The Scoop on Evanston Ice Cream

By Jordan Graham and David Hertz

Since Evanston claimed fame for coining the name "sundae," ice cream has remained a celebrated treat around town. Ice cream parlors have come and gone from various storefronts around the City. Peacock's Ice Cream, an Evanston-based company that is now closed, once had a factory on Ashland Avenue, and many recall the fresh peach ice cream as though they tasted it yesterday. Today Evanston has a multitude of stops ands shops that sell ice cream, ranging from smaller local businesses to well-known, national chains. Recently, the RoundTable sent two reporters into the field to get the scoop.

European-style gelato has made its way to Evanston in the form of three smaller, locally owned businesses. Linz and Vail makes its gelato fresh every morning in the store, as does Panino's Café and Bar, which also serves up Italian ice. The Italian Coffee Bar lures customers in with its pistachio gelato. All three double as part coffeehouse, part gelateria.

Evanston has not been immune to an influx of ice cream chains. Red Mango, founded in South Korea, offers only "original" and green tea-flavored frozen yogurts, but allows its customers to infuse their nonfat treats with up to seven fresh fruit, nut or sweet toppings. Less than a block away, Cold Stone Creamery boasts its "Signature Creations," combinations of ice cream and mix-ins (brownies, cookies, candy, fruit, etc.).

In its 13th year, Hartigan's remains one of the only locally owned, old-fashioned ice cream shops in Evanston. The store continues to serve the classics: cones, milkshakes and sundaes, including the "Terry Bets U Can," a mammoth creation including five scoops, three toppings, a brownie, whipped cream, nuts and cherries.

Read up, eat up and get the scoop!

An Ice Cream Tour of Evanston

Baskin Robbins
Address: 1900 Dempster St.
Serves: Ice cream, milkshakes, softserve
Popular Item: Mint chocolate chip

Ben & Jerry's
Address: 1634 Orrington St.
Serves: Ice cream, frozen yogurt, sorbet
Popular Item: Chocolate chip cookie dough
Community Outreach: Ben & Jerry's program giving children free ice cream for reading books

Cold Stone Creamery
Address:1611 Sherman Ave.
Serves: Ice cream, ice cream cakes, sorbet, milkshakes, sundaes, frozen yogurt
Popular Item: Birthday Cake Remix
Specialty: Blending base ice cream and a variety of mix-ins on request

Hartigan's
Address: 2909 Central St.
Serves: Ice cream, soft-serve, non-dairy ice cream, cakes, milkshakes, floats, ice cream sodas, smoothies, coffee drinks.
Popular Item: Milkshakes and ice cream
Ice Cream Secret: Every flavor is low-fat.

Linz and Vail
Address: 2012 Central St.
and 922 Noyes St.
Serves: Gelato, sorbetto, frozen yogurt
Popular Item: Belgian chocolate gelato
Unusual service: Will mix up to four flavors together in any size serving

Mustard's Last Stand
Address:1613 Central St.
Serves: Milkshakes, sundaes, ice cream
Popular Item: Cookies n' Cream
Doubles as: A burger joint

Panino's Café and Bar
Address: 1968 Dempster St.
Serves: Gelato, Italian ice
Popular Item: Lemon ice
Gelato Source: Made at Panino's daily

Red Mango
Address: 809 Davis St.
Serves: Frozen yogurt and toppings
Popular Item: Original flavor frozen yogurt with mango topping
Specialty: Variety of toppings, including fresh fruit

TCBY
Address: 1551 Sherman Ave.
Serves: Frozen yogurt
Popular Item: Soft serve ice cream
Difficult to Find: TCBY Shares a building with Subway.

The Italian Coffee Bar
Address: 940 Church St. and1549 Sherman Ave.
Serves: Gelato, sorbetto
Popular Item: Pistachio gelato
Unusual service: Customers can share an order by splitting scoops into as many cups as they want without extra charge.

Steve & Barry's Update

Steve& Barry's announced on Aug. 4 that it filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court an Asset Purchase Agreement under which it agreed to sell certain of its assets for $163 million. Subject to acceptable renegotiation of store leases and subject to bankruptcy court approval, the buyer expressed intent to continue to operate Steve & Barry8 0s retail stores as a going concern.

Rachael Brenner, a spokesperson for Steve & Barry's, told the RoundTable that no decision was made with respect to specific stores and she could thus not comment on how the proposed asset purchase agreement would impact the proposed store to be located in Evanston Plaza at Dempster Street and Dodge Avenue.