Philadelphia has a number of companies and institutions that originated in the city, and that includes the oldest ice cream company in America, writes Joe Hoeffner for The Takeout.
That ice cream company is Bassetts Ice Cream, which has its only physical location inside Reading Terminal Market.
Established in 1861, Bassetts was founded by a Quaker named Lewis Dubois Bassett, who first started making ice cream with a churn powered by his mule.
While some of his first flavors — like green tomato ice cream — weren’t very popular, he gained enough support to keep the company alive.
In 1892 when Reading Terminal Market first opened, Bassett moved from Trenton, New Jersey, to Philadelphia.
Fast forward to today and Bassetts remains the only original merchant to still have a space at Reading Terminal Market.
The company is known for offering Philadelphia-style ice cream, which doesn’t use eggs, giving it a more fluffy, airy, and sweet taste.
Flavors range from the typical chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry, to more unique ones like cinnamon, mango, or matcha green tea.
Read more about the 100-plus year-history of the Philadelphia-based ice cream company that holds the distinction of being America’s oldest at The Takeout.
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Editor’s Note: This post first appeared on PHILADELPHIA Today in January 2026.
