Twin Swirls Ice Cream: Portland's Beloved Ice Cream Shop

Located on 865 Brighton Ave in Portland, ME, Twin Swirls Ice Cream is much more than your typical neighborhood ice cream shop — it’s a vibrant community hub that brings joy and exceptional quality together in every scoop. This queer-owned gem has quickly become a beloved fixture in the Capisic/Rosemont area, offering a sweet refuge for locals and visitors alike to indulge in handcrafted frozen delights.

What truly sets Twin Swirls apart is their commitment to quality and craft. Using a rich, high-butterfat mix and crafted with the help of a state-of-the-art, newly acquired machine, their soft serve is famously creamy and irresistibly smooth — never icy or cloyingly sweet. Fans like Joyce Heaton can’t get enough of the silky texture and nuanced flavors that make each bite an absolute pleasure.

Beyond soft serve, Twin Swirls boasts an impressive array of treats that elevate your ice cream experience. From overstuffed ice cream sandwiches made with locally made chocolate chip cookies to the massive “Capisic sundae” loaded with Peanut Butter Pie ice cream and chunks of peanut butter cups, every item showcases thoughtful ingredients and a passion for indulgence. Sophia Manuel raves about adventurous flavors like banana cream pie and pink peppermint, highlighting the shop’s commitment to seasonal and creative options that excite the palate.

What shines just as brightly as the flavors is the warm, welcoming atmosphere. Longtime neighborhood supporter Dan Abbott perfectly captures the spirit of Twin Swirls as a friendly gathering place where neighbors can bump into one another and share smiles alongside a perfectly crafted cone. The staff’s genuine kindness and enthusiasm make every visit special, whether you’re stopping by for a quick cone or settling in for a milkshake — and yes, they can turn practically any flavor into a silky milkshake creation, much to customer Siri’s delight.

Twin Swirls also goes the extra mile to reward its community. Portland Bike Benefits riders can enjoy an enticing deal: buy one item, get a small cone free, making it a great stop for cyclists and anyone eager for an affordable treat. Ethan’s praise for the family-run operation’s consistent excellence underscores the care and attention poured into every product and interaction here.

In essence, Twin Swirls Ice Cream is a dazzling example of how an ice cream shop can be so much more than just a place for dessert. It’s a vibrant destination where quality, creativity, and community converge — a spot where you can indulge your sweet tooth, discover new flavors, and connect with genuinely nice people. Whether you’re craving a classic cone or an inventive milkshake, Twin Swirls invites you to embrace the joy of real, honest ice cream in a genuinely welcoming space.

Takeaway
Delivery

Solo dining

Credit cards

Tanner Skilton

10/11/2025

This place is great! Queer Owned They’re on Portland Bike Benefits, buy one item, get a free Small Cone for free!! Great deals, nice folks.

Joyce Heaton

31/10/2025

I am addicted to Twin Swirl’s soft serve! It is delicious. I asked them why it was so good (never icy or overly sweet like some other soft serves), and they said it’s because they use a mix that’s high in butterfat, and they gave a new (and expensive) machine. Excellent quality!

Dan Abbott

21/10/2025

When Twin Swirls opened I was just happy to have any business here, but now it has become a hub for the neighborhood as well as a fantastic place to get ice cream. Everything about the place is just First Rate and has been from the beginning when they opened during the winter. It's an overall welcoming place where you can run into your neighbors and chat and everyone is in a good mood. What a wonderful contribution to our neighborhood.

Siri

13/10/2025

Everybody deserves a raise that’s the only bad quality that they don’t get paid as much so everybody deserves a raise and they can turn anything into milkshakes. That’s actually like so cool yeah the manager is reading this. Everybody deserves a raise and twin swells. Everybody even the janitor deserves a raise even the custodians that clean the place you need to race that’s it and thank you.

Jean Russo

09/10/2025

Forgetaboutit! Best ice cream sandwich anywhere... made with local baker's chocolate chip cookie and overstuffed with chocolate and vanilla ice cream! And big enough to share. Check out this awesome neighborhood ice cream shop in Capisic/Rosemont area. Huge selection of flavors and treats!

Ethan

29/09/2025

YES! YES! YES! Family run establishment offering great service and a product that is better than the few local establishments available without traveling to the old port. The ice cream is quality and made locally. Items like shakes are crafted perfectly with novelty or specialty items frequently available. Care has been put into everything I have gotten here with no decline this summer season. I get milkshakes anytime I go to a ice cream shop and wasn't disappointed with Twin Scoops. On average, most shakes I get I would deem tolerable. Not great but not bad enough to send back and ask for a refund, or not bad enough that I feel like ruining some high-school kids day because they were taught to make a bad product or the ingredients simply are not capable of doing so. I can think of two other establishments that make a shake that I deem quality and if I want one I always sacrifice the 15-20 trip each way to get it. 40 minute round trips are a thing of the past along with my wasteline as Twin Scoops offers a substantially better product at a lower price point by a member of our community. You won't be disappointed and the seating area makes it a wonderful place to take the kids! The Deering neighborhood has needed this ever since Jet Video closed its doors. While the Portland Maine community will most likely never recover from the tragic loss of a location dedicated to renting non-adult VHS movies (I'm guessing VHS is still the predominant format in this market) the addition of Twin Scoops will soften the blow for many who will have to suffer the awful transition to digital streaming services to cater to their home entertainment needs.

Sophia Manuel

24/08/2025

Banana cream pie and pink peppermint were both excellent. There were many other wild flavors that I’m sure also well done.

Beth Carnicella

23/08/2025

Twin Swirls is a great new addition to Nason's Corner(outer Brighton Ave.). Twin Swirls has everything; Giffords hard and soft serve, milkshakes, sundaes, and even Coffee By Design coffee. I was warmly greeted by Zack, who promptly took my order and delivered on this behemoth Capisic sundae consisting of Peanut Butter Pie ice cream(p.b. ice cream with chunks of chopped p.b. cups, and graham cracker ribbons), a freshly homemade brownie, hot fudge, whipped cream and of course the cherry. Absolutely delicious!! This sundae lit up my taste buds like a pinball machine!!! A true flavor bomb. We brought our pups and they both thoroughly enjoyed their pup cups!! Highly recommend!!