By Stephanie Bernaba
In honor of National Ice Cream Day on July 21, 2024, we have gathered some of the gooiest, sweetest, and most delectable places for local treats that will cool you down and turn up your taste buds.
Some local shops have decades of history, while others offer photo-worthy, shareable snacks. All of the shops offer handmade treats made with love by local families.
Get your tiny spoon ready for a sampling of Indiana’s best!
SCOOP SHACK
scoopshackindy.com
7002 Lake Plaza Dr., Suite B, Indianapolis, IN 46220
Scoop Shack is a local business with a passion for bringing neighbors together through delicious food. Its owners, Sonja Schaeckenbach and Nicole Eslinger, were good friends who noticed a need for a scoop shop that helped nurture and build community. From that dream and with lots of help from friends, family, and neighbors, Scoop Shack was born.
The shop offers 32 rotating flavors, including banana brownie, lemon custard, red velvet, and chocolate cinnamon churro. They also offer take-home pints, special orders, and ice cream pies (24-hour notice required).
Scoop Shack’s owners’ high standards yield locally sourced and deliberately crafted products.
TAYLOR’S CEREAL BOWL KITCHEN
Find Taylor’s on Instagram at @TAYLORSCEREALBOWLKITCHEN
438 Spring St., Jeffersonville, IN 47130
Taylor’s serves ice cream with a crunchy twist in a playful, sensory-friendly environment suited for children of all ages. Interactive play includes Draw Alive, which makes kids’ drawings come to life on a screen, and interactive games projected onto the floors.
Taylor’s brings hungry diners mashups of ice cream and their favorite cereals.
Order a cup or cone or delve into your childhood dreams with cereal shakers like the Chips Ahoy Shaker, featuring Chips Ahoy cereal, vanilla ice cream, and chocolate syrup, topped with a Chips Ahoy cookie.
Taylor’s also offers oat-based vegan flavors, including chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry.
ZAX CREAMERY
zaxcreamery.com
2603 N Newton St., Jasper, IN 47546 120 Main St., Montgomery, IN 47558
Zax Creamery features homemade ice cream, gluten- and dairy-free alternatives, and tasty no-sugar-added flavors. It also boasts an enviable selection of coffees ranging from Americanos to lattes to hot chocolates. Their House Blend coffee offers a lively but smooth blend of coffees from Thailand and Nicaragua.
Signature items include the Hoosier Mocha Frappe, featuring white chocolate and caramel, and Atomic Blonde ice cream, loaded with white chocolate, toffee bits, and golden Oreos.
Zax’s Jasper location also offers a selection of homemade muffins to pair with their complex and inventive coffees.
IVANHOE’S
ivanhoes.info
959 South Main St., Upland, IN 46989
Ivanhoe’s, a family-owned shop run by Ivan, Carol, and Mark Slain since 1965, is known for its extensive menu, which offers 100 different shakes and sundaes. The shop even offers a ‘100 Club’ for diners who have tried all 100 flavors. Diners receive cards stamped with each flavor they order (by number). Once they have ordered all 100 flavors, they receive an Ivanhoe’s 100 Club T-shirt and have their names added to a 100 Club plaque displayed in its dining room.
Some exciting shake flavors include Coconut Willy, based in vanilla, with coconut and bananas; German Chocolate Cake, based in chocolate, topped with pecans, coconut, shortbread cookies, and caramel; and the Time Out, based in vanilla with a Twix bar and a dip of chocolate ice cream. And their sundaes are even more exciting!
The restaurant also features a full menu, including sandwiches and salads.
CHILLZ ICE CREAM
chillzdelights.com
902 State Road 114 West, North Manchester, IN 46962
Chillz is a 50s-style scoop shop with dine-in and drive-thru options. It serves hand-dipped ice cream with a nearly endless selection of toppings. Entrepreneur Janzin Cripe founded Chillz in 2018 out of a converted shed. He used his social media prowess to build his brand and today runs a bustling business while helping to inspire and motivate other young entrepreneurs.
In addition to its dessert offerings, Chillz offers sandwiches and snacks, including the Toasty Joe, a homemade sloppy joe between two premium, garlic-and-herb grilled cheese sandwiches, “totz” featuring signature dipping sauces, and made-from-scratch mini donuts.
A few of Chillz’s standout offerings include the Bacon Sundae, the Cuban Sandwich, and the Frenchie, a hamburger bun filled with Coney hot dog sauce. Chillz also offers vegan ice cream, shakes, and sundaes.
STEPHANIE BERNABA is a freelancer with national reach who thrives on topics like food and entertainment
