RITA RECOMMENDS

Hottest ice cream shops around Jacksonville Rita Albert • Editor-in-Chief RITA RECOMMENDS

As the sun beat down on a new spring day, I thought to myself, “What would make this moment more enjoyable?” The cold, refreshing, sweet dessert as it melts in the blazing sun: ice cream. In a large city with an often sweltering temperature like Jacksonville, there are plenty of ice cream

DREAMETTE ICE CREAM $3.35

The location was a little store with limited parking spots and only two benches on which to sit. I did not let that deter me, though, and I was still excited to try their ice cream. I ordered a medium strawberry cheesecake, which is only thirty cents more than the small. It arrived shortly after I ordered. When I tasted it, I was confused because the cheesecake pieces were firm and powdery. The vanilla ice cream and

THE HYPPO $4.50

With a bright, vibrant atmosphere, great staff and delicious pops, The Hyppo is the place to be this spring and summer. I walked in and experienced an instant mood boost as I laid eyes on the colorful mural and popsicle themed merchandise lining the walls. As soon as I entered, the friendly worker greeted me and asked me if I had been there before. When I replied that I had not, he began to explain the story behind The Hyppo and how the popsicles are made with fresh ingredients in St. Augustine. There are a variety of options, from blueberry lavender lemon to Mexican hot chocolate, and they rotate flavors with the seasons. There are also dairy-free options available. I ordered the chocolate cheesecake popsicle, which they grabbed out of the freezer that displayed

MAYDAY ICE CREAM $5.50

The pastel themed shop filled with natural lighting streaming through the windows had such delicious and unique options. The menu offers different flavors, sizes and even styles, such as Coke floats or affogatos: an ice cream scoop in espresso. There are also dairy-free options available here. It took me quite a while to finally decide on what I wanted, but the option to sample the flavors helped. I settled on a pilot size, two large scoops with a house made waffle cone. I chose the Datil Dark (datil peppers, cocoa nibs and dark chocolate ice cream) and the Aviator (Nutella ice cream, hazelnut pieces and Biscoff cookie chunks). Each ice cream comes with complimentary sprinkles and a brown options to satisfy any sweet craving. With so many choices, I tested a few so that you know what is worth your money.

strawberry topping were good, but overall, it was kind of basic. The flavoring was just simple, not bad, but not unique or extraordinary. I was slightly disappointed, but the ice cream overall satisfied my craving.

the individually wrapped popsicles. The chocolatey dessert was delicious, refreshing in a strange way and not overly sweet. The cheesecake aspect gave the pop an extra creaminess that would not appear in one of the fruitier pops. I loved it so much that I went back to the counter and purchased a popsicle pin and sticker. Overall, for $4.50, I feel like it was worth the experience.

sugar galette cookie made in the shop. The Datil Dark was delectable and chocolatey with a slight kick at the end from the peppers. The Aviator’s tasted like subtle Nutella with nostalgic Biscoff cookie chunks embedded generously. I enjoyed the experience and, while it was the most expensive option, I believe you get the bang for your buck.