Ice Cream in Chicago

I've posted a long list of ice cream places in Chicago on my blog http://vitalinformation.blogspot.com/ I seek any and all comments to make the list even better.

Rob

All my favorite childhood Chicago ice cream palaces are long gone.

The original Buffalo's on Irving Park & Pulaski
Lockwood Castle on Devon & Caldwell-Home of the Giant Killer
Thompson's on Touhy in Park Ridge
Thompson's on Devon in Lincolnwood
The Pie Pan on Peterson & Cicero in Chicago

We still venture back to Margie's Candies on Western in Chicago for a great hot fudge banana split.

Good topic. Even though my choices are already listed on Vital Information's Blog, I'll still mention them.

Homer's - Wilmette (they have a location in Glenview as well, if memory serves me correctly) - Excellent quality of ice cream, great flavors (rum raisin during the winter months is a favorite).

Oberweis - Yeah, I know they're a chain, but that's awfully good ice cream.

I'll also mention Village Creamery in Skokie (which is a favorite of my six year old daughter).

I also must agree that many of the great ice creams places around Chicago are long gone (especially Lockwood Castle, which regretfully now houses a Starbucks).

It's change, but I'm not prepared to call it progress.

Well, my list is intended to be a pretty comprehensive summary of ALL ice cream places (except Baskin Robins, Ben and Jerry's and that ilk), so it is not presented as my favorites. In fact, I am not even sure I have a favorite.

I too rememeber the thrill of going to Lockwood Castle as a small kid. What I remember most were the sparklers and paper fans and umbrellas and such that decorated the ice cream. Buffalo on Irving I do not think I tried, but I really loved the hot fudge at the Buffalo in Skokie. It's a shame that places like Gerties and Ideal are gone. For modern, yuppie ice cream, Studio M had a short run making some really special ice cream. If some genie told me I could have ONE place back, that would be it.

Rob

Try Tate's in Wheaton. They make in the back every day and it's goood.
It's on Front street right off the Metra line. Also up the street is a cool little popcorn shop (and I mean little, it's 3 feet wide!).

Those milkshakes at Ideal in Chicago are not dead, they're still part of our bodies. I mean, remember how they came in 3 thicknesses? And I mean they are literally part of us still, somewhere near the hips. Sorry, Vital, I haven't looked yet, but do you include recipes? Bring back the memories of all sorts of special foods by recreating them at home. Cooking isn't rocket science with good recipes. Oops, just a suggestion. Just us. Thank you so very much, though, for the memory of Ideal... was it Ideal Candy? Now, that was a treat!

Just discovered Capannari's in Mt. Prospect, IL. Nice little place. They make their ice cream upstairs. Cute little park next door and movies shown on the outside wall in the summer. Friendly folks and tasty ice cream. Located on Pine St. off of N.W. Hwy and 3 blocks west of Route 83. Close to the train station. What could be better as a kid...a train ride to the ice cream shop!

quote:

Originally posted by chicagostyledog

All my favorite childhood Chicago ice cream palaces are long gone.

The original Buffalo's on Irving Park & Pulaski
Lockwood Castle on Devon & Caldwell-Home of the Giant Killer
Thompson's on Touhy in Park Ridge
Thompson's on Devon in Lincolnwood
The Pie Pan on Peterson & Cicero in Chicago

We still venture back to Margie's Candies on Western in Chicago for a great hot fudge banana split.

Found this site by accident, never thought it would be a trip down memory lane. My grandfather owned the original Buffalo on Irving & Pulaski. I proudly display and cherish a sundae dish, which I am told is a Buffalo original. Lockwood Castle was a hangout for us grandkids while grandma shopped in town. I know my grandfather is smiling knowing The Buffalo is still fondly remembered. Thanks for making my heart smile.

Peterson's Old-Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor at 1100 Chicago Ave. in Oak Park is always good. Great turtle sundae's in a place that's been around since 1919. The ice cream itself is excellent.

My childhood ice cream memory is Buffalo. I sure miss that one.

Gertie's on 59th and Kedzie was discovered in the late '70s. That was really good. They made their own ice cream and even the whipped cream. The family had a falling out and . . . gone.

The only one still around, near but not in Chicago, is Sherman Dairy in South Haven, MI. Sherman's ice cream is also sold at Oink's in New Buffalo, MI. Really good ice cream.

Sherman Dairy was a favorite of our family when we spent the summers in Coloma and South Haven. It's still in operation today. www.shermanicecream.com A definite Roadfooder's place.

quote:

Originally posted by chicagostyledog

Sherman Dairy was a favorite of our family when we spent the summers in Coloma and South Haven. It's still in operation today. www.shermanicecream.com A definite Roadfooder's place.

They serve Shermans at Everyday is a Sundae in downtown Downers Grove.

Found this site by accident, never thought it would be a trip down memory lane. My grandfather owned the original Buffalo on Irving & Pulaski. I proudly display and cherish a sundae dish, which I am told is a Buffalo original. Lockwood Castle was a hangout for us grandkids while grandma shopped in town. I know my grandfather is smiling knowing The Buffalo is still fondly remembered. Thanks for making my heart smile.


I am a South-Sider by birth, but currently live in Old Irving Park, where the Buffalo on Irving & Pulaski used to be. By the time I moved up here, it was long gone...but the locals still rave about it to this day. If your grandpa owned it, perhaps you have some photos???? I work with the Irving Park Historical Society and they'd 'kill' for anything Buffalo-related--scans/copies of photos, or a shot of your sundae-dish...I think the IPHS archives has one photo of the interior, but I have no idea of the date. Any help you can share would be greatly appreciated, and credited properly to you. Please let me know...

p.s. We went to a 'frozen custard' drive-in on 63rd street west of Midway Airport, and on occasion to Gertie's on 59th and Kedzie.

Does anyone besides me remember "The Roundup" on Broadway just north of Roscoe in Lakeview? I can't remember if the ice cream was good, but I do remember the player piano. It was a Western-themed place, and some kids used to have birthday parties there. I grew up in that neighborhood in the 1970's. The place probably closed around 1980. Any memories anyone has would be appreciated.

Oh yeah - I agree that Homer's and Sherman's Dairy are the best ice cream places in the region.

There used to be a really good ice cream store in downtown Evanston, that wasn't a chain. Can't remember the name? Anyone remember?

Danimal, I read your post--then went to the kitchen to bake a cake. Without thinking, as I looked at your post again, Peacock's came to mind. I only went there once, and it had the look about it of a place being kept open solely for the old folks at the retirement homes a block away. They made the ice cream at a small building near Green Bay Road, and after the downtown location on the south side of Davis Street closed, you could go out there and buy packaged ice cream if you were free weekdays to go there. I seem to remember pistachio ice cream. The Roundup? I must be a little older than you, because while I remember it, I remember more the bars near there, as I lived on Melrose '76-'79. It was an unusual place. Then do you remember Martha's Candies on Broadway about a block south of the Roundup?

Sure I remember Martha's Candies. Thanks for reminding me of it. It closed in around 1982. It was an old-fashioned candy store with a very reserved atmosphere. There's now a place called "Windy City Sweets" (formerly Windy City Fruit and Nut Co.) across the street that's a very good candy and ice cream store, but a lot more modern.

The bars around there have changed a lot since 76-79, when you lived in the area. Now it's mostly upscale gay bars. Back then, there was a really sleazy bar called "Bee's" on the corner of Aldine and Broadway. Someone once lurched out of there and made an anti-semitic comment to my rabbi, who was walking by on his way to the Anshe Sholem synagogue on Melrose.

I lived on Aldine full-time from 1975 to 1989 and then sporadically (during summers off from college and grad school) until 1994. My parents are still on that street. It's a great neighborhood.

Someone told me yesterday there's a good ice cream parlor in a strip mall on Sheridan Road in Highwood, a small town just north of Highland Park. I'll give it a try and report back.

I also liked the ice cream we had at a place called Sweet's on Deerpath in Lake Forest last week. I had caramel - very rich.

Hell, I'm no judge. I like almost any ice cream. I even enjoyed the low-fat Breyer's mint chip I had for dessert last night. Even without much fat, it tasted better than anything else I ate all day!

Windy City Fruit and Nut. Is that any relation to "Nuts on Clark," the nut discounter on Clark north of Addison where everything was in steel drums behind the counter, and the nuts were freshfreshfresh and cheapcheapcheap?

Glad to know the non-gay bars on Broadway are going away. Gay men have much too often been the victims of "fag-bashing" themselves and will not tolerate the harassment of any innocent people, so your parents are safer than before. Sometimes I miss the old neighborhood.

Michael:

Windy City Sweets has no relation to Nuts on Clark, as far as I know.

I agree with you about the bars there. The funny thing is, when that sleazy bar finally closed in 79 or 80, it was replaced by a gay men's clothing store called "Bad Boys." Times were changing, I guess.

"Bad Boys" eventually moved, to Andersonville - about three miles north - and now there's a coffee store at the location.

Oh. "Bad Boys" was legendary for openly ridiculing large men who made the mistake of entering their fashionista shrine. Better you should get good coffee than "Bad Boys"' attitude. Better yet we should all get some ice cream, so thanks for the continuing ice cream recommendations.

This is my mom's site, but she's letting me (7 years old) to write about my favorite ice cream place. Coldstone creamery located
in arlington heights, IL. My favorite part is if you tip the workers, they will sing a song.

Chicagostyledog...I can't believe that ANYONE remembers the "Pie Pan" at Peterson and Cicero...with the little fence running all the way around the joint

quote:

Originally posted by Luvstoeat

Chicagostyledog...I can't believe that ANYONE remembers the "Pie Pan" at Peterson and Cicero...with the little fence running all the way around the joint

We discovered the Pie Pan in the mid 50's after moving from the west side of Chicago to Lincolnwood. Lincolnwood had some wonderful ice cream restaurants. Jalin's was on the corner of Lincoln and Crawford (great malts & shakes). Across the street was Howard Johnson's. In high school, I worked at Henry's Drive-In on Lincoln Avenue north of the miniature golf course. Soft serve was used for the shakes and real ice cream for the sundaes. They also served home made fruited pies.

[Found this site by accident, never thought it would be a trip down memory lane. My grandfather owned the original Buffalo on Irving & Pulaski. I proudly display and cherish a sundae dish, which I am told is a Buffalo original. Lockwood Castle was a hangout for us grandkids while grandma shopped in town. I know my grandfather is smiling knowing The Buffalo is still fondly remembered. Thanks for making my heart smile.

Hi, I was a Buffalo's neighborhood patron. When it closed, I learned that a 'new' Buffalo's was opening in Morton Grove on Dempster (not sure) and did visit there.

After time, I moved to the NW burbs and 'found' a Buffalo's in Buffalo Grove. Just last night, a friend was told by the owner that 'it' was the 'same' Buffalo's. Can that be correct?

Thanks,

Jim

quote:

Originally posted by miller

[Found this site by accident, never thought it would be a trip down memory lane. My grandfather owned the original Buffalo on Irving & Pulaski. I proudly display and cherish a sundae dish, which I am told is a Buffalo original. Lockwood Castle was a hangout for us grandkids while grandma shopped in town. I know my grandfather is smiling knowing The Buffalo is still fondly remembered. Thanks for making my heart smile.

Hi, I was a Buffalo's neighborhood patron. When it closed, I learned that a 'new' Buffalo's was opening in Morton Grove on Dempster (not sure) and did visit there.

After time, I moved to the NW burbs and 'found' a Buffalo's in Buffalo Grove. Just last night, a friend was told by the owner that 'it' was the 'same' Buffalo's. Can that be correct?

Thanks,

Jim

Buffalo is very, very fondly remembered.

As for Buffalo in Buffalo Grove, it is a family restaurant, not an ice cream parlor.

Speaking from the ignored reaches of the south suburbs. It is hard for me to discuss ice cream in Chicago without beginning or ending with The Plush Horse.

The Plush Horse has been in Palos Park (I think it is Park, there are 3 Palos towns next to each other and it sometimes gets confusing)since 1936. It is a true old fashioned ice cream parlor in every sense, that has been a childhood landmark to just about every kid in the south burbs. They still make their own ice cream, and I can not recommend it highly enough.

Also in the South suburbs is the Original Rainbow Cone, with 2 locations, Orland Park at 143rd st and LaGrange Rd, and the original on Western and about 99th. Rainbow bought out and took over another southside classic in the Purple Cow.

quote:

Originally posted by stormycat

quote:

Originally posted by chicagostyledog

Sherman Dairy was a favorite of our family when we spent the summers in Coloma and South Haven. It's still in operation today. www.shermanicecream.com A definite Roadfooder's place.

They serve Shermans at Everyday is a Sundae in downtown Downers Grove.

I just got this off Sherman's website, it is their new flavors for 2005;


New Flavors for 2005

Cake Batter - Cake Batter Flavored Ice Cream with Pieces of yellow Cake and swirled with thick fudge chocolate icing.

Cinnamon Buns - Brown Sugar Ice Cream with cinnamon roll pieces and swirled with caramel icing.

Hopscotch - Vanilla Ice Cream with a blend of butterscotch morsels and praline pecans and swirled with butterscotch.

New Item For 2005

Strawberry Shortcake Sundaes

Other Items

Waffle Bowl Sundaes - Sundaes Served in Waffle Bowls

Tour of Sherman's - Which will be six small (golf ball size) scoops of ice cream in a dish. Customers may choose their flavors. We have had requests in the past for sampler plates and now our customers can create their own. It's a perfect way to try a flavor that perhaps your not accustomed to ordering.

Summer Fling- Vanilla ice cream on a chocolate cookie smothered with hot fudge, hot Carmel, nestle crunch pieces topped with whip cream & a cherry. Served on a take home Frisbee.

Ice Cream Bars $2.55 (Vanilla & Butter Pecan) Frozen Bananas $1.95 (dipped in Chocolate)

Frisbee($1.90)- small Frisbees with our Sherman logo on it.

Key chains($3.25)- a key chain of our Sherman's logo.

Hats $10.00
Coffee Mugs $4.50
Adult tee's $12.00
Children's $9.00
Adult Sweatshirts $20.00

We have rearranged a little bit; We've added an 8 flavor freezer for additional flavors while using a small T-shirt case and novelty freezer. Ice Cream Bars and Frozen Bananas will be available on a self serve Basis. Cone Heads will still be available but on a make as we go basis. This will keep them fresher and the children can choose exactly which flavor they wish.

Our Dairy Bar is Now Serving
Vanilla Amaretto Cherry Black Cherry
Black Walnut Blue Moon Butter Pecan
Cappucino Carmel Carmel Carmel Chocolate
Chocolate Almond Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Chocolate Malt Supreme
Chocomania Coconut Almond Fudge Cotton Candy Confetti
French Silk Grasshopper Lemon Custard
Mackinac Island Fudge Mint Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cup
Praline Pecan Sherman Tracks Strawberry
Strawberry Cheesecake Toffe Fantastic Turtle
Rainbow Sherbet Mackinac Island Fudge (Low Fat Yogurt) (No Sugar Added) Cherry Vanilla
Mango Passion Fruit Sorbet


Hopefully you're as excited about the 2005 season as we are!

See you soon!

Lots of stops down memory lane.Lockwwod ,Buffalo,IdealCandies
You can also add Cock Robin in Skokie,any A&W rootbeer stand
Dairy Queen.

Homers in Wilmette has got great Peach ice cream in the summer.

Thanks