Looking for some cool treats? Best ice cream, gelato, ice pops in Palm Beach County
Summer is here again and it's going to be 90 degrees or more for the next three months. Also, to pound a well-worn cliche into the swampy ground, we're not talking dry heat, but jungle-worthy humidity. Yes, you should avoid being outdoors in the worst of it, wear loose-fitting clothing, a hat and sunscreen and blah, blah, blah.
But we have a better way to keep cool and it involves seeking nearby restaurants and other purveyors of icy treats. This is cooling from the inside out with ice cream, gelato, shaved ice, ice pops and more.
Don't think of this as indulging. These frozen treats are weapons in maintaining your sanity. That shaved ice is purely a means of hydration.
No doubt, these oases of cooling decadence are everywhere. But to begin to build your beat-the-heat first aid kit, here are 10 excellent options for keeping your cool in the sweetest way possible:
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Rosa Ice Cream
In business for eight years, Rosa Ice Cream is owned and run by David Hoyuela.
Originally from Spain, Hoyuela has been making his own ice cream for 35 years. Before that he worked in his family's ice cream business there. Back in the day, as father and son would fetch milk to make their ice cream, Hoyuela would tell his father that milk from one cow in particular produced the best ice cream. That cow's name was Rosa.
Hoyuela said Rosa Ice Cream makes all of its ice cream in house, using only natural ingredients and no salt or eggs. The shop offers more than 30 flavors at a time.
Rosa carries the basic must-haves, such as vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and pistachio, but staff also ventures outside the box with varieties including apple crisp, horchata, red wine and avocado.
Two of their most popular ice creams are carrot cake and peanut butter. They also make a special ice cream for Guanabanas called "VT." It has cookie dough, brownie, chocolate and caramel and is very popular. In addition to ice cream, customers can indulge in fresh fruit popsicles, fresh fruit beverages and more.
Information: 1695 W. Indiantown Road, Jupiter. 561-201-5505; instagram.com/rosaicecreamjupiter
Locals Shaved Ice
Just had a great summer surf session, paddle or beach run near the Juno Pier and looking to cool off? Locals Surf Shop in the Bluffs Square Shoppes shopping plaza might have what you need.
What does a surf shop have in common with icy, sweet goodness? Usually, not too much, but inside Locals Surf Shop vistors can find the Locals Shaved Ice stand.
Using a machine called a "Snowie," they produce ultra-fluffy ice that is the perfect vehicle for any one of 24 flavors. These range from standards like grape, cherry and orange to the super cool like cotton candy, pink bubble gum, Bahama mama or tiger's blood (it's actually strawberry/coconut, but we love 'tiger's blood!').
Shop and stand owner Jimmy Moren said his wife always wanted to run a shaved ice stand and after seeing one in action about two years ago, they thought "how hard could it be?" and went for it. The rest is icy cold, tasty history.
Information: 4050 US 1, Jupiter. 561-624-6006; localsshavedice.com
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Matty's Gelato Factory
No list of Palm Beach County sweet treats would be complete without mention of this Juno Beach gem. Matty's has 24 to 28 flavors of gelato made fresh daily. They range from the not-so-wild (though wildly popular) coconut, and strawberry, made with strawberries imported from Italy, to the slightly more complex chocolate, coffee, mascarpone, their most popular flavor. The cannoli and the Key lime are also must-try flavors.
Though only 29 years old, Matty Cairo has owned and operated his gelato shop with his wife for six years. He learned his craft working with two Italian immigrants in Connecticut. They taught him well: Since moving back to the Sunshine State (he grew up in Port St. Lucie), Cairo has garnered one accolade after another. In 2019, his shop was named best in the state on Yelp!
Information: 867 Donald Ross Road, Juno Beach. 561-557-3539; mattysgelatofactory.com
Sprinkles Ice Cream & Sandwich Shop
Quite possibly the "Godfather" of ice cream in Palm Beach County, this shop has been serving up refreshing sweet treats for 40 years.
If you've ever ridden on, run, walked or skated the bike trail in Palm Beach, this spot can be the perfect way to cool off. Go ahead, you've earned a scoop or two of ice cream ranging from black cherry to dulce de leche to butterscotch bomb to Smurf.
In addition to sweet treats, this Palm Beach hot/cool spot has been a celebrity magnet over the years. Martha Stewart, Brooke Shields, Susan Lucci and more have stopped by the store.
Information: 279 Royal Poinciana Way, Palm Beach. 561-659-1140; sprinklespalmbeach.com
Piccolo Gelato
This hidden gem on Via Mizner between Peruvian and Worth avenues in Palm Beach features gelato, sorbetto and cakes. Their gelato and sorbetto are made fresh daily, in small batches, using locally sourced ingredients including hormone-free milk and cream from grass-fed Florida cows.
The gelato flavors are pretty amazing, with dozens of options including hot cocoa with marshmallows, frozen cappuccino, red velvet, pumpkin spice and many more. For sorbettos, there's lemon, mango, peach, passion fruit mimosa and plenty of others to choose from. Vegan options are available.
Information: 66 Via Mizner, Palm Beach. 561-814-5966; piccologelatopb.com
Peachwave
Opened in 2022, this Clematis Street frozen yogurt and gelato shop can offer the perfect, cooling balm when you're rocking the streets of downtown West Palm Beach.
They offer up to 12 flavors of yogurt and gelato daily, with 50 topping options ranging from fresh fruit, to popping bobas, to whipped cream — all prepared fresh, in-house every morning.
Though the frozen treats are served in cups and cones, it's the cones that are more tempting, being made fresh, not daily, but hourly. Heaven in a cone (or at least a taste of it).
Information: 428 Clematis St., West Palm Beach. 561-766-1584; peachwaveyogurt.com
Angie's Epicurean
Even if you're avoiding gluten and/or dairy, you don't have to miss out on sweet, cooling treats. Sweet treat salvation is at hand at Angie's Epicurean at The Square in downtown West Palm Beach.
This pop-up location by The Wishing Tree crafts the ice creams using cashews and coconut milk and features nearly a dozen flavors — from staples like vanilla, chocolate and strawberry to varieties including mango lassi, mixed berries and pistachio. There are also over two dozen toppings and multiple sauces to take those flavor combinations on bigger journeys.
The wife and husband team of chef Angela Fernandez and Dylan Finger began working on their recipes in 2017 and spent two years perfecting them before going public at Wynwood in 2019. They have since expanded and have been operating their pop-up out of a vintage French truck at The Square for nearly two years. Finger said it's their most popular location.
Information: The Square, 700 S. Rosemary Ave., West Palm Beach. thesquarewestpalm.com
Carvel
Though there are many Carvel shops around country, there's only one that's independently owned, by the same family, for nearly 50 years.
Located on Dixie Highway in West Palm Beach, it's more than a landmark; it's part of Palm Beach County history. With two massive cones standing like sentinels, it is a beacon for all the frozen (and semi-frozen), sweet goodness in this world and is absolutely a stopping point.
Whether doling out scooped or soft-serve treats, they've helped the good citizens of West Palm Beach stand tall against the oppressive forces of heat and humidity for decades.
Information: 5901 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach. 561-588-7853; locations.carvel.com
Mimi's Creamery and Coffee
Independently owned and operated by Mimi Prophete and her daughter Whitney, this family-friendly, Lantana gem features world-famous Bassetts Ice Cream.
They offer more than 20 flavors, served in bowls as well as in sugar, waffle and cake cones. Whitney said that their salted caramel pretzel and coffee fudge truffle are the two most popular.
In addition to ice cream, Mimi's also serves 10 varieties of Italian ice along with acai bowls, banana splits and more.
Information: 103A South Third St., Lantana. 561-530-7655; mimis-creamery-and-coffee.business.site
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Morelia Gourmet Paletas
One of nine Florida locations and the farthest one north, this Boca Raton shop features Mexican paletas.
Similar to popsicles, but bigger, these frozen treats are small-batch made and feature 100% natural ingredients. Morelia has 16 to 18 varieties at a time and they include mainstays as well as seasonal options.
Some of the flavors include passion fruit sorbet, chocolate hazelnut, dulce de leche filled with dulce de leche, banana filled with Nutella and many more.
Owner Jordan Krams said that top sellers include the the Sicilian pistachio and the OREO cookies & cream, which has a whole Oreo frozen in the center. Krams also said they are about to release two new flavors for summer — pineapple mint and pink lemonade.
Information: 125 Via Naranjas, Boca Raton. 561-672-1055; paletasmorelia.com
Eddie Ritz is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at [email protected]. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Best ice cream, gelato, shaved ice shops in Palm Beach County
