Summer means one thing, and one thing only: ice cream all day every day. Here are some of the most unique ice cream shops in the city.
Margie’s Candies
(1960 N Western Ave or 1813 Montrose Ave)
One word: the Beatles. Yes, the band ate at Margie’s Candies back in the day. But that’s not Margie’s only claim to fame. Margie’s Candies is like a step back in time straight into “Grease.” Filled with music machines and antique booths, the shop’s décor and ice cream are classic. Sundaes are served with a gravy boat of hot fudge and mountains of whipped cream. Needless to say, you can’t go wrong at Margie’s. Put on that poodle skirt, tie those pigtails and head on down.
iCream Cafe
(1537 N Milwaukee Ave)
Do you like liquid nitrogen? Do you like ice cream? Then make your way to iCream Café. This unique shop does not have any pre-made ice cream displayed under a glass counter. Instead, you make your own concoction. Think of it as a Coldstone Creamery with a splash of scientific genius. Watch in awe (or horror) as cold steam rises up from a tricked-out mixer!
The Original Rainbow Cone
(9233 S Western Ave)
This ice cream shop only sells one thing: a rainbow cone. What is a rainbow cone, you ask? It is a cone with FIVE different flavors of ice cream: chocolate, strawberry, vanilla with strawberries and walnuts, pistachio and orange sherbet. Even though the addition of a *cough* non-ice cream flavor is questionable (looking at you orange sherbet), the colors will look wonderful on any Instagram. Besides the wonderful foodie photo opportunity, the cone is pretty marvelous too.
Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream
(3404 Southport Ave)
Sometimes the classics like chocolate and vanilla just don’t make the cut. Look no further than Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream. Jeni’s doesn’t sell chocolate ice cream; they sell the “Darkest Chocolate” ice cream. They don’t sell vanilla ice cream; they sell “Ndali Estate Vanilla Bean” ice cream. The shop has an endless and ever-changing array of unusual ice cream flavors. These include root beer, sun-popped corn, brown butter almond brittle, and roasted strawberry and buttermilk. Whatever your weird ice cream dreams are: Jeni’s has it covered.
Although local Evanston frozen treat shops are great, travel outside the area this summer and go on a Chicago ice cream adventure!
Let’s hope to look as graceful as Ron Swanson …