Paul Tamburello opened the shop in 2008, and since then, he’s been busy dishing out nearly 1.9 million scoops of the sweet stuff. The flavors vary by shop and season, but some classics are freckled woodblock chocolate, strawberry honey balsamic with black pepper and pear and blue cheese.īeckoning back to a bygone era is Little Man Ice Cream in Denver.
There’s a reason Portland’s Salt & Straw has received accolades from Bon Appetit Magazine, the Wall Street Journal and food TV personality Andrew Zimmern: the artisanal quality, combined with the enthusiastic staff and café foods (like coffee from local roasters and even pies) make this shop a winner. Only seven of those have permanent spots on the menu: white chocolate, coffee, sweet cream, dark chocolate, vanilla, Belgian chocolate and Mexican vanilla. Since 1984, the shop has built up its roster of flavors, which now tops out at 350 and counting. With froyo, fruit ices and ice cream, Austin residents and tourists alike flock to Amy’s Ice Creams. You can even watch your ice cream being made through the big café window. Make sure you plan to stay for a while when you visit, because you’ll have to pore over 200 varieties. Part café, part lab, the team here has made small-batch ice creams since 2002. The rest is because of the ice cream varieties, like Swiss orange chip, butter pecan, black raspberry marble and other specialty flavors.ĭon’t let the name fool you Il Laboratorio del Gelato is in Manhattan, not Italy.
Just look for Jugglin’ Joe in Sacramento and you’ve found Gunther’s Ice Cream! That giant neon sign is just one part of what makes this old-school ice creamery (it was founded in 1940) such a fun experience. For everyone else, there’s creative ice cream sandwiches and customizable sundaes. Adults can appreciate the boozy milkshakes, like a rum and coke float and the Buffalo Sweat (which combines vanilla bean ice cream with oatmeal cream stout from Tallgrass Brewery). They eventually reconvened and Betty Rae’s in Kansas City was born. Once the owners of Sparky’s Homemade Ice Cream, couple Mary and David saw their respective careers take them in other directions. If you’re craving soft serve, this is the place to get it.
Eventually, demand was so high they bought a shop, and then several more. Founded by Bryan Petroff and Douglas Quint, the duo began their business driving an ice cream truck. The Satinskys support nearby artisans and farmers, sourcing local ingredients all year long to make some of the most interesting ice cream on the block.Īlso in Philly and New York is the famous Big Gay Ice Cream. The micro creamery churns out an ever-changing roster of flavors that’s switched out almost daily. Marketer Andy Satinsky and his pastry chef wife Jennifer put their heads together to open Weckerly’s in Philadelphia. They have scoop shops in Missouri, California, Illinois and Ohio, but the Jeni’s team also encourages others to make their own ice cream at home with official cookbooks. Grab a spoon for creative flavors like goat cheese with red cherries, Thai curry pumpkin and sweet potato éclair. The mission at Jeni’s is to unite people through ice cream. Just go online, where you can customize your ice cream order your way, from the ice cream flavors to the mix-ins right down to the name. Live way outside of the Midwest? You can still get your fix. Abby Jordan and Becky App opened the Omaha shop in 2007. Hungry? We’ve found 25 such shops for anyone with a sweet tooth.ĮCreamery knows its stuff about ice cream. In their quest for ice cream, it’s no wonder these consumers might look for less conventional choices like artisanal specialty shops that make their own ice cream with unique, seasonal flavors. Much more than just a summer treat, many Americans crave this sugary dessert year round.