Ralph's Famous Italian Ices in Franklin Square reopening in spring after fire
The Dubai Chocolate Sundae at Ralph’s Famous Italian Ices. Credit: Danielle Daly
A popular summer staple in Franklin Square has announced it will reopen next year after sitting out the 2026 season due to a devastating fire.
Ralph’s Famous Italian Ices, which has been rebuilding after a November fire, excited fans last weekend when it announced it will reopen in March, the traditional start of the season for the ice cream vendor.
Franklin Avenue is home to longtime community staples like Ralph's Italian Ices. Credit: Howard Simmons
The owners made the announcement on Instagram, saying they are rebuilding "with not only gratitude, but also with love and hope for the future."
"We continue to build back with pride for the community we love to serve for the last 28 years," the statement reads. "We are so disappointed that we could not make the rebuild for this season, but we will be back March 2027."
As of Monday morning, the post shared on Instagram had more than 2,800 likes and 80 comments.
A fire broke out last fall at 529 Franklin Ave. in Franklin Square, which houses 529 Bagels and Ralph’s Famous Italian Ices. Credit: Neil Miller
The fire broke out at the 529 Franklin Ave. building, which housed the Italian ice vendor and 529 Bagels store. The building was damaged so extensively that the single-floor, 50-by-50-foot structure was demolished, Newsday previously reported.
The owners of the business could not immediately be reached for comment.
Melissa Azofeifa is a restaurants reporter with Newsday's FeedMe team. Having grown up on Long Island, she loves talking about food and its impact on culture. A graduate of Stony Brook University, she joined Newsday in the fall of 2024.
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