Ice Cream Atlas

What Would You Add to Our Ice Cream Atlas?

I don’t know about where you are, but it is HOT here in Cleveland! Judging by the weather maps, it looks like we’re not alone. 

So, I thought I’d share today about our Ice Cream Atlas.

On our wedding day, the guestbook consisted of an atlas and an invitation to contribute favorite ice cream shops the world over. It’s really fun to flip through and dream about future trips near and far! And of course, I’m always in the business of collecting recommendations. So, I thought I’d ask you, what you’d add to the atlas if you had the chance?

Leave a comment down below with your favorite place and what makes it so great!

Cleveland: An Ice Cream Town

I’ll start things off with my recommendations in the Cleveland area. Many cities have an iconic food tied to them…but for Cleveland, with the exception of good pierogis and corned beef, there isn’t one food that people think of when they think of this city. It wasn’t till I moved away that it struck me as odd that this place does not have a more far and wide reputation for its ice cream! Because Cleveland certainly knows how to do ice cream! And it’s not just a summer time phenomenon – Clevelanders keep many of these places in business all year round.

To get you started on an ice cream tour of the city, I present to you my five must-tries to get you on your way.

Malley’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor – The place where my love for the ice cream sundae was born and raised. There’s an old-timey ice cream parlor feel at the Lakewood location, where the waitstaff bring a bowl of pretzels (pretzels and ice cream go together around these parts) and ice water to your table, before the much anticipated ice cream with a miniature pitcher of hot fudge arrives. That’s right, every sundae comes with it’s own little pitcher of liquid hot fudge. It is richly good and there is a reason there’s no nutrition information to be found. Also, if you’d like to eat a hot fudge sundae on a revolving carousel, you are in luck — visit the North Olmsted location to hop on that. (14822 Madison Ave, Lakewood, OH 44107 or 23473 Lorain Road, North Olmsted, OH 44070)

Mitchell’s Ice Cream – Hands down, my favorite ice cream in the land – the perfect kind of creamy and the perfect amount of sweet. My usual is the Bing Cherry Chocolate Chunk kids size sundae (which is plenty :), but their toasted pistachio and seasonal flavors are always tempting too. And a word about their cherry on top – it’s not one of those inexplicably luminescent looking ones that come in a jar – no – they’re legit Bordeaux cherries on top of homemade whipped cream and they are delicious. Many (if not all?) locations have a toy train chugging along overhead, which makes it a good diversion for kids. (Various locations – visit the flagship shop just down the block from the Westside Market at 1867 West 25th St., Cleveland, OH) 

Sweet Moses – A full operation soda fountain and ice cream parlor named after the founder of Cleveland himself. Your sundaes are served on a doily, with a pretzel hung on your spoon and a cherry on top. All the wrought iron chairs are original ice cream parlor chairs dating from the 1920s through the 1940s, that have been collected and preserved and look good as new. Great atmosphere and plenty of seating all year round. (6800 Detroit Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44102)

Weber’s – Weber’s owns the last pair of Continuous Commercial Ice Cream Machines (first manufactured in 1909) known to exist — as in, the last ones on earth.  Consequently, there’s no air pumped into any of the ice cream which makes for an extra creamy result. In addition to their extensive menu of modern flavors, they also serve vintage flavors such as the Frosted Malt, a standard of the old Cleveland Higbee’s Department Store. And I always appreciate that there are pretzel sticks on the counter for 10 cents. Most generally this is an eat outside kind of ice cream stop. (20230 Lorain Road, Fairview Park, Ohio, 44126)

Mason’s Creamery – They have an impressive assortment of homemade flavors including: Classics (Cleveland Whiskey, Vietnamese Coffee, and Vanilla with Cinnamon Swirls…), Seasonals (Paw Paw, Sweet Potato Pie, Lavender Salted Caramel…) and Vegan (Lemon Ginger, Watermelon Mint…) flavors. If you are an ice cream connoisseur, you know that every kind has its own creaminess quotient. If you prefer your ice cream consistency to have a higher icy to cream content, then you’ll love Mason’s. Friendliest service with seating inside and out of their light-filled shop. (4401 Bridge Ave. Cleveland Ohio)

How About You?

Oh, and if you haven’t yet printed off the Summer of Ice Cream Scorecard, you can find it here!

(Photos Top to Bottom: Our Atlas, Weber’s, Sweet Moses, Mitchell’s, Malley’s) 

 

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