There is no ice cream parlor in the World’s Borough that serves sweet serotonin like Eddie’s Sweet Shop, a treasured neighborhood staple in Forest Hills. The renowned family-owned business spans three generations of hospitality, community and confectionery charm, delighting dessert enthusiasts in Queens and beyond.
For National Ice Cream Day, a holiday dedicated to America’s favorite frozen treat — this year on Sunday, July 20 — customers from far and wide descend on their favorite spot to indulge in delicious decadence. At this century-old eatery, their menu features a flavorsome roster of ice cream flavors, ice cream sodas, sundaes, milkshakes, floats and syrups.
Nestled in the corner of Metropolitan Avenue and 72nd Road, Eddie’s Sweet Shop preserves its twentieth-century origins — the storefront neon sign, marble countertop, swivel stools and tin ceiling are among its signature vintage markers. Originally founded in 1925 as Witt’s Ice Cream & Confectionery, Giuseppe Citrano purchased the space in 1968 and renamed it to Eddie’s Sweet Shop. The nostalgic ambiance has been one of its distinctive elements that draws customers in through the red-framed door.
Since then, Vito Citrano, the owner of Eddie’s Sweet Shop and grandson of Giuseppe Citrano, has committed to maintaining the traditional recipes and service in the modern era. Every scoop is handmade with natural ingredients and crafted with meticulous detail — two factors that descended the original ice cream shop into the food annals of Queens history.
“We really just source all the products, and we actually make almost everything from scratch,” Citrano shared on preparing the in-house desserts. “So, we get all the ingredients, and we put them all together.”
Discussing the famous whipped cream, Citrano assembles the “fresh, heavy cream” and hand-whips it into a velvety texture, with a dash of TLC (Tender Loving Care), until it thickens into “a beautiful bowl of whipped cream.” The topping is a must-have for ice cream fans of all ages.
Reflecting on the continued success of Eddie’s Sweet Shop, Citrano believes that maintaining high standards is one of the hallmarks that has appealed to customers far and wide.
“I go back to just serving the best quality we can make here, something that I’m going to be proud of before it actually [is served] to our customers,” Citrano shared. “It has to pass my quality, and the other tradition that we have here is [that] when you stay at Eddie’s, you are actually getting served [with] metal dishes [from] the 1920s.”
“We say, ‘come enjoy ice cream the way your grandparents did,’” Citrano continued.
Besides ice cream, Eddie’s Sweet Shop is revered for its homemade syrups, hot fudge sundaes and marshmallow toppings. With the exception of the Coca-Cola syrup, the medley of sweet syrups includes vanilla syrup, chocolate syrup, root beer syrup, coffee syrup, orange syrup and more.
When asked about plans for National Ice Cream Day, Citrano emphasized that the holiday is celebrated every day at their establishment.
“At Eddie’s, we say that every day is National Ice Cream Day here,” Citrano said. “So, we’re just going to open our doors like normal and welcome all our guests to come in and enjoy ice cream like every day.”
Citrano’s advice for up-and-coming dessert business owners is to bake the treats themselves. The shop owner notes that the homemade quality sets it apart from the sea of ice cream parlors, despite the time-consuming process.
“It’s so easy today to have ice cream. You don’t have to make it, and you can just buy it and people will still eat it,” Citrano said. “But if you really want to be proud of your product, you have to make it yourself.”
Citrano’s straightforward approach of inviting customers to enjoy ice cream is the key that makes Eddie’s Sweet Shop a timeless institution in Queens.
“We think everybody should at least have Eddie’s once in their lifetime,” Citrano shared.
For more information on Eddie’s Sweet Shop, visit their Instagram.
