Anna Held, 5557 N. Sheridan, 773-561-1940. Behind the gilt-lettered awnings and plate glass on the first floor of the landmark pink Edgewater Beach building stands a soda fountain that first opened in 1927. The ambience trumps the ice cream: at the original marble counter and lone table are served–along with coffees, a few sandwiches, salads, and homemade soups–a standard selection of Blue Bonnet ice cream sundaes, splits, shakes, malts, and sodas. (EMT)
Caffe Gelato, 2034 W. Division, 773-227-7333. Gelato (Italian ice cream) has less air and butterfat than the American stuff, so the flavors stand out more. This sleek spot offers 18 seasonally rotated flavors, including bacio (chocolate hazelnut), frutti di bosco (berries), ananas (pineapple), and panna cotta. (SF)
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Cold Stone Creamery, 21 W. Ontario, 312-280-5977. The ice cream’s made on-site, and creating your own concoction is the deal at this outpost of the Tempe-based chain. Suggested combos include Apple Pie a la Cold Stone, Cocoa Banana Cabana, and Butter Fingers Fumble, but whatever you pick is mixed before your eyes on a freezing cold granite slab. There are additional locations–too many to list, and more every day. (LLS)
GP Franklin’s, 4767 N. Lincoln, 773-293-1900. The old-fashioned soda counter in the entryway of this Lincoln Square eatery serves homemade ice cream topped with homemade hot fudge or gooey caramel, milk shakes, and malts. (LLS)
Mario & Gino’s Gourmet Ice Cream Shop, 2057 W. Roscoe, 773-529-8664. Mario & Gino’s carries two grades of gelato: “premium” and “gourmet.” The premium product comes from local maker Al Gelato and is better than most American ice cream simply by virtue of being gelato. The gourmet version is made by a New York outfit called Ciao Bella. It costs 75 cents more per scoop than premium, and you can taste the difference. It is outstanding stuff, light and velvety smooth, with vivid but delicate flavor. (I had the hazelnut and the chocolate-chocolate chip.) The shop also carries Double Rainbow ice cream, Ciao Bella sorbet, and its own Italian ice. (AA)
Petersen’s Ice Cream, 1100 Chicago, Oak Park, 708-386-6131. It’s the Oak Park institution’s 85th anniversary, but the important number here is 18: that’s the percentage of butterfat the ice cream still contains. The 30 or so flavors range from old-fogy faves like rum eggnog and black walnut to kiddie fare like blue moon and Oreo. Their ice cream counter has a full-service soda fountain, and in the adjacent rooms are a diner and a well-stocked candy shop. Or rather, shoppe. (KY)
Village Creamery, 4558 Oakton, Skokie, 847-982-1720. Outside there’s nothing to indicate this storefront carries anything more thrilling than Baskin-Robbins, but the menu’s filled with uncommon homemade Filipino ice creams. Among the many startling flavors are two coconut-based varieties, corn, avocado, purple yam, jackfruit, ginger, lychee, and, most flamboyantly, halo-halo, a hash of red and white beans, sugar palm, Jell-O bits, coconut, and Rice Krispies based on the popular Filipino dessert. Many flavors, like a pale green soother made from pandan leaves and large hunks of coconut, are lightly sweetened, letting the tropical elements do the talking. (MS)
