My family and I have had a great time enjoying the Northwest suburbs. We’ve explored the Dundees and Elk Grove Village, discovered the hidden gems of Schaumburg and these past couple weeks have indulged in our favorite ice cream spots in the Northwest suburbs. Prepare for a brain freeze and indulge in some of our favorites.
Capannari Ice Cream
10 S. Pine Street, Mt. Prospect
Located in downtown Mount Prospect, this ice cream shop is not only popular with the community, but throughout the nation, as well. And for a very good reason – who can resist handmade gourmet super-premium ice cream with flavors like Frango, Olive Oil and Coconut Chip? Capannari’s has received tons of awards and recognition, including best ice cream in Chicago. Can’t decide what to try? How about an ice cream flight? I enjoyed my four baby scoops of black raspberry chip, limoncello, bourbon chocolate and salted caramel. My favorite? Salted caramel!
Tip: Take your ice cream outdoors, sit by the small butterfly garden and watch the train chug by. Or just let the kids run off their sugar high.
Van’s Custard and Burgers
46 E. Main Street, East Dundee
With its ideal location right off of the Fox River bicycle trail in East Dundee, this makes an easy stop for bikers and families looking for a tasty frozen treat (or a yummy burger.) Homemade custard with either vanilla or chocolate is served here along with a flavor of the day. Those who can’t have dairy can indulge in their sorbet flavor of the day. On our visit, we couldn’t resist trying their most popular sundae, the turtle sundae with vanilla, and heaps of caramel and pecans. I also had my eye on their sweet & salty sundae – raspberries, pretzels and cheesecake bites – which looked quite heavenly.
Tip: Stay awhile and enjoy your frozen delight while playing a game of checkers or any of the other board games available.
Coffee Haus
209 W. Golf Road, Schaumburg
Don’t let the name fool you. Coffee Haus serves much more than coffee! What do you get when you combine shaved ice and ice cream, topped with mochi, kiwi, strawberries, bananas, red bean and fruity pebbles? A delicious Korean dessert called Bing Soo! It may not seem like a likely combination but trust me – it works! My girlfriend introduced me to Coffee Haus, and I regret not finding this gem earlier!
Tip: The house specialty, the Haus Bing Soo was more than enough for three kids and one hungry momma.
Sprinkles Ice Cream Shoppe
1405 W. Schaumburg Rd, Schaumburg
This cute ice cream shop serves decadent ice cream with clever names like This %$@* Just Got Serious and Kitty Kitty Bang Bang. They have tons of choices and if you can’t decide what to order, look to their blackboard of top ten flavors including Zoreo and Zanzibar. For young shorties like mine, parents will appreciate having step stools to check out all the available flavors. The ice cream was delicious and the kiddos loved eating the ice cream atop a colored cake cone of their choosing.
Tip: Absolutely love ice cream or have a few friends willing to share? Try the Scoopzilla, a sundae with 15 scoops, 5 toppings, hot fudge and whip cream. Oh my!
Julie Ann’s Frozen Custard
6500 Northwest Hwy, Crystal Lake
For thirty years, this family-run business has been serving homemade custard to Crystal Lake residents. They feature four flavors of custard, two of which rotate daily. In addition to classic staples such as chocolate and vanilla, we tasted dark chocolate and ginger peach. Divine! If you have a particular favorite, they may have it in stock in their freezer. In the mood for a sundae? Choose one of their favorites including the Key Lime Sundae – two scoops of vanilla, homemade graham crust and homemade key lime sauce with whip cream and lime on top – or the Raspberry Fudge Sundae. Love coffee? Try an affogato, a creamy blend of custard and coffee. I couldn’t think of a better combo considering my love for both.
Tip: Don’t miss trying a Julie bar, a creamy custard on a stick hand-dipped in dark chocolate. Oh yes!
Christie’s Dairy Delights
45 N. Bothwell Street, Palatine
Stop by this ice cream shop located in downtown Palatine and steps from the Metra, and you’ll be greeted by the owner, Christie, and her infectious smile. Having dreamt of owning her own ice cream shop since she was eight, Christie is proud to have celebrated over one year at Christie’s Dairy Delights. Try Christie’s favorite flavor, carrot cake, or any of the other thirty-two other flavors that hail from Ashby’s in Michigan. Be sure to stop by often – with 125 different flavors rotating daily, you’re bound to find something new to try. You’ll also find scrumptious bakery goods from Deerfield’s Bakery as well as coffee from Metropolis Coffee. Don’t forget about your pooch – they have treats here for them, too!
Tip: Stay for a bit. The kids will love drawing on the huge chalkboard wall or playing with different board games.
Looking for more summer fun in the Northwest suburbs? Follow along our adventures on O the Places We Go, Facebook and Pinterest as we discover more than 100 activities and events to do this summer.
