The Bergen County ice cream institution opened March 7, marking the unofficial start of spring for Ridgewood residents.
Spring doesn’t officially begin when the calendar says so in Ridgewood. It begins when the “Closed for the Season” sign comes down at 145 Ackerman Avenue.
Van Dyk’s Ice Cream opened its doors for the 2026 season on Saturday, March 7th, and if you haven’t already made the pilgrimage, consider this your reminder that the rest of Bergen County has a head start on you.
A Bergen County Ice Cream Institution
For the uninitiated: Van Dyk’s is not merely an ice cream shop. It is a 40-plus-year institution that has earned its place on basically every “Best of New Jersey” list worth publishing. The line that regularly snakes down the block on a warm evening is not a fluke—it’s decades of earned loyalty playing out in real time.
What keeps people coming back is a combination of old-school craft and a flavor roster that goes well beyond the basics. Yes, there’s vanilla. Yes, there’s chocolate. But there’s also Vanilla Peanut Butter Swirl, Cotton Candy, and Cake Batter, alongside seasonal offerings that give regulars a reason to show up more than once. Everything is made in-house, with that dense, rich texture that soft-serve and chain shops simply cannot replicate.
Opening Day Signals the Start of Spring in Ridgewood
For generations of Ridgewood residents, a trip to Van Dyk’s has functioned as a rite of passage—post-game celebrations, first dates, end-of-school rituals. The shop typically runs from early March through late November, which means that opening day isn’t just a business milestone. It’s a community one.
The shop is open now. The waffle cones are ready. It may not officially be spring (especially with the flurries this week), but it’s a start.
Van Dyk’s Ice Cream, 145 Ackerman Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.