New York · italian ice
The Lemon Ice King of Corona
The plainest available answer to what New York's own frozen-dessert tradition looks like: Sicilian granita, carried into a Corona garage in 1944, churned small-batch into something creamier without a drop of dairy in it. Thirty-two flavours, never mixed, under the hand-painted sign of the owner before last. Eighty years and it has never opened a second shop.
What to order
Lemon — the shop is named for it, and it is still the owner's own answer.
What we know
- Founded in a Corona garage in 1944 by Nicola Benfaremo; the 108th Street storefront has served year-round since 1964
- Small-batch churned throughout the freezing process, which is what makes an Italian ice creamier than the granita it descends from
- No dairy in any of it — the ices are made with real fruit and are creamy without milk
- Thirty-two flavours, none of which may be mixed, under a hand-painted sign left by the previous owner
- Peter Benfaremo sold it to two men he chose himself rather than to a buyer, and both still run it
- Cash only, one storefront, no second location in eighty years
- Status
- open
- Address
- 52-02 108th Street, Corona, Queens, New York
- Maker
- Mike Zampino and Vincent Barbaccia, who bought it from Peter Benfaremo
- Opened
- 1944
- Last checked
- 2026-08-21
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