Every town has its favorite ice cream place, and Lib’s Dairy Treats is the go-to spot for residents of Portland’s North Deering neighborhood. A North Deering resident myself, I’ve been satisfying my sweet tooth at Lib’s, as locals call it, since before I was born – literally (my mom craved their vanilla milkshakes when she was pregnant).
A family owned and operated business since 1969, Lib’s specializes in soft-serve ice cream. If you’re hoping for hard-serve, go elsewhere because Lib’s doesn’t have it.
Previously a Dairy Queen in the 1960s (a small cone cost 5 cents!), one of Lib’s’ standby menu items is perhaps not so coincidental; “Arctic Blasts,” as they’re called at Lib’s, would be more recognizable by the name “Blizzards.” You won’t find Guardians of the Galaxy limited edition mixes but a list of classics ranging from chocolate chip cookie dough and M&M’S® to my personal favorite, rocky road.
Lib’s always features vanilla and chocolate, and twist, on their whiteboard menu but rotates select flavors such as black raspberry and peanut butter according to popularity and the season. They usually have a fruit whip too.
If you’re in North Deering, I recommend walking to Lib’s with your family or friends (you’ll thank yourself for the exercise after an indulgence). Otherwise, feel free to drive because there’s ample parking space even on busy, hot summer days.
Bring your dog too! Lib’s bakes their own dog treats to accompany kiddie bowls of vanilla ice cream – “doggy dishes,” so no member of the family is forgotten.
A seasonal location like many ice cream places in Maine (our winters don’t encourage much frozen food consumption), Lib’s opens in early spring and closes in early fall. I count down the days until opening from about February and load up on freezer-friendly “Buddy Bars” before closing to carry me through the remaining year.
Not located in the touristy Old Port, Lib’s is truly a local gem worth visiting for the best soft-serve in the city, if not the state.
