Sunday is National Ice Cream Day. Head to these 5 Johnson County shops to try some fun flavors.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Sunday fun day is more like sundae fun day with National Ice Cream Day on July 17.
July was designated as National Ice Cream Month by President Ronald Reagan in 1984, with the third Sunday of the month becoming National Ice Cream Day, according to the International Dairy Foods Association.
In Iowa, the top five favorite ice cream flavors are rocky road, chocolate, cookie dough, coconut and cherry, according to Top Data.
To celebrate the special day, Press-Citizen reporters visited these five Johnson County ice cream shops and tried the most unique, interesting flavor on the menu.
Here's what we found.
Funcrest Dairy & Grill
Funcrest is your all-in-one stop before or after any trip near the Coralville Lake.
If you're in need of a new fishing bobber, equipment for a round of disc golf, or more in the mood for some delicious french fries and a root beer float, the Funcrest complex has a wide variety covered.
For example: I sampled a turtle sundae consisting of vanilla ice cream, chocolate and caramel sauce with pecans, whipped cream and a cherry.
Sturdy picnic tables offer ample seating in the shade of the roof attached to the dairy and grill, unless you'd rather opt for a spot in the warm afternoon sun to complement the sweet treat you've ordered.
Large colorful bulbs on string lights dot the ceiling over the seating area between speakers featuring powerful choruses from soul quartets as well as funk and rock artists from the 1950s, '60s and '70s.
More: Want some delicious homemade ice cream without the hassle? Try these 'no churn' recipes
Its revamped menu has offerings with tenderloins, burgers, chicken sandwiches, hotdogs, a kids menu and other daily specials. The shakes, malts and soft serve ice cream are all a part of the "fun" that have made Funcrest a favorite for families in Johnson County for generations.
- Joseph Cress, Press-Citizen photojournalist
Dane’s Dairy
Arriving at Dane’s Dairy on Tuesday evening, I immediately felt a sort of unexplainable regressive FOMO that I, in two years of living in Iowa City, have never before encountered this local gem hidden at 1430 Willow Creek Court. Its ambiance immediately reassured me it would satisfy my bi-weekly post-school-board-meeting-coverage cravings (usually fulfilled by popcorn). Not that I was worried.
My specific task was not to ogle at the historic establishment itself, but assess the quality of its ice cream. Specifically, I was tasked with seeking out Dane's most "unique flavor." I quickly concluded it offers few options that would fit that description — although I don’t see that as a negative. Its menu hits all of the staples that could possibly satisfy my taste buds on a summer’s night; standards like Oreo, strawberry or vanilla-chocolate-swirl.
I nearly chose a sundae with Oreo crumbles and gummy worms (another classic) before settling on a small cup of coffee yogurt soft serve. I reminded myself that I just spent a vacation consuming an unspeakable amount of unhealthy delicacies and made a commitment to eat mostly salad this week.
More: Here are 5 things to do this weekend in Johnson County, including a farewell concert at Gabe's
I will be frank and say my selection tasted nothing like yogurt and absolutely nothing like coffee. My best comparison is to say it tastes like the vanilla soft serve at McDonald's, if not a bit more creamy and luxurious. It is a shade of light brown, just coffee-ish enough to be appetizing. It cost $2.50 — too little to make it worth filing an expense report to Gannett (as I was looking forward to). As a bonus, the small plastic cup was handed to me through the drive-thru window by a boy who could have not been older than 16. I smiled at the thought of him and his co-workers enjoying the freedom and stomach aches that I can only assume will come from spending the summer behind the handle of a soft-serve machine.
My review should not be taken as a criticism. It's the opposite. Dane's coffee yogurt-that-is-actually-vanilla-soft serve is a reminder that all ice cream is good ice cream. Those of us who worship its power aren't apt to criticize the exact notes of whatever flavor we happen to be tasting; we relish in whatever we get.
- Cleo Krejci, Press-Citizen K-12 and higher education reporter
Dairy Queen Riverside
Dairy Queen isn't unique as far as ice cream shops go and it certainly isn't an Iowa City delicacy. But the Dairy Queen on Riverside Drive has something special, in fact several things that always seem to draw a crowd on a balmy summer evening.
Located at 526 S. Riverside Drive in Iowa City, this Dairy Queen hugs the banks of the Iowa River and is fashioned after the traditional outdoor-only ice cream shop, complete with outdoor seating and easy access to the Iowa River Trail.
When it gets dark enough right before sunset, the neon signs illuminate the lot and give a retro feel or ambience to the ice cream eating experience.
Previously: What is your favorite ice cream recipe?
Equipped with a typical menu of sweets found at Dairy Queen — but no fast food as pointed out by a sign near the cash register — this Dairy Queen also has a "secret menu" posted in the window right next to the register. This secret menu is filled with several concoctions of Dairy Queen's Blizzard soft-serve ice cream treat with a combination of flavors, each named after employees of the location.
The menu ranges from the "Andrea," which comes with cheesecake, lemon-lime and a graham cracker base; to the "Alex," which comes with crushed Oreos, cheesecake and caramel; to the "Ally," which has cherry flavoring and cookie dough.
I chose the "Paul" rather than going with a normal menu item. This Blizzard has a vanilla base with cookie dough, caramel and something called "crunch coat," which seemed to be a mix of nuts and some sprinkles.
This Dairy Queen didn't disappoint and far surpassed any other experience I've had at other locations in the chain. While I'm not sure if Paul was working Wednesday evening, I definitely extend a big "Thank You" for coming up with such a tasty and unique treat.
- George Shillcock, Press-Citizen local government and development reporter
Heyn’s Ice Cream
An Iowa City staple since 1989, Heyn's Ice Cream boasts more than 40 flavors of soft serves, sorbets and frozen yogurts that make it a hotspot during the summer.
However, it seems that 'Monster Mash' ice cream is its signature flavor. It's a blend of vanilla ice cream, M&M's, peanut butter and cookie dough.
While I found the peanut butter to overpower the other ingredients at times, it still was an enjoyable treat with which to beat the heat.
- Raven Moore, Press-Citizen high school sports reporter
Jon’s Ice Cream Store & Restaurant
If you're driving on Marengo Road in Tiffin, you may pass by an unassuming, pastel yellow two-story building with a wraparound porch.
You'll want to pull into the parking lot, because that is home to Jon's Ice Cream Store & Restaurant, opened in 1980 by owner John Schneider, according to the Gazette.
Located at 231 W. Marengo Road, Jon's Ice Cream Store has an old-fashioned feel, perhaps because you can walk up to a window to order your dairy treats or perhaps due to the menu itself.
After all, July's "superwhipper" of the month is Rhubarb Cherry Crisp, homemade rhubarb cherry crisp blended with vanilla ice cream and certainly something hard to find in the modern world of green tea or espresso-flavored ice cream.
Tempting as that was, I picked a more permanent flavor on the menu: Eskimo Kisses.
Coconut ice cream with chunks of fudgy chocolate, the ice cream was reminiscent of a cold Mounds chocolate bar.
Delicious, but three bites in, I was reminded that, while I like coconut, I don't like it that much. So, you've been warned.
- Paris Barraza, Press-Citizen entertainment and features reporter
This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Spend National Ice Cream Day with these fun flavors in Johnson County
