Incredible selection. Their fresh made food is great too. 😊

This place is like a hidden gem! I swear they have the best ice cream ever!! You can pick whatever ice cream flavor you want and they serve it to you in this cute ice cream dish. Then the best part is going through the buffet of toppings and loading up your ice cream with whatever you want! Great family place! Great customer service! 10/10

Old fashioned smorgasbord of ice cream. Friendly staff and a clean candy store. Worth the trip.

The Mayflower sandwich was one of the best sandwiches I have ever had ! Packed with layers of turkey, stuffing, and cranberry. Absolutely delicious and it also comes with a side and pickle. Excellent quality for an affordable price.

We came here every year as a kid to celebrate my cousins birthday. It was such a delight to introduce it to my child. The ice cream bar is still delicious! The homemade chocolates are super, super tasty. And they have added sandwiches which are sooooo good! This is a must stop if you are in the North Shore area!

First time there and it was a birthday party for one of my daughters classmates. Given the space and location, they do with what they have. Again, not bad for a first experience

Great place for lunch. Sandwiches made fresh when you order and the choices of sides are all delicious. Of course everyone comes here for the ice cream and candy shops. I noticed the Ice cream toppings bar is open again (closed during covid). You order the ice cream and bring your dish over to put your own favorite toppings on. Large variety of chocolates and other candies also made on premises. Something for everyone!

Always fun to come here and they have super cute Halloween candy right now ❤️

This was a cool spot for ice cream. To be honest it doesn’t look like an ice cream place from the outside or when you walk as your basically looking at a lot of candy & other treats. It was my first time here & I actually enjoyed it. Lots of options to choose from whether your having a birthday party or just a small get together this place has a lot of options. The ice cream bar was great as you get to pick your own toppings without having to have someone give you an exact portion. Overall service was great & friendly & the outdoor patio as well was nice.

We stopped in for food to take with us as we drove north on our vacation.Oof...All three of us ordered sandwiches and all three sandwiches were swimming in mayonnaise/dressing. Maybe it is a New England thing, but we enjoy some meat and cheese with our condiments. The bread was quite literally soggy. Everything went into the bin at our first rest stop.

We love going there. Ice cream was delicious topped off with self serve fruits, nuts and other toppings. And of course had to get some chocolates to take home.

That place hasnt changed a bit in decades. Still a great old fashioned ice cream shop and the candy store is outrageous. The best you will find on the north shore. Def one of the old gems that are still around since our childhood.

Very cute place! Just wished they cafe part stayed open later! Cheap and very affordable for a family!

So happy they have dairy free so I can partake of most of the toppings

Always wonderful - have been going since I was little, now bring my daughter. Attended I’ve cream for breakfast event- so great didn’t even mind the wait 😍

Unfortunately the sundae bar was a disappointing for my daughter and I. They give you the smallest dish to control the amount of use with the toppings 😔 It has a nice little candy store. If they ever get bigger dishes , We are in there !! The whip cream is delicious thoooo

The candy is excellent, I was able to get chocolate coins VERY close to St. Patricks day. This place is a classic north shore establishment and its very hard (for me) to not walk out with more then I planned. The staff is also very helpful and if you cant find something theyll find it, and in some cases make more just for you.

Greatest ice cream and candy experience around. Make your own sundae then explore the amazing selection of chocolates.

Best Candy Store Ever! Best Ice Cream Toppings! Me Went Ham On Toppings On Mocha Chip Sundae! There Was Cafe Too With Regular Food But Me Focused On The Candy. Now Here In Detail Is All The Candy Me Getted Today.1 Small Mocha Chip Ice Cream Sundae With Hot Fudge, Penuche, Whipped Cream, Coconut Shavings, & Macaron Crunch1 Lion Stuffed Animal (Birthday Present For Daddy Birthday In 3 Days)Cotton Candy TubWubba Bubba Bubble Gum TapeApplehead PackCandy NecklaceMini Chocolate RoseCharleston ChewCherry Crystal Rock CandyGold Mine Nuggets4 Packs Of Candy Cigarettes (Brands: Victory, Lucky Lights, Target, & Stallion)23 Honey Sticks (All Diffrent Kinds Of Flavors)Me Haven’t Eated Any Candy Yet! Me Sharing This With Brubby & Sissy!

Superb customer service! This incredible place took a telephone order from us for chocolates for a relative in a nearby rehab facility. The wonderful woman who helped us said she would wrap it pretty and deliver it for us as it was on her way home. What kindness!

Ice cream was amazing. Good atmosphere. Loads of candy to choose from.

Delicious cafe! Great sandwiches. Obviously their candy is to die for, and the ice cream buffet is a classic. Great place that puts time and care into their store, food, ambiance, and overall experience. Very friendly.

My favorite ice cream and chocolate store in Massachusetts. The ice cream is fresh and so clean and good. The options on the sundae buffet bar are the best. Fudge, butterscotch, penuche, marshmallow, whipped cream, strawberries, pineapple, Jimmies, Oreos, buttercrunch, butterfingers, peanuts, coconut..... yum-yum

Amazing candy, out of this world food and an ice cream thats like none other. Coming here is like taking a step back in time, awesome old world ambiance, real, home made confections and candies, putnam pantry cant be described as anything less than wicked amazing!!!

Started coming here as a kid for the ice cream and I love the dark chocolate sea salt caramels. Just tried the lunch too and it was very good! The staff is very nice too 😊

Friendly and courteous employees. Were not open for lunch, but great selection of delicious candy.

I recently met my sister and grandniece her for lunch! What a beautiful revival of a quaint ice cream parlor! The renovations are kept to period time with the original floorboards reconditioned and replaced with antique nails!Our lunches were perfect! Chicken salad on greens with tomatoes was fresh and just the right amount of mayo. The hummus veggie wrap was fresh as well, tightly wrapped making it enjoyable to eat. The grilled cheese was stuffed with plenty of cheese! The adults were full but my sisters granddaughter had the small sundae which was a very generous scoop of ice cream and assorted toppings! We had a great lunch out on the new patio. Definitely worth a trip back! Come see for yourself!

Fond memories of going with my family here on special days or occasions - the highlight is definitely the sundae bar with homemade whip cream!

Great sandwichIcecream was ok, but I wanted chocolate sauce which I couldnt because I didnt order a Sunday.Very cute eating decor, like an old time icecream shop.

Chocolate was good as expected. Cashews were too well done, tasted burnt and greasy. I should have brought them back

Not as good as I remembered as a child, food was good, but not as good as I remembered, prices were a bit excessive.

Chocolate Toasted Coconut Ice Cream......thats just fantastic! Had not been here since I was just a young lad I. The 70s but they are still gking strong offering up a multitude of sweets and ice cream with all the fixins....The only place I know that combines Toasted Coconut and Chocolate Ice cream. Brilliant.

My first visit.....certainly not the last! Lunch from the Cafe was excellent!

Always good chocolate.They even wrap all your little or big boxes of goodies so everything looks festival and pretty

Great candies and ice cream there assortments always make a great gift. They have smaller inexpensive assortments that are always a big hit when giving a gift card to somewhere

Amazing selection of sweeties and the staff was kind and attentive.

Absolutely the same as i remember as a kid. My kids brought me there for my 51st b-day. What a fun thing to do with the family..I was a little kid for 25 minutes that day.. Grateful its still open. Go see this landmark before it closes .Truly a New England gem..There burgers and other food is great too.. Its all about ice cream with a cherry on top.. Enjoy...Cheers.

What a great little shop! I say little but this place was huge with sections for all kinds of different things. I purchased a box of soft centers and some halloween things. Best Ive ever had, and Im a candy person. I could taste the separate ingredients and the candy as a whole. These werent made from a pre-made mix. Go to this place.

Great ice cream bar

First went there probably around 50yrs ago and it pretty much the same as it was.

Delicious sandwiches and an array of chocolates, candies, and gifts. A gem!

They have some of the best chocolates and truffles that are made on-prem. The ice cream is awesome as well! You will not be disappointed;)

It was great. You can go in and get a cone or cup. No need to make a whole sundae. They are also putting in a walk up window

Terrific choice of candies.

Childhood memories! Cathies Cafe inside was fantastic. Sandwiches were fresh, bread toasted perfectly. Had to have ice cream after and hot fudge is to die for. So many choices of flavors of ice cream and even more choices for toppings. Candy section as wonderful as always.

I loved it. Went around lunch time. Great atmosphere. We only got sandwiches, but they were excellent all around. There was also a baked items, breakfast sandwiches, candy and gifts section. Ill be going back to try some of the other stuff.

My first time ever going here despite living in the North Shore most of my life. Not outstanding overall but definitely above average. My son loved it and wanted one of everything (what toddler doesnt) which means well be back. I wouldnt go by myself but make my kid happy you made me happy.

What a FANTASTIC place to have a party! Regina was so amazingly accommodating, and she was super helpful during the actual party!! The prices are more than fair, and it really is a great venue for a kids party! Dont miss out, this is the place to go for birthday parties! Thank you Putnam!!

Some of the best ice cream!

Love this place. Candy store is great, too. Miss the buffet, hopefully it will be back some day.

Great place, nice people working there and lots of good candy! Ice cream is wonderful.

Very small take out cups

Sandwiches are great, Pastrami and chicken salad the best around. Service on point, very friendly. Lunch menu - I was like a kid in a candy store.

Great for a quick treat for the fam

Great lunch spot. Sandwiches, salads, baked goods! Of course ice cream all ways!

Im a bonafide senior citizen and I still have very fond memories of Putnam Pantry back in my day. Our son and daughter-in-law treated all four of us grandparents, our grandchildren, an uncle and a couple cousins to a visit back there this afternoon. Great! Beyond my expectations! To sum it all up, between the candy shop and the ice cream, my 7-year-old grandson, Rowan, remarked, This is the best place in the whole entire universe!. I, personally, enjoyed the penuche ice cream sauce. All in all, a great place to visit!

Went for icecream. Because of covid they put everything on your icecream for you. Wanted to try a mayflower sandwich and the said the cafe closes at 2. On the pamplet it says 4. No candy in display cases. Employees were not very cheerful.hate to say was disappointed 🙄

I actually visited this establishment for the first and last time today! First of all I ordered two sandwiches and was the only person in line after waiting in excess of 35 minutes for my sandwich I was told that first the grill sometimes needs to be cool down after it’s been heated up which made zero sense followed by it’s coming right up we’re just a little busy again and the only person waiting in that line to looking over and seeing my bag sitting there and again ask whats taking so long?? Finally get the sandwich 45 min later to find That the very grill they said I had to cool down must’ve been an icicle because my sandwich was. My suggestion to anyone going here to bring an overnight bag and definitely bring shaving cream and a razor because you will have a 4 o’clock shadow or a full beard before you get your sandwich

The houses were interesting and the guides were very knowledgeable. The gardens were very colorful. I liked that the old trees had metal plaques labeling the species of the tree. They even had an American elm tree, which is now very rare. The secret staircase was fun to go up. I want to read the book now.

With all the renovations they did, I thought the ice cream parlor section was renovated, but doesnt seem to be the case. Could just be personal preference but I never liked the ice cream setup before and still dont like it. Its kind of dark and its a very plain setup with minimal options. With places like Orange Leaf available, I thought they would start offering a similar variety and experience but this place is just ok.

A favorite place to bring the kids. We all love making our own sundaes and checking out the candy after. Lots of toppings and ice cream flavors to choose from.They have changed the look over the last few years and have done a great job.Always great service!

Ice cream for breakfast was wonderful! Well-organized, not a long wait, very friendly staff! As always, delicious ice cream and a great selection of toppings!

Great place for candies and their ice cream topping bar. They also have a party room that’s available to anyone when it’s not in use.Their chocolate and candy selection is the best around.The worst part is their location that’s only available only off of Route 1 North and if you miss it you’re looping around. Be careful of the parking lot. Go slow pulling in and try to park near the back if you’re bringing little ones.

Great place to take the kids. Good ice cream that you can add your own toppings. They have lots of candies, chocolates and small toys they sell there. Fun place, lots of parking. Not expensive

Great Customer Service, Excellent Candy!

Went to get my wife some milk chocolates for her birthday that she loves. Always satisfying. Got an extra nice greeting from Regina. Shes always so bubbly and excited to see me. Shes a gem!

Had The Mayflower sandwich today for the first time...it was very very good! Turkey, stuffing, cranberry, cheese & mayo....will definitely be returning. Many more selections to choose from. Staff was very friendly & helpful.

We didnt realize there was a cafe here serving lunch - what a pleasant surprise! We went for the Mayflower turkey sandwich, the ham and cheese and grilled cheese. All came on deliciously toasted bread! As if that wasnt enough we stayed for sundaes and root beer floats. Highly recommended!

It was my first time, but it certainly wont be my last! Delicious sandwiches for lunch, the BEST ice cream bar, and more candy than you can imagine! The staff is sweet, friendly, and knowledgeable!

Wonderful stop. Delicious toppings to put on ice cream. Been around for forever and a great place to bring your family. Very cute set up and also works for birthday parties. Unique candies are available in the front portion for purchase as well.

Beautiful antique building, famous ice cream smorgasbord the same as it was when I was a child! They have a lunch cafe now too and make really good sandwiches. The service is top notch, and the homemade chocolates and candy are some of the best Ive ever had!

Brought a friend from out of state to buy handmade chocolates to bring home. Ive been going there my whole life for the ice cream smorgasbord and its just as I remember it. Beautiful handmade chocolates of every kind, all kinds of gift ideas. Now they have a cafe with homemade soups, sandwiches and baked goods. Delicious pastrami sandwich and the Thanksgiving sandwich was excellent! The minestrone soup was just meh though. All of the staff were pleasant and very accommodating and the place was spotless..including the bathrooms! Cant wait to dig into my chocolate!!!! 🤣💜

Great ice cream

I have been coming here since I was a child, and now I bring my son. We love to buy chocolates and go to the DIY ice cream sundae bar. The recent remodel based this place looking great.We had a birthday party here once and it went over tremendously!

Brings back good times and childhood memories! They always have my favorite kinds of goodies and the milk shakes are perfectly thick! I love being able to see the chocolate Making stations and always need to grab a grilled cheese from Cathies Cafe! Worth the drive from Reading

I had not been here for many years, but the delight was still the same. Delicious ice cream sundaes (you build your own from a large assortment of fresh fruit and toppings) and a quaint candy store with something for everyone. I think they even serve food there as well. I went for the ice cream !!

This place is iconic Ive been going there since I was a child theyre very good homemade candies the ice cream is average but all the different toppings on the ice cream bar are to dead for. I highly recommended if you have kids and you want to take them out for a treat.

Great place for ice cream and candy havent been in years and absolutely amazing and the create your own sundaes always fun and tasty

We had our daughter’s first birthday party at Putnam Pantry this past weekend. The planning process was simple and painless. They gave recommendations for food based on previous experience and assured me we would not be low on food. For what we did, we were able to offer food and trips to ice cream counter for under $500.We did the party as a 3 hour room rental for 30 people with catering by the cafe. We ordered sandwich wraps, salad, and were able to bring our own cake with permission. If you order the wrap platter, ask for more of the Thanksgiving wrap and veggie. Our guests LOVED them! The only ones we had left over were roast beef.We decided against the ice cream party option and I am glad we did. We ran an ice cream tab at the counter and our guests just had to put it on the room tab. I feel like this was better option because everyone who wanted ice cream was able to order what they wanted and some even got sundaes.The sunroom is definitely tight on space and I would say it works best for around 20ish guests with the amount of furniture and size of the room. We only had the birthday girl for children and I feel it wouldn’t work if there were more kids running around. We ended up rearranging the room to better serve our needs so guests weren’t shuffling around tables. There also was a small party of people in the room adjacent. We were nervous with volume but it was no issue once our guests started arriving..Only two cons—I wish there was a dedicated person available for the room for soda refills, chips, or packing up the leftovers. I had to go to the counter a few times to ask for things and felt like a bother. It was SO busy on Saturday and I could tell they were swamped with other customers.Many customers were actually annoyed we had reserved the room and made comments about how disappointed the room was closed within our earshot and even gave some of our guests dirty looks! I know Putnam advertises on FB a lot and it may be beneficial to announce the room is reserved for a private party to avoid frustration of some customers who check their page or on North Shore Eats.Overall it was a great BUDGET FRIENDLY experience for a small party and I would highly recommend it for a birthday party!

A kids dream with all the candy in this place. Grabbed some ice cream and was pleased with it. Ill come back here if Im ever in the area again.

Ok, great tasting sundea, something for every palette.

Back for first time in 45 years ! Great icecream and do it yourself sundae bar! Good selection of fresh candy

Still a great place almost exactly like it was 60 years ago. Very good I took my seven and 10 year old there yesterday, they loved putting their own toppings on of course! I used to visit the chocolate ladies downstairs dipping chocolates by hand, and making little Curly Qs on the top to identify what was inside the mysterious chocolate.

This place is heaven on Earth. If you like homemade confectionery this is your stop. Ive been going here since I was a kid and it hasnt changed its as good as it was when I was younger. Give it a try you wont regret it.

They have done some nice renovations so it feels more cozy now with outdoor seating and a wishing well. The ice cream is still very good and I always enjoy the free sundae toppings bar. The staff is always friendly and the guy who greeted us and took our order was absolutely adorable!

Excellent place on the North Shore for homemade candies and a great ice cream bar! All of the candies that I have had here have been delicious. The ice cream bar is great with all of the toppings you would want and you can pile on as many and as much as you want. The atmosphere is that of an old antique house with furniture of an old ice cream shop. There is plenty of parking and it is conveniently located right on Rt. 1 North. My only complaint and the reason for not getting the 5th star, they should just use Cherry Hill or Richardsons ice cream, their ice cream is not my favorite but it is just merely a delivery system for all of the great toppings.

This is the ice cream shop of my childhood! Great quality ice cream with a toppings bar that has some of the best. Fresh whipped cream is to DIE for! Make sure you have wet naps, because kids and adults will get sticky!!

Really good ice cream! Great for a group! The employees here are really nice and friendly.

Super cute store with lots of chocolates and candies. Ice cream topping bar is cool, but it was really messy with lots of spills and needed to be refilled. Made for a slightly unappealing experience but the ice cream was good.

Old fashioned ice cream shop with the works!,My husband and I were on vacation and we came across this gem. Excellent candy selection. Sundae bar to pick your toppings. You feel like a kid again! Lots of seats and parking.

Ice cream was delicious, but their advertising is misleading. The all you can eat ice cream is really 1-3 scoops with unlimited toppings. You can only go up for toppings once for health reasons. Worth a visit, but it is not what it says it is.

Old fashion ice cream and candy parlor. Make your own sundaes. Put as much fudge or caramel on as you want. Good toppings.

Stopped to get some chocolates, but there was no one there to help me. Walked around, picked up a few things, looked around, but there was no one in the gift shop, actually there was no one in sight. There was also an overwhelming smell of fishy and old frying oil that just turned me off.

This place is so much fun for the whole family. A little on the expensive side but the experience makes it worth. I recommend bringing children here, theyll have a ball doing their own ice cream.

Love the ice cream. Great old school ice cream.parlor feel. Highly recommend.

The best Ice cream and candy experience anywhere!

So many wonderful treats and desserts. You can also make your own sundaes! Great for hot summer days (you can sit indoors or outdoors) and if youre looking to get a gift of sweets for someone.

Old fashioned make your own ice cream Sunday is awesome! We love it just as much as the kids do!

Had to bring my daughter after having a nearby family event. I hadnt been there in 20+ yrs and it was close enough to how I remembered it to be an excellent time. Ill always remember the toppings bar and the fun it was to go with a child....and/or a sweets loving wife.

Not what i was expecting.We got a Jr battle of B.Hill but asked for separate bowls because im a little sick and the flu is fervent right now. We got little plates and not bowls which made it hard to get toppings and also makes the estavlishment seem cheap. The scoops were also very small for the price....Its just mediocre ice creamThe toppings arent candies like they have at the store, its just some nuts and sauces...Overall, nothing to write home about. We wont be back for icecream, id rather go to Richardsons farms, jordans or treadwells in peabody.