Your Eyes Will Be Bigger Than Your Stomach At Toft Dairy, The Oldest Dairy In Ohio
By Sarah McCosham|Published April 28, 2023
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Sarah McCosham
Author
I write like it's my job - because it is! I have a Master's in English and love words: crossword puzzles, Scrabble games, Wordle, and, of course, good, old-fashioned books.
I'm a writer and editor at OnlyInYourState, and a contributing writer at Cincinnati Magazine. I love the Great Outdoors and am endlessly awestruck by this beautiful country of ours. Coffee keeps me going, yoga keeps me sane, my kids keep me grounded, and my writing keeps me inspired.
There’s nothing as wholesome and wonderful as a visit to your neighborhood ice cream shop. Ordering a cup of cold, creamy ice cream to enjoy with a spoon or atop a cone… this is a delightful experience to which we’ll always say “yes!” Especially if the invitation is to Toft Dairy, the oldest dairy in Ohio.
In 1900, Christopher and Matilda Toft began selling fresh dairy out of a horse-drawn wagon in Sandusky, Ohio. But it wasn't until 1935, when the couple purchased Oswald Dairy, that word of Toft Dairy began to spread throughout the region.
This led to the adoption of wholesale and retail routes which provided the foundation for business growth, which was vital to get Toft Dairy to where it is today: the oldest dairy in Ohio and a beloved local hub.
A place that's very proud of its history, you'll find reminders of the past all throughout the ice cream parlor, from murals depicting bucolic Buckeye State scenes to wooden benches relocated from the original Toft Dairy location on W Monroe St.
Of course, the key to this Ohio dairy's longstanding success is its product: fresh-churned ice cream made with locally sourced milk that's delivered daily and the highest quality ingredients... you really can taste a difference!
Toft Dairy has been at the Venice Road location since 1985; the facility is home to all production for the dairy's products as well as the eponymous Toft Dairy Ice Cream Parlor, which has become a must-visit destination and beloved landmark in the community.
At Toft Dairy Ice Cream Parlor, you'll find more than 50 flavors of ice cream and frozen yogurts, as well as a retail store for all of Toft’s dairy products.
In addition to classic flavors, Toft Dairy has some wholly unique varieties inspired by the Buckeye State, like this cobalt blue Lake Erie Cookie Island Monster, made with blue cake batter ice cream that's blended with cookie dough chunks, drops of chocolate chips, and chocolate cookies and cream. Yum!