy options (they only had M&Ms), rather than 10 different sauces/fruit. Limited selection for ice cream, and there are a lot of other local ice cream shops I'd choose any day over this place.
All in all, cute atmosphere, great selection of candy, but I probably won't go back. -
Review from Jenny G.
Boston, MA
7/9/2010
AMAZING....because it was free.
My boyfriend is from the area and told me we had to go to Putnam Pantry because you can HEAP as much toppings as you want. He wasn't kidding. The hot fudge and caramel sauces were warm throughly. The strawberries and other fruits were delicious too.
But the what made it so good was the register guy forgot to charge us for our banana split. Our friends behind us weren't so lucky.
If the sundae wasn't free, I would probably give Putnam Pantry four starts. However, it's still definitely worth going to for nice change of pace from commercial Boston ice cream shops. -
Review from Jen K.
Beverly, MA
3/4/2010
Yes, the scary picture of a glowing (George Washington?) man is still on the wall.
In addition to the awesome candy section, you can make you own sundae. Big deal you say! Lots of places do it. Now, this is different and I'll tell you why, THIS is what makes Putnam Pantry so special since its inception in 1699: the hot fudge stays hot fudgey even when you pour it on the cold ice cream. Yes. It pools to the bottom of your bowl in a delicious, warm, fudgey yet still somehow creamy masterpiece. Each bite is like going to heaven.
I reccomend my staple sundae: chocolate ice cream with oreos, chocolate jimmies, chocolate chips and LOTS of hot fudge. When you are halfway done with the sundae, go back for more hot fudge. I am now salivating. -
Review from Liz P.
Worcester, MA
12/15/2007
Diabetic Bomb Sundaes!
Dad used to bring me and my best pal Sarah here for an overindulgence in sugar. Dad loves ice cream. I inherited Dad's ice cream gene. Which is why like an alcoholic, I no longer touch the stuff.
Back in the day, Putnam Pantry was a dream. A real life Willy Wonka experience. Nothing like lining up at their famous Ice Cream Smoragasboard (heck, they trademarked the term) and piling on the toppings.
Sarah used to pile every single topping on of which I think there are 15 or so. I'm sure it had something to do with the fact her hippie parents didn't believe in sugar and thought brewer's yeast on popcorn was an adequate replacement for butter. I was slightly more restrained. If memory serves me correctly, it was vanilla ice cream, chocolate fudge, butterscotch, cherries, nuts, a touch of coconut and whipped cream piled to the sky.
It's time for a field trip with the niece and nephew. On second thought I'll have the brother take them. He can eat ice cream. -
Review from Kate G.
Burlington, MA
10/13/2009
Okay Okay so it's as old as Rt 1 is but if you grew up in this area you have to know this place. This WAS the place to go when we were younger and where a lot of childhood memories were made. It's a North Shore thing I guess.
The ice cream itself is delicious, the staff is always friendly but the place is small, parking is minimal, and the price is a bit high.
With the accessibility to places like Dairy Queen and almost every fast food joint having dessert offerings the place isn't that busy anymore but still if you want a relaxing ice cream sundae experience this is definitely the place to go. -
Review from Masha G.
Boston, MA
9/7/2009
This is the most underwhelming ice cream experience in the Boston area. You pay for a certain amount of (pretty decent) ice cream, and then you go through their "sundae bar", which has about five toppings and three sauces. I was expecting something way more awesome given all of the ecstatic reviews.
The topping are pretty unexciting things like walnuts, coconut, jimmies, etc. No candy toppings, nothing exotic, no fruit besides canned strawberries and pineapple. The sauces (I had butterscotch) are pretty tasty, but nothing to write home about.
The candy store itself is pretty average, includes an amusing selection of novelty candy, and a large amount of overpriced chocolates, as well as some creepy old-timey greeting cards.
Bottom line: are you out in Danvers already? If so, then go to Putnam Pantry for ice cream. If you're not in Danvers, find your nearest JP Licks, the ice cream will be way better. -
Review from Danielle F.
Salem, MA
8/12/2005
Where else can you make your own sundaes at the sundae bar! They have at least 12 different toppings, fudge, butterscotch, marshmallow, nuts, etc. They also have a huge selection of homemade candies. Fun place to go for kids as well as adults!
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Review from michelle d.
Danvers, MA
6/12/2010
As someone who grew up on the north shore Putnam pantry is a summer time tradition that I am determined to keep up with my son! This old historical house has an ice cream bar so you can make your own sunday! The ice cream is nothing special but the few toppings they have are fun to mix together! They don't have anything exotic... Think hot fudge,marshmallow,strawberries... But the sizes are larger than you would think. The downfall is they fill the cups to the top with the ice cream so it is hard to add the toppings.They have a huge selection of candy but it is WAY over priced, it's distracting to have to drag a child past all the candy to get to the ice cream... Great business planning pantry workers! Over all this is a good spot for a hot summers night snack!
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Review from Vicki S.
Danvers, MA
1/6/2009
I have never had the candy here, but I love the ice cream smorgasbord! I'll admit the ice cream is not as good as other ice cream stands in the area; however the whipped cream is to die for! I love being able to make my own sundae exactly how I like it.
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Review from Dale S.
Everett, MA
5/12/2006
How can you not love this place? It's a diabetics worse nightmare! Make your own sundaes with yummy home made ice cream and a ton of rich, creamy toppings. I'm drooling just thinking about it. When you're done eating, there is a cute gift shop filled with homemade fudge and other chocolaty treats. Sure, it's on the expensive side, but it's great quality and really worth the trip alllll the way up Route 1.
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Review from Leif H.
Rochester, NY
8/20/2005
The only place to go for a Sunday on the North Shore where you can do all of your own classic original toppings. Hot fudge, marshmellow, cherry caramel, penuchi(sp) and numerous other made the right way toppings.
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Review from Lindsey R.
Salem, MA
2/25/2008
I've only been here once, but this was a very quaint little candy shop with an great ice cream sundae bar. I was so tempted to try everything however, that I completely overdid what started out as just a mint chocolate chip sundae and I threw all kinds of toppings on that did not work well with the ice cream flavor, so be careful not to put too many things on just because of the huge selection! I liked the old fashioned look of the place, but I think they should have some music, at least classical playing. When my boyfriend and I went, we were the only people in there and it was painfully quiet. Besides that, I loved it and it is a great place to take kids.
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Review from Taylor S.
San Jose, CA
6/17/2009
I used to go here all the time when I was a kid. The ice cream flavors were sparse, but the fun part was loading up dish with a ton of toppings, so you never really noticed the lack of variety of the icecream itself. I'm glad to hear its still around.
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Review from Heidi M.
Pembroke, MA
8/31/2005
A great place to go for ice cream and candy. You can make your own sundaes here which every one loves to do. The interior is designed like an old ice cream parlor. A landmark to the area!
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Review from Elaine C.
Danvers, MA
9/6/2006
This place is an institution. It is a unique experience that you won't find anywhere else around here. You go to the register and tell them what size sundae you want to create and what flavor ice cream. Then you proceed down the row of toppings adding as much as you can possibly fit over your ice cream. They only give you little paper plates to catch the overflow so pick wisely. They have chocolate sauce, hot fudge, caramel, strawberries, marshmallow cream, real whipped cream, sprinkles, nuts, cherries, cookie crumbles, etc. If you bring a child with you, make sure that you get a small because your kid will not be able to finish his/hers. Also, make sure that they don't put really disgusting mixtures on their ice cream or it will be rendered inedible. On Halloween evening, if you get a pass beforehand, you will get a free sundae if you come in costume. You can also have kids' birthday parties here. They also have a large candy section where they sell all kinds of candy and chocolates.
Listed in: North of Boston Ice Cream…
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Review from Topher D.
Salem, MA
3/22/2009
mix an historical building with some of the best ice cream around, and you have putnam pantry.... I love the ice cream "bar" and I'm not usually a big fan of ice cream, so its totally worth it - prices are good as well - the candy shop has the old colonial feel which is very cool too - do watch your head going to the restroom as it gets tight, but besides that, its awesome
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Review from Joseph T.
Saugus, MA
4/12/2010
This place takes me back to my childhood. Want great candy... this is the place. On-premises freshness is evident. The ice cream bar with the do-it-yourself toppings is great with plenty of toppings to choose!
