Peterson’s Ice Cream Depot in Clifton, Virginia

Tucked back between the shops and restaurants of Clifton’s Main Street, we found a hidden gem: Peterson’s Ice Cream Depot!

About Clifton

Clifton is a sleepy little village nestled in the woods of Fairfax County, Virginia. I’ve been here a few times and I’d describe it as a Norman Rockwell painting of Stars Hollow. There’s also a trickle of traffic steadily passing through. Occasionally a passing train adds to the din, then disappears just as quickly.

Several shops line Clifton’s Main Street, including home goods shops, antique shops, pizzerias, and cafés. Most are in converted houses that are a couple centuries old. Residences are intermixed with the shops and often it’s hard to tell the difference! We explored them all.

Afterward, we headed down Main Street toward Peterson’s Ice Cream Depot.

Peterson’s Ice Cream Depot

We wouldn’t have been able to find Peterson’s Ice Cream Depot without the sign on Main Street. The adorable little engine car is the only indication that the shop exists on the opposite side of the block.

We followed a fence line until we found the restaurant. The seating area is completely outdoors and well shaded. Large, long tables line the majority of the dining area. Shorter tables that seat fewer people can be found to the side.

The depot walls are covered in menus detailing the food items, combos, and ice cream specialties. We thought that’s all they had to offer, but then we moved farther down and found the featured flavors closer to the ordering window. At any given time, Peterson’s offers a dozen flavors of homemade, hand-scooped ice cream.

Our Lunch

We ordered the Peterson’s Classic Platter, then we grabbed a seat by the window to wait. The Peterson’s Classic is a hot dog with chili, mustard, cheese, and onions, plus a pickle and ruffled potato chips on the side. We also ordered sodas, which were sold in cans, and a side of fries.

When it arrived, we were a bit shocked. The hot dog was huge! It was also cooked well and served on a toasted bun, the kind with corn meal bits on the bottom.

The fries were clearly cut in-house. They were thick, well seasoned, and still had their skins. We’d had our choice of several seasonings and we went with the classic garlic.

Our Dessert

We ordered a milkshake and a scoop of handmade ice cream, hoping this would give us a fair sampling of what the Depot had to offer. I’d originally had my eye on a Smoosh (a sandwich made of cookies and soft serve), but I was too full after lunch!

Both were delicious. The mango milkshake was no slouch, but the hand-scooped cup was better. It was smooth and creamy with good flavor, lots of chocolate bits, and no iciness.

We’ll definitely return for another visit!

Plan Your Visit

Peterson’s Ice Cream Depot
7150 Main Street
Clifton, Virginia 20124
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