Ralph's Famous Italian Ices

Ralph's Famous Italian Ices is an American frozen-dessert brand that traces its origins to 1928, when a young Italian immigrant named Ralph Silvestro began making lemon and orange ices by hand in his Staten Island garage and selling them from a truck. That garage-born, truck-delivered beginning grew into a family business that has now passed through four generations of the Silvestro family, with grandsons Larry, John and Mike carrying the tradition forward. The brand's identity is built on the Italian granita tradition: light, dairy-free water ices, sherbets (also called creme ice, containing 1–2% dairy), and a rich ice cream line, all made in small batches with what the company describes as premium, carefully sourced ingredients and "zero shortcuts." The product range is broad. The core water ices are fat-free in most flavors and dairy-free, while the sherbet/creme ice line adds a touch of dairy for a creamier texture. The ice cream side of the menu includes layered, indulgent flavors such as vanilla ice cream with cinnamon apples, Ghirardelli caramel and graham crackers; banana cream pie; cake batter with frosting swirls and rainbow sprinkles; black cherry cheesecake; cannoli; and a soft-serve sundae built with David's Cookies edible birthday cake cookie dough and M&M's. In total the brand advertises more than 150 flavors, and it has extended into merchandise — tees, crews and hoodies — sold through its website. Ralph's operates as a neighborhood-focused chain, describing itself as a local landmark wherever it opens. Its footprint is concentrated in the New York metropolitan area and nearby states: New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, with nearly 90 locations as of the brand's own history page. The company remains privately held and family-owned, with no public listing. Its marketing leans on nostalgia and tradition — "The Sweetest Tradition," "A Family Recipe. Since 1928," and the promise of happiness in every scoop — positioning the brand as a multigenerational, community-rooted alternative to large national ice cream chains. As it approaches its centennial, Ralph's continues to expand its store count and product line while keeping the founding recipe and family ownership at the center of its story.

Ralph's Famous Italian Ices began in 1928, when Ralph Silvestro, a young Italian immigrant, arrived in the United States with little more than the clothes on his back and a recipe in his memory. He had grown up with the cool, crystalline sweetness of Italian ice — a tradition rooted in Italian granita — and believed Staten Island deserved to taste it. With no storefront and no fanfare, he made lemon and orange ices by hand in his garage, loaded them onto a truck, and drove through the neighborhoods. Children ran to the curb and families lined up in the heat, and word spread one happy spoonful at a time. The business remained a truck-based operation for two decades. In 1949 the first storefront opened, giving the growing following a fixed home. In 1966 the second generation of the Silvestro family took over the business, and in 1989 the third generation assumed leadership. Grandsons Larry, John and Mike have spoken of carrying on their grandfather's tradition into a third generation as an honor. A major expansion phase began in 2001, when the brand started widening its footprint beyond its original neighborhood. By the time the company approached its centennial, it operated nearly 90 locations across New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, and its history page notes the milestone of celebrating 98 years in 2026. Throughout this growth, the company has maintained that every batch is still made with the same love and the same standard Ralph set in 1928 — "unchanged, uncompromised, unwavering." The brand's product line evolved alongside its store count. What began as lemon and orange water ices expanded into a menu of more than 150 flavors spanning dairy-free water ices, sherbets (creme ice) with 1–2% dairy, and a full ice cream range including layered and novelty flavors. The company also moved into branded merchandise, selling tees, crews and hoodies through its website. Family ownership has remained constant across four generations, and the brand continues to position itself as a local landmark and a multigenerational community tradition rather than a faceless national chain.

• 2026

  Celebrating 98 years, with nearly 90 locations across NY, NJ and CT.

• 2001

  The expansion begins, widening the brand's footprint.

• 1989

  Third generation takes over.

• 1966

  Second generation of the Silvestro family takes over the business.

• 1949

  First storefront opens.

• 1928

  Ralph Silvestro begins making lemon and orange ices by hand in his Staten Island garage and selling them from a truck.

Family-owned, heritage-driven neighborhood Italian ice and ice cream brand emphasizing small-batch quality, tradition since 1928, and community presence.

• Water Ices

  Light, refreshing, dairy-free Italian ices; most flavors are fat free.

• Sherbets / Creme Ice

  Contain 1–2% dairy for a creamier texture, made with signature premium ingredients.

• Ice Cream

  Rich, creamy ice cream line with layered and novelty flavors.

• Banana Cream Pie Ice

  Creamy banana ice with crunchy graham pieces and sweet graham swirls.

• Cannoli Ice

  Sweet cannoli flavor layered with chocolate chips and crunchy cannoli pastry shell pieces.

• Black Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream

  Sweet black cherry and rich cheesecake pieces folded into creamy cheesecake flavor.

• Merchandise

  Ralph's tees, crews and hoodies sold online.

1. 1Ralph's Famous Italian Ices | Long Island, NJ & Staten Islandralphsices.com
2. 2Flavor Menu & Products | Ralph's Famous Italian Icesralphsices.com
3. 3Our Story & History | Ralph's Famous Italian Icesralphsices.com
4. 4Flavor Menu & Products (Sherbet) | Ralph's Famous Italian Icesralphsices.com