For over 60 years, Jersey Junction in East Grand Rapids has served delectable scoops of Hudsonville and Mooville brand ice cream to local students, residents and families, all while situated in, perhaps, the most charming and nostalgic interior you might find in the West Michigan area.
A time capsule, the walls display photographs, articles and newspaper advertisements from as old as 1908, each meticulously captioned to describe the item’s context and significance.
Popular flavors include the rainbow-colored “Super Scoop” and a triple-chocolate confection called “Michigan Pot Hole”, a morsel which reminds me both of my habitual car troubles as well as my unfortunate lactose intolerance. For a proper trip around the Grand Rapids area ice cream eateries, a dairy-free foodie such as myself would need a foil, a Bizarro dairy-loving opposite. My girlfriend, Zoe, would be that Bizarro.
SUPER SCOOPERS
Our first stop is, I’d wager a guess, what most of our readers might think of when the discussion of where to get ice cream in Grand Rapids is brought up: Frosty Boy in Creston. Past the Reservoir Lounge on Plainfield, Frosty Boy routinely brings in a crowd (and, oftentimes, a long line) of ice cream enthusiasts there to pick up some of the shop’s original flavors and sundae recipes, the latter having 14 varieties. And, with 23 varieties of flurries available with dairy-free vanilla ice cream, Frosty Boy boasts an impressive menu with plenty of consideration for allergies.
The special that day was a hard-shell coating of blue raspberry candy, available upon request. Zoe ordered the lemon cake sundae, which advertised marshmallows and bite-sized chunks of cheesecake topped on Frosty Boy’s famous lemon-flavored soft serve. I ordered a vegan vanilla shake with peanut butter. When our orders were finished, it became obvious to me that to “drink” this thick, creamy dessert would be utterly impossible, and so I grabbed a spoon. The sizes there are incredibly generous, too, and Zoe remarked how pleased she was to see so many marshmallows included in her large bowl.
More is better, right? Later, at a ice cream shop closer to our own neighborhood called Pinkie’s, neither of us could believe what we received were truly “kid-sized” portions. What does a kid need three scoops of huckleberry-flavored ice cream in a waffle cone for, anyway? But, after trying our selections (for me, a vegan pint of vanilla for only $4.50), I was surprised to feel the need for more. Much more, in fact. Our first trip to Pinkie’s, tagged along by our friend Griffin, was an incredible success. And, with a convenient location across from Wealthy Theatre, an ice cream date before seeing a movie seems like a perfectly fine way to spend your night.
Back at Frosty Boy, Zoe and I notice the window display of the store’s various merchandise. There were large t-shirts featuring the shop’s youthful mascot, available in different colors and tie-dye effects.
“I think they should sell metal sundae spoons that say ‘Frosty Boy’ or have a little lad on them,” Zoe said. “I think they should sell beach balls, beach towels and flip flops.”
They also sell dog bandanas.
A TASTE OF THE UNEXPECTED
On a cloudy, rainy June time day (isn’t weather strange?), the two of us packed into Zoe’s car and headed south, toward Wyoming and our next stop: Tsisiki Ice Cream. Open fairly recently, this overlooked gem fuses classic ice cream flavors with popular Latin ingredients. This is no better seen than in their most popular item: the Mangonada. Combining fresh slices of mango, vanilla ice cream, chamoy, tajin, and a tamarind-coated straw, this tall dessert cup dances between sensations of both spicy and sweet, leaving in its wake a delightfully tangy and refreshing taste. And, while Tsisiki Ice Cream may not, unfortunately, offer much in the way of dairy-free options, their menu does include some other delicious Mexican treats, such as elotes and fruity paleta.
On our drive back home, I ask to make a stop at one of my own personal favorites, Furniture City Creamery in Eastown, which reliably sells unique, one-of-a-kind vegan flavors made daily for visiting customers. The rotating batch that day was peppermint patty. While this might’ve been a home-run for some, my unruly taste buds disliked the minty notes. I opted for a pint of vegan cookies-n-cream, instead. However, as a food journalist (can I say that?), I can confidently say that I’m often impressed by those weirder, adventurous sorts of ice cream treats.
For instance, a visitor to Lost Art Brewhouse in Walker, just past the city line, might be surprised to find a slot in their rotating menu of beverages dedicated to one, single variety: ice cream beer. Utilizing frozen dairy at some point or another in their secretive batch-brew processing, Lost Art takes fan-favorite flavors (piña colada, key lime pie, orange creamsicle, etc.) and dilutes them into a bulbous, stemmed glass. What’s left is a delicious summertime beverage with an unmistakable air of ice cream goodness.
Spicy ice cream shakes and dairy-flavored beer? Yes, dear reader, the ice cream community has come a far, far way from those nostalgic, old parlors of Jersey Junction and the like. Over in Creston, Too Tall’s has made burgers, hot dogs and appetizers a big part of their offering. And, with more venues dipping their cones into the frozen treat game (One Stop Coney, Terra, Romence Gardens plant shop, just to name a few), it is clear to anyone that, as long as summer weather is hot and stomachs are empty, ice cream shops are here to stay. ν
