Summer in Texas is hot. Like really hot. So, every Fort Worth local needs a go-to spot to cool off. Buffaloes have watering holes, and the more than 317,872 families in Fort Worth, TX, have ice cream.
From old-school parlors to self-serve soft serve and assembly-line style a la carte shops, DFW has an ice cream establishment to satisfy every sweet tooth.
To narrow down the long list of prospective parlors, West Fort Worth Lifestyle explores a few exceptional places, all of which are sure to make you salivate.
MELT in the Fort Worth Stockyards is a craft ice cream shop focused on using as much seasonal and local produce as possible. Its "farm-to-table" approach includes a rotating menu of seasonal favorites like berry basil, but still includes "always flavors" vanilla bean; chocolate chocolate; cookie crush (a blend of slightly salty cookies with dense dark cocoa powder); salt lick; cup of Texas; dark chocolate; strawberry; rocky roads; sweet cream; peanut butter explosion; and loaded cookie dough. The shop also offers a selection of shakes, "always sammie" ice cream sandwiches with house-made cookies, and pints.
In 2014, MELT founder Kari Crowe-Seher decided Fort Worth was missing a small-batch, premium ice cream parlor, and she was ready to fill the void. She developed a base ice cream recipe with a high percentage of butterfat, giving their cones a new depth of creaminess. Every ingredient in a customer's order is guaranteed hand-made without relying on flavorings or extracts, a theme for the shop that enjoys "keeping it real."
MELT often collaborates with other local restaurants to offer their ice cream as an addition to online food orders, shipping all over the United States through the online merchant Goldbelly.
Creamistry off 7th Street in Fort Worth uses all-natural ingredients to make premium scoops the same as MELT, but this shop flips the script with liquid nitrogen, using the frozen gas to make their ice creams not only creamy but super fresh, freezing each customized order on the spot. Customers can personalize their orders with over 60 flavors and toppings and have a choice of organic, coconut, or cashew milk at the shop because of the made-to-order freezing process.
Creamistry also serves mango, pina colada, pineapple nitrodole, and strawberry sorbet. Toppings for orders include cookies and candy, cereal, sauces like caramel and chocolate, and fruits and nuts. Customers can also upgrade the standard waffle bowl to a brownie bowl for extra decadence.
The parlor is nestled among retail shops in a pedestrian-friendly area, so shoppers are encouraged to stop into Creamistry and cool off with one of its cones, cups, shakes, or other confections. Parking is also not a problem, with over 300 surface spaces available nearby.
In Clearfork, Amorino Gelato al Naturale serves up old-school gelato arranged like flower petals on cones and cups in delicate clouds of soft creamed ice. Gelato's softer texture is not just an illusion; the treat is typically served 10-15 degrees F warmer than its stateside counterpart and contains significantly less fat, but that doesn't mean it's any less decadent. Gelato is richer and denser than American ice cream, with less milkiness. Authentic gelato uses more milk and less cream than ice cream and generally excludes egg yolks, a common ingredient in ice cream, although some gelato recipes might call for egg yolks.
Amorino sets itself apart with ingredients free of preservatives, artificial flavors, and flavor enhancers to make its artisanal gelati. The shop's signature gelati are carefully scooped onto cones using a spatula to shape the ice into a rose, making each confection unique and easily recognizable. The shop adds a gelato-filled macaroon to the top of the treat for a final touch.
Also available are a variety of hot and cold drinks. Customers can create their own milkshake or sorbet drink with the flavors of their choice.
Childhood friends and co-founders Cristiano Sereni & Paolo Benassi decided to combine their two passions: Italy and gelato and opened their first store in Paris in 2002. Their idea was to expose Parisians to the finest Italian gelato recipes. Their gamble worked, and the shops are more popular than ever in the States today.
The final stop on our list is Morgan's Ice Cream Company near Southside in Fort Worth, where "ice cream is their love language."
Co-Owners and married couple Jeff and Stephanie Brannon perfectly balance the business with Stephanie tasting and workshopping flavors while Jeff runs the business and daily operations. The couple is already familiar with running a small business, as the entrepreneurs are responsible for launching a successful local coffee shop, Dwell Coffee & Biscuits, in 2014.
Morgan's Ice Cream is passionate about creating its own unique flavors. Classic flavors like strawberry become "Strawberry Magic" at the shop, with butter cake pieces mixed into the batter. Also on the menu are non-traditional flavor pairings like Wookie Cookie, a mix of cinnamon sweet cream ice cream with decadent chocolate shavings, and crumbled house-made oatmeal cookies.
The shop steers clear of sorbet, claiming it is not their cup of cream. But customers can enjoy shakes, floats, and affogato, a mix of ice cream and coffee. The shop also has vegan flavors and toppings for those with dietary restrictions, such as Fudged Up Cookie Dough. The order includes house-made fudge, chocolate oat, and coconut milk ice cream with hunks of house-made chocolate chip cookie dough pieces throughout. As a bonus, it's also gluten-free. Top the confection off with a dollop of vegan whipped cream.
Most important to the Brannon's, customers will notice the shop's service-focused environment, where servers treat patrons like family. "We want every customer to leave with a smile on their face," the couple says on their website.
Every ingredient in a customer's order is guaranteed hand-made without relying on flavorings or extracts, a theme for the shop that enjoys "keeping it real."
this shop flips the script with liquid nitrogen, using the frozen gas to make their ice creams not only creamy but super fresh, freezing each customized order on the spot.
