![Zesto, 6.29](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/68/f68d5a1c-c268-5096-a7e1-199c07e2319a/66832cf760f44.image.jpg?resize=150%2C110 150w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/68/f68d5a1c-c268-5096-a7e1-199c07e2319a/66832cf760f44.image.jpg?resize=200%2C146 200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/68/f68d5a1c-c268-5096-a7e1-199c07e2319a/66832cf760f44.image.jpg?resize=225%2C165 225w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/68/f68d5a1c-c268-5096-a7e1-199c07e2319a/66832cf760f44.image.jpg?resize=300%2C220 300w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/68/f68d5a1c-c268-5096-a7e1-199c07e2319a/66832cf760f44.image.jpg?resize=400%2C293 400w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/68/f68d5a1c-c268-5096-a7e1-199c07e2319a/66832cf760f44.image.jpg?resize=540%2C395 540w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/68/f68d5a1c-c268-5096-a7e1-199c07e2319a/66832cf760f44.image.jpg?resize=640%2C468 640w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/68/f68d5a1c-c268-5096-a7e1-199c07e2319a/66832cf760f44.image.jpg?resize=750%2C549 750w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/68/f68d5a1c-c268-5096-a7e1-199c07e2319a/66832cf760f44.image.jpg?resize=990%2C725 990w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/68/f68d5a1c-c268-5096-a7e1-199c07e2319a/66832cf760f44.image.jpg?resize=1035%2C757 1035w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/68/f68d5a1c-c268-5096-a7e1-199c07e2319a/66832cf760f44.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C878 1200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/68/f68d5a1c-c268-5096-a7e1-199c07e2319a/66832cf760f44.image.jpg?resize=1333%2C976 1333w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/68/f68d5a1c-c268-5096-a7e1-199c07e2319a/66832cf760f44.image.jpg?resize=1476%2C1080 1476w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/68/f68d5a1c-c268-5096-a7e1-199c07e2319a/66832cf760f44.image.jpg?resize=1682%2C1231 2008w)
Customers stand in line to order from Zesto on 11th and South streets on a recent Saturday in Lincoln.
On the hottest day of July 1948 in Norfolk, a second-page ad in the local newspaper presented readers with a flavorful way to cool off.
The recently opened Baldridge Zesto Shoppe touted its “new and different … high quality dairy product” that contained 6% butterfat but was “not ice cream.”
The product would soon be widely known by a more recognizable name: soft serve.
The Norfolk Zesto was one of the first few dozen links in a chain of ice cream joints that once stretched from California to Florida and threatened Dairy Queen’s dominion.
The upstart brand’s sweet spot came between the coasts in places like Nebraska. Over a five-year span, at least 11 shops cropped up in the state, including a location in South Omaha that would become part of College World Series lore.
People are also reading…
But Zesto’s heyday lasted just a few years. Amid an increasingly crowded fast-food marketplace, its parent company, an Illinois ice cream machine manufacturer, ditched the retail business in the mid-1950s and left franchisees out in the cold.
Today, more than 30 surviving locations across the Midwest and the South make up a loose network of restaurants that bear the Zesto name but operate mostly independently of one another.
![Zesto, 6.29](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/8a/08ade42e-b1fe-570b-839d-6fafee11b722/66832cfee74e8.image.jpg?resize=150%2C95 150w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/8a/08ade42e-b1fe-570b-839d-6fafee11b722/66832cfee74e8.image.jpg?resize=200%2C127 200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/8a/08ade42e-b1fe-570b-839d-6fafee11b722/66832cfee74e8.image.jpg?resize=225%2C143 225w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/8a/08ade42e-b1fe-570b-839d-6fafee11b722/66832cfee74e8.image.jpg?resize=300%2C190 300w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/8a/08ade42e-b1fe-570b-839d-6fafee11b722/66832cfee74e8.image.jpg?resize=400%2C254 400w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/8a/08ade42e-b1fe-570b-839d-6fafee11b722/66832cfee74e8.image.jpg?resize=540%2C343 540w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/8a/08ade42e-b1fe-570b-839d-6fafee11b722/66832cfee74e8.image.jpg?resize=640%2C406 640w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/8a/08ade42e-b1fe-570b-839d-6fafee11b722/66832cfee74e8.image.jpg?resize=750%2C476 750w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/8a/08ade42e-b1fe-570b-839d-6fafee11b722/66832cfee74e8.image.jpg?resize=990%2C628 990w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/8a/08ade42e-b1fe-570b-839d-6fafee11b722/66832cfee74e8.image.jpg?resize=1035%2C657 1035w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/8a/08ade42e-b1fe-570b-839d-6fafee11b722/66832cfee74e8.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C762 1200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/8a/08ade42e-b1fe-570b-839d-6fafee11b722/66832cfee74e8.image.jpg?resize=1333%2C846 1333w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/8a/08ade42e-b1fe-570b-839d-6fafee11b722/66832cfee74e8.image.jpg?resize=1476%2C937 1476w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/8a/08ade42e-b1fe-570b-839d-6fafee11b722/66832cfee74e8.image.jpg?resize=1807%2C1147 2008w)
Tess Lipskey (from left), Cassandra, Victor Jr. and Victor Fountain of Waverly sit at a picnic table to eat their post-dinner ice cream treats at Zesto in Lincoln.
Now, two Nebraska-born ice cream obsessives who grew up on Zesto dream of broadening that network and bringing the brand back to the masses.
“We always felt like there should be more of them to bring to the public because we were that in love with the ice cream,” said Todd Jansa, who co-owns the federal trademark for Zesto with business partner Jerry Irons.
From Zest-O-Mat to Rosenblatt
Louis A.M. Phelan was no stranger to the patent office by the time he turned his attention to ice cream. His prior inventions gave him claim to a mountain of intellectual property.
But the creation that launched Phelan’s reputation as a fast food pioneer came around 1945 when the Taylor Freezer Corporation rolled out the Zest-O-Mat, a hulking soft-serve ice cream and frozen custard machine.
A few years later, the company began delivering a simple pitch to newspaper readers all over the country: Buy a Zest-O-Mat machine and open a Zesto franchise.
![Zesto, 7.5](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/e3/de382b17-88d5-55a3-86c5-166ae92e4a7e/66888108738bd.image.jpg?resize=150%2C100 150w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/e3/de382b17-88d5-55a3-86c5-166ae92e4a7e/66888108738bd.image.jpg?resize=200%2C133 200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/e3/de382b17-88d5-55a3-86c5-166ae92e4a7e/66888108738bd.image.jpg?resize=225%2C150 225w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/e3/de382b17-88d5-55a3-86c5-166ae92e4a7e/66888108738bd.image.jpg?resize=300%2C200 300w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/e3/de382b17-88d5-55a3-86c5-166ae92e4a7e/66888108738bd.image.jpg?resize=400%2C267 400w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/e3/de382b17-88d5-55a3-86c5-166ae92e4a7e/66888108738bd.image.jpg?resize=540%2C360 540w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/e3/de382b17-88d5-55a3-86c5-166ae92e4a7e/66888108738bd.image.jpg?resize=640%2C427 640w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/e3/de382b17-88d5-55a3-86c5-166ae92e4a7e/66888108738bd.image.jpg?resize=750%2C500 750w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/e3/de382b17-88d5-55a3-86c5-166ae92e4a7e/66888108738bd.image.jpg?resize=990%2C660 990w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/e3/de382b17-88d5-55a3-86c5-166ae92e4a7e/66888108738bd.image.jpg?resize=1035%2C690 1035w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/e3/de382b17-88d5-55a3-86c5-166ae92e4a7e/66888108738bd.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C800 1200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/e3/de382b17-88d5-55a3-86c5-166ae92e4a7e/66888108738bd.image.jpg?resize=1333%2C888 1333w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/e3/de382b17-88d5-55a3-86c5-166ae92e4a7e/66888108738bd.image.jpg?resize=1476%2C984 1476w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/e3/de382b17-88d5-55a3-86c5-166ae92e4a7e/66888108738bd.image.jpg?resize=1763%2C1175 2008w)
David (left) and Lucas Peterson of St. Paul, Minn., take a selfie while waiting in line at Zesto on 11th and South streets on Friday in Lincoln.
A shop opened in El Paso, Texas, in April 1947 and the chain spread like wildfire, operating in at least 32 states between 1947 and 1955, according to a Flatwater Free Press search of newspaper archives.
After Nebraska’s first shop in Norfolk, franchises emerged in Fremont, Lincoln and Alliance. All three are still in business more than seven decades later. Others in Columbus, Hastings, Scottsbluff, South Sioux City and Sidney proved more short-lived. The Norfolk Zesto eventually closed, too.
By 1953, Omaha had twin Zestos — an iconic location across from Rosenblatt Stadium in the south and a still-running shop in Florence to the north.
It’s not exactly clear why Taylor deserted the Zesto concept in the mid-1950s, but the move came as the American fast food hierarchy began to take shape, with giants like Dairy Queen and McDonald’s at the top.
![Zesto, 6.29](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/89/a892e7e0-b914-53e7-93d8-0ea7347b291d/66832d060ea61.image.jpg?resize=150%2C100 150w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/89/a892e7e0-b914-53e7-93d8-0ea7347b291d/66832d060ea61.image.jpg?resize=200%2C133 200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/89/a892e7e0-b914-53e7-93d8-0ea7347b291d/66832d060ea61.image.jpg?resize=225%2C150 225w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/89/a892e7e0-b914-53e7-93d8-0ea7347b291d/66832d060ea61.image.jpg?resize=300%2C200 300w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/89/a892e7e0-b914-53e7-93d8-0ea7347b291d/66832d060ea61.image.jpg?resize=400%2C267 400w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/89/a892e7e0-b914-53e7-93d8-0ea7347b291d/66832d060ea61.image.jpg?resize=540%2C360 540w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/89/a892e7e0-b914-53e7-93d8-0ea7347b291d/66832d060ea61.image.jpg?resize=640%2C427 640w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/89/a892e7e0-b914-53e7-93d8-0ea7347b291d/66832d060ea61.image.jpg?resize=750%2C500 750w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/89/a892e7e0-b914-53e7-93d8-0ea7347b291d/66832d060ea61.image.jpg?resize=990%2C660 990w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/89/a892e7e0-b914-53e7-93d8-0ea7347b291d/66832d060ea61.image.jpg?resize=1035%2C690 1035w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/89/a892e7e0-b914-53e7-93d8-0ea7347b291d/66832d060ea61.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C800 1200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/89/a892e7e0-b914-53e7-93d8-0ea7347b291d/66832d060ea61.image.jpg?resize=1333%2C888 1333w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/89/a892e7e0-b914-53e7-93d8-0ea7347b291d/66832d060ea61.image.jpg?resize=1476%2C984 1476w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/89/a892e7e0-b914-53e7-93d8-0ea7347b291d/66832d060ea61.image.jpg?resize=1763%2C1175 2008w)
Today, there are more than 30 surviving Zesto locations across the Midwest and the South. They all bear the Zesto name but operate mostly independently of one another.
The Taylor Company, still a leading manufacturer of ice cream machines, did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Without the support of its mothership, most stores struggled and eventually shuttered, but a sprinkling of Zestos survived — and even thrived — as communities like Omaha grew around the retro-looking establishments.
Ungoverned by a franchisor’s branding guidelines, the dispersed restaurants formed their own personalities and developed quirky provincial menus.
The original South Omaha Zesto took on a life of its own due to its de-facto association with Rosenblatt Stadium.
Waiting in line for a treat became elemental to the College World Series experience for locals and visiting fans alike. Tom Kelley, whose father Mike owned the restaurant in the 2000s, fondly remembers bringing shakes and burgers to the ESPN crews during game broadcasts.
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Alex Winter of Lincoln, 11, eats a spoonful of his chocolate malt on Friday, July 5, 2024, at Zesto.
On the other end of town, Chris and Rick Minturn grew up in the 1990s on chili footlongs and malts from the Florence Zesto. The cousins started working there as teenagers — a rite of passage for neighborhood teens.
Chris later left for college, but Rick rose through the Zesto ranks to become the general manager of his local store and a northwest Omaha location that opened in the mid-2000s.
By 2012, the Minturns owned both locations. They kept the classics but added more savory food, including a hand-breaded pork tenderloin sandwich, which has helped the stores evolve from seasonal ice cream stands to sustainable year-round restaurants, the cousins said.
The Zesto near Rosenblatt closed a few years after the College World Series moved downtown to TD Ameritrade (now Charles Schwab) Field in 2011.
But the late Mike Kelley wanted to ensure college baseball fans could still get Zesto near the new stadium, his son said. The elder Kelley and his partners built a seasonal Zesto window anchored by Blatt Beer and Table.
The 10 days of the College World Series are some of their busiest days of the year, said the younger Kelley, who now co-owns the business.
![Zesto, 6.29](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/b6/bb632591-4d39-548b-aa12-3235370b7ada/66832d029a955.image.jpg?resize=150%2C110 150w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/b6/bb632591-4d39-548b-aa12-3235370b7ada/66832d029a955.image.jpg?resize=200%2C146 200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/b6/bb632591-4d39-548b-aa12-3235370b7ada/66832d029a955.image.jpg?resize=225%2C165 225w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/b6/bb632591-4d39-548b-aa12-3235370b7ada/66832d029a955.image.jpg?resize=300%2C219 300w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/b6/bb632591-4d39-548b-aa12-3235370b7ada/66832d029a955.image.jpg?resize=400%2C293 400w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/b6/bb632591-4d39-548b-aa12-3235370b7ada/66832d029a955.image.jpg?resize=540%2C395 540w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/b6/bb632591-4d39-548b-aa12-3235370b7ada/66832d029a955.image.jpg?resize=640%2C468 640w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/b6/bb632591-4d39-548b-aa12-3235370b7ada/66832d029a955.image.jpg?resize=750%2C549 750w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/b6/bb632591-4d39-548b-aa12-3235370b7ada/66832d029a955.image.jpg?resize=990%2C724 990w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/b6/bb632591-4d39-548b-aa12-3235370b7ada/66832d029a955.image.jpg?resize=1035%2C757 1035w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/b6/bb632591-4d39-548b-aa12-3235370b7ada/66832d029a955.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C878 1200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/b6/bb632591-4d39-548b-aa12-3235370b7ada/66832d029a955.image.jpg?resize=1333%2C975 1333w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/b6/bb632591-4d39-548b-aa12-3235370b7ada/66832d029a955.image.jpg?resize=1476%2C1080 1476w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/b6/bb632591-4d39-548b-aa12-3235370b7ada/66832d029a955.image.jpg?resize=1683%2C1231 2008w)
Troy Wiederstein of Hallam orders a chocolate shake after being in town for a pickleball tournament on Saturday at Zesto.
Sweet prospects?
Jansa’s attachment to Zesto goes back long before he acquired the federal trademark — perhaps all the way to the womb.
On the day Jansa was born, his mother stopped at the Lincoln Zesto for a black raspberry malt before heading to the delivery room at Bryan Hospital, she recounted to him years later.
“She said, ‘I was feeding you umbilically,’” Jansa said. “So, I think I started (eating Zesto) pre-birth.”
Jansa and Irons met in the mid 1980s while cruising Lincoln’s O Street. They made frequent nighttime stops at the Zesto down the road.
Irons moved out to California, but Jansa stayed in Nebraska and still farms near Wahoo.
The friends eventually became business partners and got their hands on the state and federal trademarks.
They recognize that each Zesto has a unique identity, but they hope to ensure customers can get the same rich soft serve at every location. That means prescribing the ice cream machine settings used by the newer stores, Jansa said.
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Roman Armstrong of Lincoln, 17, makes an ice cream cone for a customer on Friday at Zesto.
Those machines are usually made by Taylor, the company that spawned Zesto.
Going forward, Jansa and Irons would like to add Zesto locations near the brand’s existing turf. They’re keen on convincing the Minturns to add a new location in the suburbs south of Omaha. The cousins are considering it.
But they’re also looking to franchise new stores in parts of Zesto’s former footprint. There’s a plan to open one on Los Angeles’ Venice Boardwalk about a year from now, Irons said.
“I think there's a very bright future in Zesto, and we're really excited about it,” Jansa said. “We just want the story to keep going.”
The Flatwater Free Press is Nebraska’s first independent, nonprofit newsroom focused on investigations and feature stories that matter.
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Cassandra (left) and Victor Fountain of Waverly eat their twist crunch ice cream cones from Zesto in Lincoln on Saturday.
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Lincoln's best ice cream experiences
Scoops
![Scoops](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/a0/6a0d1674-6d25-5abf-86eb-81dd8e0a542a/61095f92bbbd8.image.jpg?resize=150%2C113 150w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/a0/6a0d1674-6d25-5abf-86eb-81dd8e0a542a/61095f92bbbd8.image.jpg?resize=200%2C150 200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/a0/6a0d1674-6d25-5abf-86eb-81dd8e0a542a/61095f92bbbd8.image.jpg?resize=225%2C169 225w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/a0/6a0d1674-6d25-5abf-86eb-81dd8e0a542a/61095f92bbbd8.image.jpg?resize=300%2C225 300w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/a0/6a0d1674-6d25-5abf-86eb-81dd8e0a542a/61095f92bbbd8.image.jpg?resize=400%2C300 400w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/a0/6a0d1674-6d25-5abf-86eb-81dd8e0a542a/61095f92bbbd8.image.jpg?resize=540%2C405 540w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/a0/6a0d1674-6d25-5abf-86eb-81dd8e0a542a/61095f92bbbd8.image.jpg?resize=640%2C480 640w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/a0/6a0d1674-6d25-5abf-86eb-81dd8e0a542a/61095f92bbbd8.image.jpg?resize=750%2C563 750w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/a0/6a0d1674-6d25-5abf-86eb-81dd8e0a542a/61095f92bbbd8.image.jpg?resize=990%2C743 990w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/a0/6a0d1674-6d25-5abf-86eb-81dd8e0a542a/61095f92bbbd8.image.jpg?resize=1035%2C777 1035w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/a0/6a0d1674-6d25-5abf-86eb-81dd8e0a542a/61095f92bbbd8.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C900 1200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/a0/6a0d1674-6d25-5abf-86eb-81dd8e0a542a/61095f92bbbd8.image.jpg?resize=1333%2C1000 1333w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/a0/6a0d1674-6d25-5abf-86eb-81dd8e0a542a/61095f92bbbd8.image.jpg?resize=1476%2C1107 1476w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/a0/6a0d1674-6d25-5abf-86eb-81dd8e0a542a/61095f92bbbd8.image.jpg?resize=1662%2C1247 2008w)
Scoops opened a Haymarket ice cream shop, its third in Lincoln, on Friday.
402 Creamery
![402 Creamery](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/df/bdfb4148-f35e-58ec-879a-57b8631549c6/632e33a97403c.image.jpg?resize=150%2C101 150w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/df/bdfb4148-f35e-58ec-879a-57b8631549c6/632e33a97403c.image.jpg?resize=200%2C135 200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/df/bdfb4148-f35e-58ec-879a-57b8631549c6/632e33a97403c.image.jpg?resize=225%2C152 225w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/df/bdfb4148-f35e-58ec-879a-57b8631549c6/632e33a97403c.image.jpg?resize=300%2C203 300w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/df/bdfb4148-f35e-58ec-879a-57b8631549c6/632e33a97403c.image.jpg?resize=400%2C270 400w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/df/bdfb4148-f35e-58ec-879a-57b8631549c6/632e33a97403c.image.jpg?resize=540%2C365 540w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/df/bdfb4148-f35e-58ec-879a-57b8631549c6/632e33a97403c.image.jpg?resize=640%2C432 640w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/df/bdfb4148-f35e-58ec-879a-57b8631549c6/632e33a97403c.image.jpg?resize=750%2C507 750w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/df/bdfb4148-f35e-58ec-879a-57b8631549c6/632e33a97403c.image.jpg?resize=990%2C669 990w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/df/bdfb4148-f35e-58ec-879a-57b8631549c6/632e33a97403c.image.jpg?resize=1035%2C699 1035w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/df/bdfb4148-f35e-58ec-879a-57b8631549c6/632e33a97403c.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C811 1200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/df/bdfb4148-f35e-58ec-879a-57b8631549c6/632e33a97403c.image.jpg?resize=1333%2C901 1333w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/df/bdfb4148-f35e-58ec-879a-57b8631549c6/632e33a97403c.image.jpg?resize=1476%2C997 1476w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/df/bdfb4148-f35e-58ec-879a-57b8631549c6/632e33a97403c.image.jpg?resize=1751%2C1183 2008w)
402 Creamery
311 N. Eighth St. and 7101 Kentwell Lane
What I had: Cinnamon snickerdoodle
Owner Tyler Mannix said he was working in finance when he decided he wanted to do something he was passionate about. “I started on a $50 ice cream machine and fell in love.”
After my first visit to his shop, I’m in love, too. I’m going to say it’s possibly the best ice cream I’ve ever had.
The store’s most popular flavor is monster cookie, which is one of eight signature flavors. Popular with families is the four-scoop flight for $8.80.
When I asked for his secret, Mannix said it’s all homemade, including ingredients he’s made from scratch working to ensure they mix with the ice cream and keep their flavor and texture. So, for instance, rather than hard balls of snickerdoodle cookie dough, the experience is soft and chewy, like the cookie.
In addition to the signature flavors, you can enjoy seasonal flavors, like banana bread, key lime, blueberry muffin and strawberry lemonade.
-- Shelly Kulhanek
Ivanna Cone
![Ivanna Cone](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/7/c3/7c3b96eb-5feb-552c-993c-4ca741552dff/632e33f7a6eb7.image.jpg?resize=150%2C101 150w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/7/c3/7c3b96eb-5feb-552c-993c-4ca741552dff/632e33f7a6eb7.image.jpg?resize=200%2C135 200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/7/c3/7c3b96eb-5feb-552c-993c-4ca741552dff/632e33f7a6eb7.image.jpg?resize=225%2C152 225w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/7/c3/7c3b96eb-5feb-552c-993c-4ca741552dff/632e33f7a6eb7.image.jpg?resize=300%2C203 300w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/7/c3/7c3b96eb-5feb-552c-993c-4ca741552dff/632e33f7a6eb7.image.jpg?resize=400%2C270 400w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/7/c3/7c3b96eb-5feb-552c-993c-4ca741552dff/632e33f7a6eb7.image.jpg?resize=540%2C365 540w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/7/c3/7c3b96eb-5feb-552c-993c-4ca741552dff/632e33f7a6eb7.image.jpg?resize=620%2C419 640w)
Ivanna Cone
701 P St., No. 101
What we had: Dutch chocolate and lemon cake
The dutch chocolate was very sweet and thick, almost gooey. You get stalagmites when you pull the spoon out of it. But if you’re into that sort of thing, I wouldn’t talk anybody out of it.
Sarah said the lemon cake was the perfect balance of sweet and tart and had the added bonus of cake pieces. It was the equivalent of having a brownie in your chocolate ice cream, without being boring chocolate ice cream. The flavors change daily.
The first thing you notice when you walk into the building is the smell of fresh waffle cones. The second thing you notice is the rabbit statue that acts as the door stop, which Sarah said she remembers from when she and her dad visited when she was young.
There are also disco lights, bright-colored walls, the massive ice-cream makers in the entryway, and when we went, the Jackson 5’s “ABC” was playing in the background.
It’s a great excuse to go for a walk in the Haymarket and an A+ option for dessert to wrap up a hot date on a hot day.
-- Alex Lantz
UNL Dairy Store
![UNL Dairy Store](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/4a/84a82afc-eb56-5854-915c-8600981e7a2f/5d1f7448eb7bc.image.jpg?resize=150%2C84 150w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/4a/84a82afc-eb56-5854-915c-8600981e7a2f/5d1f7448eb7bc.image.jpg?resize=200%2C113 200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/4a/84a82afc-eb56-5854-915c-8600981e7a2f/5d1f7448eb7bc.image.jpg?resize=225%2C127 225w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/4a/84a82afc-eb56-5854-915c-8600981e7a2f/5d1f7448eb7bc.image.jpg?resize=300%2C169 300w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/4a/84a82afc-eb56-5854-915c-8600981e7a2f/5d1f7448eb7bc.image.jpg?resize=400%2C225 400w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/4a/84a82afc-eb56-5854-915c-8600981e7a2f/5d1f7448eb7bc.image.jpg?resize=540%2C304 540w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/4a/84a82afc-eb56-5854-915c-8600981e7a2f/5d1f7448eb7bc.image.jpg?resize=640%2C360 640w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/4a/84a82afc-eb56-5854-915c-8600981e7a2f/5d1f7448eb7bc.image.jpg?resize=750%2C422 750w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/4a/84a82afc-eb56-5854-915c-8600981e7a2f/5d1f7448eb7bc.image.jpg?resize=960%2C540 990w)
UNL Dairy Store
114 Food Industry Complex (East Campus)
What I had: Cherry almond
For someone who grew up on a dairy farm in Nebraska, the UNL Dairy Store is a treasured piece of the state's agricultural history. The store opened in 1917 as Varsity Dairy, serving as much milk as you could drink for a nickel (you just had to bring your own cup.)
The modern-day Dairy Store remains a test kitchen of sorts for food science students, who work to research and create products while managing the business. Over the years, the store's focus shifted to ice cream.
I stopped by on a Saturday afternoon and found the 16-flavor dip cabinet devoid of Scarlet & Cream, the so-called fan favorite, so I went with a seasonal choice, cherry almond. Good stuff.
Inside, the Dairy Store doesn't serve a heaping helping of nostalgia. Other than a few photos on the wall, you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference from a food court.
But exploring East Campus with your ice cream, you're reminded of agriculture's role in the state. And the Dairy Store's role in reminding visitors of that vital link.
-- Todd Henrichs
Zesto
![Zesto](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/e4/6e4f530d-2034-539b-af36-b33672abc414/60f3476706bf1.image.jpg?resize=150%2C200 150w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/e4/6e4f530d-2034-539b-af36-b33672abc414/60f3476706bf1.image.jpg?resize=200%2C267 200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/e4/6e4f530d-2034-539b-af36-b33672abc414/60f3476706bf1.image.jpg?resize=225%2C300 225w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/e4/6e4f530d-2034-539b-af36-b33672abc414/60f3476706bf1.image.jpg?resize=300%2C400 300w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/e4/6e4f530d-2034-539b-af36-b33672abc414/60f3476706bf1.image.jpg?resize=400%2C533 400w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/e4/6e4f530d-2034-539b-af36-b33672abc414/60f3476706bf1.image.jpg?resize=540%2C720 540w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/e4/6e4f530d-2034-539b-af36-b33672abc414/60f3476706bf1.image.jpg?resize=640%2C853 640w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/e4/6e4f530d-2034-539b-af36-b33672abc414/60f3476706bf1.image.jpg?resize=750%2C1000 750w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/e4/6e4f530d-2034-539b-af36-b33672abc414/60f3476706bf1.image.jpg?resize=990%2C1319 990w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/e4/6e4f530d-2034-539b-af36-b33672abc414/60f3476706bf1.image.jpg?resize=1035%2C1379 1035w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/e4/6e4f530d-2034-539b-af36-b33672abc414/60f3476706bf1.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C1599 1200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/e4/6e4f530d-2034-539b-af36-b33672abc414/60f3476706bf1.image.jpg?resize=1247%2C1662 1333w)
Zesto
1100 South St.
What I had: Hot fudge sundae
Since the 1950s, the ice cream shop on South Street has been a summer tradition in Lincoln. The city was much smaller then, but returning to the Zesto's drive-in always takes me back to a small town, with families stopping for ice cream as a treat to end the day.
In Nebraska, Zesto has always maintained a special link to the College World Series in Omaha, with fans walking across the street to enjoy a cone or a malt for decades at Rosenblatt Stadium and now at the new stadium downtown.
Perhaps that is why the ice cream from Zesto just seems to have a more nostalgic feel than what you might enjoy elsewhere. And though the ice cream is the same, there's something extra special about the treats from the drive-in location, versus a more strip mall setting.
Lincoln lost a similar drive-in when a tornado wiped out C & L Dairy Sweet near Pioneers Park a few years back. Let's hope the Zesto tradition lives on.
-- Todd Henrichs
Neveria Arcoiris
![Neveria Arcoiris](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/46/e4640010-d014-5185-8651-f72dd209a81e/5d1bbe211fb7b.image.jpg?resize=150%2C215 150w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/46/e4640010-d014-5185-8651-f72dd209a81e/5d1bbe211fb7b.image.jpg?resize=200%2C287 200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/46/e4640010-d014-5185-8651-f72dd209a81e/5d1bbe211fb7b.image.jpg?resize=225%2C323 225w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/46/e4640010-d014-5185-8651-f72dd209a81e/5d1bbe211fb7b.image.jpg?resize=300%2C430 300w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/46/e4640010-d014-5185-8651-f72dd209a81e/5d1bbe211fb7b.image.jpg?resize=400%2C574 400w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/46/e4640010-d014-5185-8651-f72dd209a81e/5d1bbe211fb7b.image.jpg?resize=540%2C775 540w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/46/e4640010-d014-5185-8651-f72dd209a81e/5d1bbe211fb7b.image.jpg?resize=640%2C918 640w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/46/e4640010-d014-5185-8651-f72dd209a81e/5d1bbe211fb7b.image.jpg?resize=750%2C1076 750w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/46/e4640010-d014-5185-8651-f72dd209a81e/5d1bbe211fb7b.image.jpg?resize=990%2C1420 990w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/46/e4640010-d014-5185-8651-f72dd209a81e/5d1bbe211fb7b.image.jpg?resize=1035%2C1485 1035w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/46/e4640010-d014-5185-8651-f72dd209a81e/5d1bbe211fb7b.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C1722 1200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/46/e4640010-d014-5185-8651-f72dd209a81e/5d1bbe211fb7b.image.jpg?resize=1201%2C1723 1333w)
Nevería Arcoiris
1035 G St. and 1317 N. 10th St.
What I had: Mangonada made with mango ice cream
I've seen a tourism slogan urging people to be a tourist in their own hometown. I felt like one when I stepped into Nevería Arcoiris, which translates to rainbow ice cream.
Bright colors, lots of Spanish-speaking neighbors and about 16 homemade ice creams in freezer cases with names like chicle rosa (pink gum), menta (mint), fresa ague (strawberry water), rompope (eggnog) and maracuya (passion fruit).
Owners Adela Sanchez and her husband, Lucio, were among those behind the counter scooping and creating colorful concoctions.
Adela said they make nearly all the ice cream for their shop on G Street and another restaurant that shares the same name in the North Bottoms, although they sold the second location because they were too busy to run both.
She said the most popular flavor is mango, which is water-based and reminded me of a sorbet. I had my mango ice cream in a manganado, a spicy Mexican fruit treat with chamoy sauce, mangoes, lime juice, chili powder and decorated with a tamarind straw. It was as tasty as it was pretty.
I also tried the horchata-flavored ice cream, their newest creation, and the queso flavor, which is far better than it sounds.
-- Shelly Kulhanek
Freezing Thai
![Freezing Thai](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/97/e97267dd-e22a-5adf-93f0-a16922a0b83f/5d1f744a9eded.image.jpg?resize=150%2C200 150w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/97/e97267dd-e22a-5adf-93f0-a16922a0b83f/5d1f744a9eded.image.jpg?resize=200%2C267 200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/97/e97267dd-e22a-5adf-93f0-a16922a0b83f/5d1f744a9eded.image.jpg?resize=225%2C300 225w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/97/e97267dd-e22a-5adf-93f0-a16922a0b83f/5d1f744a9eded.image.jpg?resize=300%2C400 300w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/97/e97267dd-e22a-5adf-93f0-a16922a0b83f/5d1f744a9eded.image.jpg?resize=400%2C533 400w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/97/e97267dd-e22a-5adf-93f0-a16922a0b83f/5d1f744a9eded.image.jpg?resize=540%2C720 540w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/97/e97267dd-e22a-5adf-93f0-a16922a0b83f/5d1f744a9eded.image.jpg?resize=640%2C853 640w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/97/e97267dd-e22a-5adf-93f0-a16922a0b83f/5d1f744a9eded.image.jpg?resize=750%2C1000 750w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/97/e97267dd-e22a-5adf-93f0-a16922a0b83f/5d1f744a9eded.image.jpg?resize=990%2C1319 990w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/97/e97267dd-e22a-5adf-93f0-a16922a0b83f/5d1f744a9eded.image.jpg?resize=1035%2C1379 1035w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/97/e97267dd-e22a-5adf-93f0-a16922a0b83f/5d1f744a9eded.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C1599 1200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/97/e97267dd-e22a-5adf-93f0-a16922a0b83f/5d1f744a9eded.image.jpg?resize=1247%2C1662 1333w)
Freezing Thai
210 N. 14th St. No. 6
What I had: S'mores Galore
A treat from Freezing Thai will cost you a little more, but after all, ice cream is a treat. And watching servers whip up the frozen treat by hand makes Freezing Thai a unique experience.
Seeing it all come together is unlike other sweet shops in town.
Freezing Thai is more than ice cream. Every serving comes with something extra. Like the graham cracker and marshmallows roasted with a hand-held torch as part of my S'mores Galore.
Other choices? Morning Latte ice cream. Key Lime Pie. Mango Tango. The cigar-shaped ice cream rolls and toppings are a ready-made Instagram post.
Freezing Thai's downtown location is convenient to campus, and because servings are huge, two people can share a treat, minimizing some of the sticker shock.
-- Todd Henrichs
Cold Stone Creamery
![Cold Stone Creamery](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/b6/db6c785b-9b41-54e1-8e87-4e9d0e8c2bca/5d1f744ad5649.image.jpg?resize=150%2C150 150w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/b6/db6c785b-9b41-54e1-8e87-4e9d0e8c2bca/5d1f744ad5649.image.jpg?resize=200%2C200 200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/b6/db6c785b-9b41-54e1-8e87-4e9d0e8c2bca/5d1f744ad5649.image.jpg?resize=225%2C225 225w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/b6/db6c785b-9b41-54e1-8e87-4e9d0e8c2bca/5d1f744ad5649.image.jpg?resize=300%2C300 300w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/b6/db6c785b-9b41-54e1-8e87-4e9d0e8c2bca/5d1f744ad5649.image.jpg?resize=400%2C400 400w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/b6/db6c785b-9b41-54e1-8e87-4e9d0e8c2bca/5d1f744ad5649.image.jpg?resize=540%2C540 540w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/b6/db6c785b-9b41-54e1-8e87-4e9d0e8c2bca/5d1f744ad5649.image.jpg?resize=640%2C640 640w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/b6/db6c785b-9b41-54e1-8e87-4e9d0e8c2bca/5d1f744ad5649.image.jpg?resize=750%2C750 750w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/b6/db6c785b-9b41-54e1-8e87-4e9d0e8c2bca/5d1f744ad5649.image.jpg?resize=960%2C960 990w)
Cold Stone Creamery
2910 Pine Lake Road Suite P
What we had: Chocolate with Oreos in a waffle bowl and Chocolate with graham cracker pie crust and Snickers.
You’re encouraged to choose from a variety of add-ins, and I appreciated the build-your-own concept. The waffle bowl, however, was stale and didn’t add to the experience like I hoped it would.
Sarah was initially excited about the possibility of graham crackers in her ice cream — she thinks they are an under-appreciated dessert option — but the chocolate ice cream was not rich enough for her taste. The Snickers bits were good, though, because you can’t go wrong with Snickers.
Its location at SouthPointe Pavilions is super convenient if you’re looking for a snack between shopping stops or desert after pizza at Old Chicago, which is a stone's throw from the front door.
-- Alex Lantz
Dairy Joe's ice cream
![Dairy Joe's ice cream](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/e8/0e8bb3e1-7168-50c2-b5f7-ce5a4c435291/5d1bbe2191caf.image.jpg?resize=150%2C116 150w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/e8/0e8bb3e1-7168-50c2-b5f7-ce5a4c435291/5d1bbe2191caf.image.jpg?resize=200%2C155 200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/e8/0e8bb3e1-7168-50c2-b5f7-ce5a4c435291/5d1bbe2191caf.image.jpg?resize=225%2C175 225w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/e8/0e8bb3e1-7168-50c2-b5f7-ce5a4c435291/5d1bbe2191caf.image.jpg?resize=300%2C233 300w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/e8/0e8bb3e1-7168-50c2-b5f7-ce5a4c435291/5d1bbe2191caf.image.jpg?resize=400%2C311 400w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/e8/0e8bb3e1-7168-50c2-b5f7-ce5a4c435291/5d1bbe2191caf.image.jpg?resize=540%2C419 540w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/e8/0e8bb3e1-7168-50c2-b5f7-ce5a4c435291/5d1bbe2191caf.image.jpg?resize=640%2C497 640w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/e8/0e8bb3e1-7168-50c2-b5f7-ce5a4c435291/5d1bbe2191caf.image.jpg?resize=750%2C582 750w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/e8/0e8bb3e1-7168-50c2-b5f7-ce5a4c435291/5d1bbe2191caf.image.jpg?resize=990%2C769 990w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/e8/0e8bb3e1-7168-50c2-b5f7-ce5a4c435291/5d1bbe2191caf.image.jpg?resize=1035%2C804 1035w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/e8/0e8bb3e1-7168-50c2-b5f7-ce5a4c435291/5d1bbe2191caf.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C932 1200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/e8/0e8bb3e1-7168-50c2-b5f7-ce5a4c435291/5d1bbe2191caf.image.jpg?resize=1333%2C1035 1333w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/e8/0e8bb3e1-7168-50c2-b5f7-ce5a4c435291/5d1bbe2191caf.image.jpg?resize=1476%2C1146 1476w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/e8/0e8bb3e1-7168-50c2-b5f7-ce5a4c435291/5d1bbe2191caf.image.jpg?resize=1633%2C1268 2008w)
Dairy Joe’s
8235 W. O St., Emerald
What I had: Dulce de leche
If you’re looking for Joe at Dairy Joe’s in nearby Emerald, you’re going to be disappointed. But you won’t be disappointed with the quality of ice cream or the friendly service.
In addition to ice cream, you can get a cup of joe and you might meet the owner of the building, JoAnn Benes, if she’s in at her adjacent small antique shop, Emerald Hen’s Nest.
Benes’ daughter, Kathryn Benes-Pierce, and her husband, David Pierce, who live in Denton, run the ice cream/coffee shop, which has an old-style malt shop vibe. They get their ice cream from Hiland Dairy and try and source other products locally, like the Dogurt (yogurt for dogs) from Omaha.
I brought my niece and nephew with me and both gave Dairy Joe’s a thumbs-up.
When asked to describe his chocolate ice cream, 7-year-old Cam said it had “a deep flavor.” Syndee, 9, declared her chocolate chip cookie dough “the best ice cream ever.” Both may have been taking their jobs as reviewers a bit too seriously, but I also thought my dulce de leche-flavored cone was top-rate.
-- Shelly Kulhanek
Dairy Queen
![Dairy Queen](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/10/9100dba3-91a8-524f-b24e-bb7bddc4e6e1/5d1bbe2208fd4.image.jpg?resize=150%2C170 150w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/10/9100dba3-91a8-524f-b24e-bb7bddc4e6e1/5d1bbe2208fd4.image.jpg?resize=200%2C227 200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/10/9100dba3-91a8-524f-b24e-bb7bddc4e6e1/5d1bbe2208fd4.image.jpg?resize=225%2C256 225w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/10/9100dba3-91a8-524f-b24e-bb7bddc4e6e1/5d1bbe2208fd4.image.jpg?resize=300%2C341 300w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/10/9100dba3-91a8-524f-b24e-bb7bddc4e6e1/5d1bbe2208fd4.image.jpg?resize=400%2C455 400w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/10/9100dba3-91a8-524f-b24e-bb7bddc4e6e1/5d1bbe2208fd4.image.jpg?resize=540%2C614 540w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/10/9100dba3-91a8-524f-b24e-bb7bddc4e6e1/5d1bbe2208fd4.image.jpg?resize=640%2C727 640w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/10/9100dba3-91a8-524f-b24e-bb7bddc4e6e1/5d1bbe2208fd4.image.jpg?resize=750%2C852 750w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/10/9100dba3-91a8-524f-b24e-bb7bddc4e6e1/5d1bbe2208fd4.image.jpg?resize=990%2C1125 990w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/10/9100dba3-91a8-524f-b24e-bb7bddc4e6e1/5d1bbe2208fd4.image.jpg?resize=1035%2C1176 1035w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/10/9100dba3-91a8-524f-b24e-bb7bddc4e6e1/5d1bbe2208fd4.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C1364 1200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/10/9100dba3-91a8-524f-b24e-bb7bddc4e6e1/5d1bbe2208fd4.image.jpg?resize=1333%2C1515 1333w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/10/9100dba3-91a8-524f-b24e-bb7bddc4e6e1/5d1bbe2208fd4.image.jpg?resize=1350%2C1534 1476w)
Dairy Queen
3835 South St. (several Lincoln locations)
What I had: Zero Gravity Blizzard
For a limited time, DQ is offering a Zero Gravity Blizzard to celebrate the moon landing's 50th anniversary. The blue-colored treat is made with Oreo cookie pieces, chocolate swirls, sweet cotton candy crunch topping and glittery star sprinkles. Yep, glitter in ice cream.
This Blizzard was probably more appropriate for smurfs and 6-year-old girls, but it did share one ingredient with the South Street DQ's most popular Blizzard -- Oreo.
I quizzed the server about why they serve Blizzards upside down, and she stated the obvious "so you know it's not runny," but I did a little research and found out the trademark move had its beginnings with an obnoxious 14-year-old.
In 1959, the owner of a custard stand in St. Louis had a boy who biked to his stand nearly every day for a malt. The boy kept challenging the owner to make it thicker. Finally to shut the kid up, he served it upside down.
The custard stand owner had a competitor who owned a Dairy Queen franchise, and he copied the gimmick and also came up with the idea to put fruit or broken-up candy bar chunks in DQ's soft serve ice cream. At first Mars, which owned M&Ms and Snickers candy brands, refused to ship broken pieces to DQs, as did Oreo. But they finally relented.
-- Shelly Kulhanek