<P> Ice cream parlors (or parlours) are restaurants that sell ice cream, gelato, sorbet, and frozen yogurt to consumers . Ice cream is typically sold as regular ice cream (also called hard - packed ice cream), gelato, and soft serve, which is usually dispensed by a machine with a limited number of flavors (e.g., chocolate, vanilla, and "twist", a mix of the two). It is customary for ice cream parlors to offer a number of flavors and items . Parlors often serve ice cream and other frozen desserts in cones or in dishes, to be eaten with a spoon . Some ice cream parlours prepare ice cream desserts such as sundaes (ice cream topped with syrup, whipped cream and other toppings) or milkshakes . </P> <P> While the origins of ice cream are often debated, most scholars trace the first ice cream parlor back to France in the 17th century . In 1686, Francesco Procopio del Coltelli opened Paris' first café . The Café Procope, named by its Sicilian founder, introduced gelato to the French public . The dessert was served to its elite guests in small porcelain bowls . </P> <P> Until 1800, ice cream remained a rare and exotic dessert enjoyed mostly by the elite . The introduction of insulated ice houses in 1800, the first ice cream factory in Pennsylvania in 1851, and industrial refrigeration in the 1870s made manufacturing and storing ice cream much simpler . The first ice cream factory was built by Jacob Fussell, a milk dealer who bought dairy products from Philadelphia farmers and sold them in Baltimore . The mass production of ice cream cut the product's cost significantly, making it more popular and more affordable for people of lower classes . </P>

When was the first ice cream parlor opened