It’s summertime and the livin’ is anything but easy these days. Still, there’s one true pleasure we can count on — and that’s ice cream.
“Everyone loves ice cream,” said Gregory Cohen, owner of Lofty Pursuits, a Tallahassee iconic ice cream destination for more than a quarter century. “It cheers you up when you’re sad. It’s a way to escape the heat. It brings back memories.”
That’s why at Lofty Pursuits, “we sell happy,” said Cohen. “That’s our mission statement.”
President Ronald Reagan recognized the sweet magic of ice cream when he designated July 19 as National Ice Cream Day in 1984 and all of July as National Ice Cream month.
Our local cream shops are doing their part by churning out cool confections, whether for a simple ice cream cone, a fanciful milk shake or an elaborate Kitchen Sink sundae.
Vanilla and chocolate may be the most popular flavors on a national scale but local businesses tell us their top sellers include flavors like Cheesecake Euphoria, Red Velvet and English Toffee. And while we may not have wild flavors like foie gras ice cream, a hit in France, or Australia’s whiskey prune scoops, we have a few unusual choices here like Graham Central Station and Mexican Hot Chocolate.
To help you celebrate National Ice Cream Month, Peterbrooke Chocolatier Tallahassee will be offering a free scoop of gelato every Wednesday in July.
Some ice cream parlors have closed briefly but Sugar Rush is reopening on July 18 with a new menu. Look for treats like a ginormous Kitchen Sink dessert, said Juan Severini, owner of Sugar Rush Bar locations on All Saints Street and Bannerman Crossings. You can still look forward to scoops for $1 the first Friday of each month at Sugar Rush’s two locations.
Among other changes in town, Barb’s Brittles is expected to reopen July 19th.
Sadly, Ariel’s Ice Cream closed after the coronavirus shutdowns began but you can still go next door to The Good Berry for açaí smoothies and sorbet.
Lofty Pursuits isn’t serving food inside though you can go in the shop to buy ice cream and board games. You can order breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert to go or eat in the expanded outdoor patio. The ice cream parlor and restaurant also has a delivery system to ensure your ice cream arrives cold and not a melted mess.
Here’s a look at some of the top hits at our local ice cream parlors, sure to brighten your mood.
“I never met anyone who’s had ice cream and not been happy about it,” said Severni.
So enjoy National Ice Cream Month, my friends. There are a lot of things we can’t control, but eating ice cream? We have it licked.
For more info on Tallahassee’s ice cream parlors, see tallahasseetable.com/ice-cream-parlors/
Most popular flavors
- Virginilla, Chocolate Virgin, Red Velvet Ice Cream and Butter Pecan Brittle Ice Cream — at Barb’s Gourmet Brittles, Lake Ella, 1671 N. Monroe St.
- English Toffee, Dreamsicle, Kahlua Almond Fudge and Rum Raisin — at Lofty Pursuits, 1355 Market St.
- Cheesecake Euphoria and peach ice cream — at Sprinkles Paradise Treats, 1373 Mahan Dr.
- New York Cheesecake and Graham Central Station — at Bruster’s Real Ice Cream, 2475 Apalachee Pkwy; 1709 W. Tharpe St.
- Chocolate gelato made with Petcrbrooke’s own chocolate candy — at Peterbrooke Chocolatier, 1817 Thomasville Rd.
- Strawberry and mint chocolate chip — at Sugar Rush Bar, 414 All Saints St.; 6668 Thomasville Rd.
Unusual flavors
- S’mores and White Turtle — at Bruster’s
- Superman (with strawberry, banana and Blue Moon) — at Sprinkles Paradise Treats
- Vegan cookies and cream — at Sugar Rush Bar
- Chocolate Sunflower Brittle Ice Cream made with chocolate sunflower brittle –at Barb’s Brittles
- Mexican hot chocolate, Java Jive, Smurf and Champagne Sorbet — at Lofty Pursuits
- Sunburst Sorbet with blood orange, pineapple and lemon — at Peterbrooke
- Sorbet made from South America’s sweet-tart berry, açaí at The Good Berry, 1325 Thomasville Rd.
Favorite toppings
- Gummy Bears from Germany, organic cherry (as in cherry on top), Lofty charms, M&M’s and homemade sauces like ganache with dark Belgian chocolate, marshmallow or peanut butter — at Lofty Pursuits
- Oreo cookies, cheesecake, brownies — at Sugar Rush Bar
- Sprinkles and cookie dough bits — at Sprinkles Paradise Treats
- Crush pecans or Reese’s Pieces — at Bruster’s
Crazy concoctions
- Cheesecake N Chill milkshake with a slice of cheesecake on top, Oreo-ology garnished with a giant Oreo sandwich or The Mermaid complete with white chocolate mermaid tails — at Sugar Rush Bar
- The Kitchen Sink (26 flavors), The Sundae of Broken Dreams (homage to the Brooklyn Farmacy) or Sushi Sundae — at Lofty Pursuits
- A Dirt Sundae and Apple Dumpling sundae — at Bruster’s
