The Charmery Ice Cream Factory — Restaurant in Baltimore

So The Charmery deserves 5 stars for the simple fact that they offer a product that is undisguised and true to its foundational ingredients. There is a sense of raw integrity and confidence that is expressed through its simplicity. I sample ice creams all over the country, searching for excellence and prestige. To judge fairly I compare only vanilla as it is the most stable choice for comparison. On the surface vanilla is a calm facade of redundant simplicity, only to have an ocean of subtle complexity teeming in its depths. Where some parlors use tricks and space age innovations to acquire the coveted 5 star rating, the Charmery lends its success to fundamentals done right. No guar gummy air injected chemistry here, just proper ingredients, the right ratios, and a pursuit for quality. Their vanilla has a remarkable taste of nostalgia that doesn't necessarily stem from any fact but rather the taste conjures what you might wish to think good old fashioned ice cream used to taste like. The reality though is this is probably much better than anything that was actually made many years ago. But the idea that this is what it ought to have tasted like is a lofty compliment. The milk is of great quality, the butterfat ratio is very well chosen. The molecular crystal size is very small and there doesn't seem to be anything added to give a fraudulent sense of how smooth it is texturally. I'm not sure where they source the vanilla bean from but it has reasonably well rounded flavor and proportion. Now the next great thing about the charmery is that they are not scared of innovation when it comes to other flavors and to me that's really the biggest criteria on which I judge other flavors. The same back to basics quality of ingredients shines through in the other flavors but they really do try and offer experiences that you don't always find at other parlors. So it is for these well rounded and admirable reasons I give The Charmery 5 stars. And if you are serious about ice cream then you'll already know that cost is of little to no concern...

We had our sons 6th birthday party their this past weekend. What a fantastic place to have a party. The staff was very helpful in setting up the event. They were very patient with us despite us being very late in responding to emails.

The day of the party was great. They had a long table in the back with bleachers set aside and a side table for food. We were able to arrive 30 minutes before the party to decorate. The staff was very friendly and helped us with everything we needed.

The kids loved the party. They did a scavenger hunt around the place to get little trinkets for goodie bags. Then they did a craft where they made ice cream cone pictures. Finally was the tour. As others have said, walking through the freezer was the highlight of the tour.

Then it was ice cream time. Everyone got their own choice of flavor. And they brought all the bowls out to us, which was completely unexpected!

Parking at the place is tough as there is a small parking lot, and there are a bunch of popular businesses at the Union Collective. My only negative is they didn't have the flavor Ice Cream Sando. But I'll let them pass...

Do you like ice cream? If yes, read nothing else and just head here.

Are you adventurous in your frozen dessert choices? If yes read nothing else and just head here.

Are you particular about what you ingest and are you looking for vegan options? Well then you have also come to the correct location, as there is typically at least one if not more options to try out.

If you are still unsure, then might I suggest Maryland mud if you enjoy chocolate?

Might I suggest old bay caramel if you are from the proud State of Maryland?

Might I suggest Ice Cream Sando if you are like my spouse?

As for me, if it is experimental, I typically say yes let me try that one.

Some of my favorites have been from that category. Pausing to remember balsamic chocolate.. Others have been from the limited time category, including another favorite Coffee collaboration...