Best Place for Ice Cream in Wakefield: Meletharb

The place most Wakefield residents go to get an ice cream cone is , 

Out of 86 votes in our poll, Meletharb needed 49 or 56 percent of the votes.

The Winner
Meletharb is a small, family owned company located at 393 Lowell Street in Wakefield. The ice cream shop, which has been in business for 36 years, makes all its own ice cream, and boasts 27 "basic flavors" - which are anything but basic: Baklava, anyone? - and 40 other occasional or seasonal flavors. They also offer soft serve ice cream, frozen yogurt, and frappes. 

Owner Don Barthelemy said what keeps people coming back over the years is not just that the ice cream is homemade, but that it's made fresh with high-quality ingredients like real whipped cream and real fudge.

"We use the best ingredients and make it in small batches, so sometimes a new batch is gone in just a couple of days," he said.

Barthelemy said his father, Bart, opened the business after working for Brigham's for a few years after his retirement from the military. He and his father opened the business in 1976.  

"I've got people coming in that were coming in when they were babies, and now they have kids of their own," he said. "It's a special thing when you become part of the community and part of the neighborhood, and you get to know all the families."

Reader Chris Carino said Meletharb is an amazing local establishment.

"The ice cream is home-made and unique and different flavors are often found on the menu," he said. "Try the Oreo Cookie and you will know this is home made, one-of-a-kind, and made with love."

And as for the original-sounding name? It's "sort of Barthelemy backwards," said Barthelemy. 

Runners Up
Cravings, another small locally owned ice cream shop finished second with 37 votes. 

Thanks to all the readers who weighed in this week!