With winter out of the way and Savannah’s scorching spring and summer weather coming, there’s no time like now for more ice cream shops.
Natives to Savannah are well accustomed to Leopold’s, Olympia Café, the Soda Pop Shoppe and several other ice cream shops around town, but a few new stores have made their way in, giving these locations a run for their money and Savannahians, a few more options.
Below Zero Rolled Ice Cream Opens by Ellis Square
In addition to the new Ben & Jerry’s store on Broughton Street, ice cream afficianados can also enjoy a cool treat at the new Below Zero Rolled Ice Cream shop on Barnard Street, next to Andaz, Hotel Indigo, Ellis Square and City Market.
Below Zero started on Broughton Street in a tiny space shared with Savannah Seafood Shack. In a unique process native to Thailand, ice cream connoisseurs pour cream onto a metal plate set to below freezing temperatures, adding the decided flavors, and then chop and mix everything up, spreading the cream very thin over and over until it is the right consistency, before scraping it up into a roll of ice cream. Toppings of the customers choice—nuts, chocolate, fruit or candies—are then added and voila! One rolled up and ravishing ice cream cup made at below zero temperatures.
With flavors that include S’mores, Cookie Monster, Savannah Bananas, Georgia Peach, Strawberry Shortcake, Pina Colada, Perfect Matcha, Frozen Hot Chocolate and Red Dragon, it’s no surprise that this shop has some great reviews and people lining up at the door. Its popularity prompted owners David and Christine Cutlip to open a second location, which focused on the ice cream, but also offers small bites and provides guests a fun place to relax.
“This is truly more of a place to hang out and rest your feet, because we are offering more of a dessert bar, café type of atmosphere,” said Timmy Tsoi, who owns the business with his daughter, Christine. “We want to create a more trendy, upbeat type of place to hang out.”
In addition, Below Zero’s “City Market” location at 10 Barnard St. also offers Bubble Tea and their new Popping Pearl Tea, which is similar to Bubble Tea but with fruit juice-filled spheres that burst instead of chewy tapioca balls.
“It’s a very unique taste and it’s very fun,” Tsoi said. “When you think about dessert, it’s all about having fun.”
Ben & Jerry’s Finds a Home on Broughton Street
On the other side of the Historic District, all the way from Vermont, Ben & Jerry’s has made its way to Georgia’s First City. They are serving up long-time favorites and well-known flavors, such as The Tonight Dough, Strawberry Cheesecake, Triple Coconut Caramel, Cherry Garcia, Chunky Monkey, New York Super Fudge Chunk, Triple Caramel Chunk and Phish Food, to name a few.
The ice cream is served in cups and small or large waffle cones with or without dips in the form of a scoop, cake, smoothie, milkshake, sundae, a pint or pint slice. Now anyone downtown can enjoy a national favorite and doesn’t have to venture to the grocery store to find it!.
These are just a few recent additions to the cool cuisine that’s keeping everyone’s temperature down on hot days. They come alongside Savannah Square Pops, a recent addition to the dessert scene that specializes in organic popsicles. Made from natural ingredients, their assortment expands the dessert scene with flavors ranging from Cheesecake with Chocolate Drizzle and Buttermilk to Strawberry Balsamic and Georgia Peach.
Scooped, rolled or on a popsicle stick, ice-cream is being served to Savannahnians all around the city and the people are eating it up. Cool off this spring and stop by one of these three new exciting additions to the Savannah ice creamery family!
