If you’re looking for that small, quaint, authentic, great place known only to neighborhood regulars in New York City, most likely you are not going to find it. The nature of communication as well as print and electronic media makes it nearly certain that such a place would be discovered quickly both by patrons. And, savvy owners/management will learn all too quickly about the value of buzz and will market and promote it to near death. Or at least develop an attitude and arrogance, fueled by the lines to get in.

This is the unfortunate reality. Nonetheless, I, like many, do seek out the “secret” New York and the special places that may have at least some of the old world charm that many of us love. Places at least not overrun by tourists. Admittedly, most of these quests are driven more by nostalgia and the belief that things were Better When.
In a world of instant gratification and a city of endless eateries, snacking on the go, particularly ice cream, has become the norm. There are numerous high-quality artisanal makers of ice cream in New York City, many of whom I have written about – Cones, Van Leeuwen Ice Cream Truck, Amorino, etc. Most business is takeout or from trucks.

Old-fashioned ice cream parlors are another matter altogether. Here, a number of factors conspire against their survival – trends, competition, a more mobile populace, escalating rents and costs, and high-quality packaged products available at stores everywhere.

Most searches to find old and authentic business establishments will take you out of Manhattan into the outer boroughs. A recent journey to Brooklyn for a birthday celebration led me to search for an after-dinner dessert place. Ironically, unbeknownst to me or my dinner companions, the place I located online, Anopoli Ice Cream Parlor and Family Restaurant at 6290 Third Avenue, turned out to be the very same place they had frequented 40 years before, around the corner from where they had lived in Bay Ridge. It was quite the walk down Memory Lane for them – I love expeditions with NYC natives to the places of their youth. It’s a window to a world gone by.

Anopoli was not just a restaurant or cafe, it was an old-fashioned ice cream parlor, which suited all of us quite fine – after all, who does not like ice cream? Searching for an old-fashioned ice cream parlor in New York City is nearly an exercise in futility – nearly all have disappeared. Only a handful survive in all five boroughs (including Eddie’s in Forest Hills, Queens), and this is one of them.

As a topping, the owner, Manny, was on hand. Manny Saviolakis took over the place with his father Steve in 1995. Anopoli celebrates 115 years in business in 2012 – the business still has some elements of the original decor. Anopoli has not succumbed to the ill effects of being a living legend or enjoying iconic status. The atmosphere is decidedly casual and old-school. The prices and portion sizes are a great value, particularly by Manhattan standards. The service was good, and we were not rushed – unlike a trendy place, where one feels a tremendous pressure to vacate and make room for the masses of patrons waiting to get in. Here, I chatted with Manny and our waitress, who was a family friend.

It was a very pleasant way to spend an evening. Everywhere you looked, whether frozen, whipped, or as wall decor, There Was Cream 🙂

Related Posts: When Your Name is Mud, il Laboratorio del Gelato