Montauk Ice Brings in a Taste of Italy

Montauk residents and visitors have a new way to keep cool with a sweet treat.

Since it’s opening last week, Joe Tranchina's Montauk Ice Company truck has been sitting in the town parking lot, just past Puff N’ Putt, seven days a week, serving up Italian ice.

All of the 23 flavors are homemade in Brooklyn, with the exception of two specialty varieties from L&B Spumoni Gardens— a famous Italian restaurant in Brooklyn. Popular flavors include Peanut Butter Cappucino Crunch and Spumino’s self titled spumino— a combination of pistachio, chocolate and cremelata. His newest flavor, Birthday Cake, will premier in time for the July 4th holiday. 

Tranchina, a Staten Island native, has spent summers in Montauk for the last 19 years, since he was four years old. Having graduated from Fairfield University with a major in finance in May, Tranchina was motivated to start his food truck because of passion for the service industry and the intimidating job market.

In his final summer internship before his senior year, Tranchina worked for Merrill Lynch, but found himself more drawn to direct interaction with people. Seeking a job that would allow him to spend the full summer in Montauk, he noticed that while there were plenty of ice cream shops, no one was selling Italian ices. “These aren’t your typical Italian ices,” he said. “They’re thicker and more flavorful.”

“I thought I’d bring out a great Italian ice to Montauk and see what they think,” Tranchina said. 

Free samples are available of all his flavors.

Tranchina thinks he probably has the most affordable scoops in town: $3 for a small; $4 for a medium; $5 for a large; $7 for a pint and $11 for a quart.

Though business has been slow in his first week, Tranchina hopes the Fourth of July weekend will bring more customers. If his first season is successful, he hopes to expand the Montauk Ice Company to East Hampton and Amagansett next year.

The Montauk Ice truck is almost always at its signature location, on weekdays from from noon to 9 p.m., and up until 10:30 p.m. on the weekends. 

You can also find Montauk Ice Company on Twitter @MontaukIceCo.