An Iconic Maine Soft Serve Ice Cream Shop Named Amongst 40 Best in Nation

Maine's affinity with ice cream is well-known. During the warmer months, seasonal ice cream shops open their doors and windows to enthusiastic guests. Lines can be long, but the payoff is worth it when you've got a delicious cone or sundae in your hand.

There's a handful of ice cream shops in Maine that stand out a little more than the rest. One of those is Red's Dairy Freeze in South Portland, which was just named one of the 40 best soft serve ice cream shops in America.

Red's Dairy Freeze (not to be confused with Red's Eats) was given kudos for the consistency in their soft serve. They've been serving up the traditional vanilla and chocolate for years, but have recently mixed in newer flavors like salted caramel, sour watermelon, and ever-popular peanut butter.

Red's Dairy Freeze was also given a tip of the cap for the care they put into their nor'easters. Named after a powerful storm, a nor'easter is Red's take on a blizzard you'd find at Dairy Queen, except with a little more candy and the soft serve of your choice.

But perhaps it was the item you won't find on Red's regular menu that put them amongst the elite nationwide. That secret menu item is known as a 'Boston shake'. The Boston shake is a combination of a malt or a milkshake with a hot fudge sundae slapped right on top of it. Variations have been the name of the game for years. Take your delicious milkshake and top it with a hot fudge sundae featuring one of Red's other soft serve flavors.