— 1 Comment

Review: Scoupe DeVille

white building with the front of a turquoise antique car sticking out above the door and a sign that reads "Scoupe DeVille"

Driving along Route 724 near Birdsboro it’s hard to miss Scoupe Deville. The building, with its distinct half-car sticking out the front, was built in the 1950s as a service station.

First opening as an ice cream parlor in 2001, Scoupe DeVille’s current owners took over the space in 2017.

retro toys on shelves next to the order counter at Scoupe DeVille

The 1950s has been brought back in all its kitschy glory inside Scoupe DeVille. Reproduction signs, old photographs, an old jukebox and a retro gas pump are among the hundreds of decorations found throughout the building.

Early rock ‘n’ roll played through speakers inside and outside the building. A small TV in one corner showed clips of the Three Stooges and I Love Lucy on rotation.

Pictures of Elvis and historic photos of Birdsboro, PA on a wall in Scoupe DeVille

In addition to ice cream, Scoupe DeVille does offer a very limited food menu that includes burgers, hot dogs, fries and barbecue sandwiches.

red tray with a boat holding a chili dog, a boat of crinkle fries and a coney island cheesburger

I ordered a Coney burger with onions and no cheese. I was a little puzzled when the young lady behind the counter told me that the Coney burger came smothered in gravy, but I rolled with it. Just like I rolled with it when the burger came out with a slice of white American cheese on top.

Coney burger in a basket with checkered paper

It was an okay burger. There’s no grill (at least that I saw) so I’m sure it was a pre-done patty that was just reheated.

chili cheese hot dog

Julie’s hot dog was a little better, though it was absolutely loaded with cheese and chili – probably a little overstuffed. It was good enough, if a little messy.

One thing we really enjoyed was the use of potato rolls for the hamburger and the hot dog. It’s a small touch, but it does make a difference in flavor.

crinkle fries in a paper boat

Another thing we enjoyed were the fries. The crinkle-cut fries were no different than you would find at similar places, but that didn’t make them any less enjoyable.

If I was going to grab dinner there again, I would either opt for a bowl of chili or a barbecue sandwich.

But we weren’t really there for the food. We were there for the ice cream.

various historic automotive memorabilia in a dining room with stainless steel tables and stools

The ice cream menu is vast, with hard and soft ice cream, four types of banana splits, milkshakes, sundaes, shimmies (kind of like a Blizzard but not copyrighted), and the Fat Elvis Ice Cream Challenge: a 10-scoop sundae (five scoops of banana ice cream, five scoops of peanut butter ice cream), seven toppings, whipped cream, a brownie, a banana and cherries. Eat it in 30 minutes, and you win.

I don’t know how long the challenge has been in place, but there was only one photo on the wall of fame.

Julie and I were only looking for one scoop each. Scoupe DeVille primarily serves Nelson’s Ice Cream (we most recently saw Nelson’s ice cream at Oley Turnpike Dairy), but they also offer select flavors from Schuylkill County favorite Leiby’s Dairy.

waffle cone with raspberry swirl ice cream

And it just happened that the flavors that caught our eyes were both from Leiby’s.

For me, it was cashew and raspberry. Not to be confused with black raspberry, the cashew and raspberry was a vanilla ice cream with raspberry swirl. No, this was better than any black raspberry. It was sweet and rich. If I had one criticism it would be that there weren’t enough cashews and I would have liked the nuts to have been salted. That would have put it over the top in my book.

ice cream cone dipped in chocolate and sprinkles with pink colored ice cream

Julie went with red velvet cheesecake, a new flavor (according to Scoupe DeVille’s Facebook page). The decadent ice cream featured chunks of red velvet with graham cracker crust. It was a unique flavor, and quickly became one of Julie’s favorites. She also splurged on a chocolate-covered waffle cone dipped in sprinkles. It’s hard not to love that.

Between dinner and ice cream, our total was just over $20. And while dinner certainly didn’t wow us, the ice cream had us leaving extremely satisfied.

BCE Rating
Food: Fair
Ice Cream: Excellent
Ambiance: Very Good
Service: Good
Value: Very Reasonable

Scoupe DeVille
3365 Main St
Birdsboro, PA 19508

Note: Scoupe DeVille is only open seasonally

More Ice Cream in Berks County

More Birdsboro Restaurants

Dessert Drive-Ins Lunch & Dinner Reviews
— 1 Comment

Review: Way-Har Farm Market

cars lined up in a parking lot outside a building with a sign that reads "Way-Har Farm Market"

Earlier this month, Visit PA (the official tourism agency for Pennsylvania) announced the PA Ice Cream Trail – a list of 12 “farm-to-scoop” creameries in the state. Each location offers passports to the Ice Cream Trail that can be stamped at the participating locations. Visit six creameries and win a t-shirt. Visit all 12 to earn a #PursueYourScoops ice cream scoop.

Two Berks County locations made the list: Twilight Acres Creamery & Bakery in Stouchsburg and Way-Har Farm Market in Bernville.

deli counter and ice cream counter inside Way-Har Farm Market

Way-Har is the older, more recognized name. Located along Route 183 between Bernville and Strausstown in the northwest reaches of the county, Way-Har has long been known for its milk, dairy and desserts – both baked and frozen.

various pies lined up on a table inside Way-Har Farm Market

The store also offers a variety of bulk foods and candies, jams and jellies, and country primitives. There is also a small deli section featuring a limited menu of hoagies and hot meals for dine-in or take-out.

We – Julie, Jakob and I – arrived for an early dinner on a rainy Sunday evening. The ice cream counter was already bustling, but our ice cream would have to wait until we had some real food in us. Among the hot food items are pork BBQ – my choice – and hamburger BBQ – Julie’s choice. I also ordered a cup of sausage stew, one of two soups of the day.

two wooden tables with mis-matched wooden chairs inside Way-Har Farm Market

The woman who waited on us was very kind and told us to grab a table and she would bring our food out. There are only eight or so tables, each seating between two and eight people.

When she brought out the food a short time later, our server was nervous that she had made our sandwiches too hot and my stew not hot enough. We had seen her bring the crock-pot out of the back with the stew so it was clear that the microwave got a lot of use for us.

pulled pork sandwich, sloppy joe and a cup of soup on a wooden table

Given the setup, I wasn’t expecting much so I was pleasantly surprised to find that the pork BBQ was actually pretty good. The hamburger BBQ was as well. Both were like something you would expect to find a church potluck – surprisingly satisfying but not anything we would go out of our way to order again.

The sausage stew, however, was very good, and it was all because of the sausage. Way-Har sells Peter Bros. Meats (locally made in Lenhartsville, Berks County) and I assume the smokey, flavorful sausage was one of theirs.

If it’s on the menu again, I would definitely get a quart to take home (but my own microwave would suffice for reheating).

Of course the soup and sandwich was just a precursor. We were there for the ice cream. I had seen a sign on the door advertising peach as the flavor of the week. That had me sold instantly.

man in blue shirt holding a baby and a waffle cone of vanilla ice cream

Peach ice cream was my absolute favorite growing up so there was a little nostalgia at play. But I thought it was absolutely delicious. There were no large chunks of fruit, but with more, smaller pieces it added flavor throughout.

Julie found an ice cream flavor that she had never tried before – tandy cake. It was vanilla peanut butter ice cream with the addition of pieces of tandy cake (think Tastykake’s Kandy Kake) and chocolate chips.

wooden holding a pretzel cone of chocolate chip ice cream in one hand a a "Visit PA Pursue Your Scoops" passport in the other hand

In this case, there were larger chunks of cake mixed in, and Julie absolutely loved it. Tandy cakes are one of her favorite desserts, and mixing it into an already creamy vanilla peanut butter ice cream made her day.

As Julie paid our roughly $25 tab, we got our first stamp on our passport. Our goal is to find a way to visit all 12 between now and when the promotion ends on October 31.

Way-Har Farms was certainly a great place to start. One down. Eleven to go.

BCE Rating

Food: Fair
Ice Cream: Very Good
Service: Very Good
Ambiance: Good
Price: Reasonable

Way-Har Farms

7701 Bernville Rd
Bernville, PA 19506

PA Ice Cream Trail

Twilight Acres Creamery & Bakery
Stouchsburg, Berks County

Way-Har Farms
Bernville, Berks County

Coventry Parlor at Laurel Locks
Pottstown, Chester County

Chester Springs Creamery at Milky Way Farm
Chester Springs, Chester County

Fox Meadows Creamery
Ephrata, Lancaster County

Lapp Valley Farms
New Holland, Lancaster County

The Milkhouse at Oregon Dairy
Lititz, Lancaster County

Patches Family Creamery
Lebanon, Lebanon County

Crystal Spring Farm
Schnecksville, Lehigh County

Freddy Hill Farms
Lansdale, Montgomery County

Merrymead Farm
Lansdale, Montgomery County

Perrydell Farm and Dairy
York, York County

More Ice Cream in Berks County

More Farmers Market Eats

Dessert Ice Cream Lunch & Dinner Reviews Soup
— 1 Comment

Road Trip: Heisler’s Cloverleaf Dairy

people stand in line to order at a takeout window of Heisler's Cloverleaf Dairy

Berks County is home to many retro drive-in restaurants.

Places like Schell’s, Cee-Gees, the Kwik Stoppe and Intel’s Pennside Drive-In are local favorites that continue to attract diners for classics like hamburgers, hot dogs, fries and, of course, ice cream.

Retro restaurants like these can be found everywhere from the biggest cities to rural backroads.

The latter is where you will find Schuylkill County’s favorite drive-in: Heisler’s Cloverleaf Dairy.

Random animal figurines line a shelf above the ice cream freezers at Heisler's Cloverleaf Dairy

Heisler’s is like a mix of Schell’s, Boehringer’s and the Works. It’s a retro quick-service restaurant with homemade ice cream. It’s also a mini-golf mecca with two 18-hole courses. Add to that the driving range, arcade and gift shop, and Heisler’s has to be considered an entertainment destination.

Though only a 45-minute drive from Reading, Heisler’s feels like another world. The complex grew up around the original Heisler’s dairy farm, which explains why it feels like the middle of nowhere, three miles from the nearest numbered highway (Route 895) along a windy, two-lane road.

Yet when we pulled up, the parking lot was packed with customers from all over, including several from Berks County (the Fleetwood Tigers and SV Panthers shirts gave away their hometowns).

Despite the crowded parking lot, there wasn’t much of a line to order – most of the people seemed to already be on the golf course or eating – so we were helped quickly.

a cardboard tray with two burgers and a boat of crinkle fries from Heisler's Cloverleaf Dairy

Our order was fairly simple: a cheeseburger for Julie, a hamburger for me, an order of fries to share and two bottles of water. And it was out in a hurry.

The burgers were fresh off the grill. I prefer the basics: LTO. I have no complaints about the burger. It’s fast food not gourmet. Don’t expect anything more and you won’t be disappointed.

The crinkle cut fries were a bit of a letdown though. I have to assume they had been sitting for a moment before being served because they warm, not hot, and a little hard as opposed to crispy.

I’ve had their fries when piping hot and they are very good. This was an off-day for them.

View of colorful bushes set against green carpets of a miniature golf course

Between dinner and dessert, we took time to play 18. When I was a child, my parents had brought us to Heisler’s once or twice. The old miniature golf course (and tepee) is gone, replaced in 2003 by two more modern courses.

The Black Diamond Fairways features a coal mine theme, complete with a rock waterfall. It’s also the busier of the two (especially with kids). We decided for the faster, calmer round at Lewistown Fairways.

It’s a beautiful course that’s fun and challenging enough that Julie couldn’t luck into a win against my 3-under performance.

man and woman pose for a selfie as the man drinks from a styrofoam cup with the cloverleaf logo of Heisler's cloverleaf Dairy Bar

After working up our appetites again, we were at the dessert window (desserts are ordered at the front of the building, hot food at the side).

I went with a very…vanilla option, choosing a vanilla milkshake over more complicated desserts. I can’t help it; I love milkshakes. And Heisler’s milkshakes are not too runny, not too thick and sized just right. They work just as well for dessert as they do with your meal.

When it comes to desserts, Julie is more of a go-big-or-go-home kind of girl. She went with the peanut butter sundae with vanilla ice cream, peanut butter topping, whipped cream and a cherry on top.

styrofoam cup with ice cream topped with whipped cream and a cherry from Heisler's Cloverleaf Dairy

It must have been good because she devoured it pretty fast. We had absolutely nothing to complain about at dinner.

For everything – dinner, miniature golf and dessert – we spent around $35. Not bad for an evening of food and entertainment.

A few other notes for those who have never been to Heisler’s or haven’t been there in a while:

  • Heisler’s is CASH ONLY. There’s an ATM on site if you forget, but who wants to pay those fees?
  • The Waffle Shop is still there, but it’s no longer serving waffles and ice cream. It has been converted into a private party area.
  • Most of the seating is located under a large pavilion. It can fill up at the dinner rush so be prepared to not get a table, just in case.

Heisler’s is a fun time with good food. Yes, there are plenty of places in Berks County to get similar food and a similar experience, but sometimes it’s nice to just go for a drive and explore something different.

And for us, Heisler’s is worth a drive, if only once a year.

Heisler’s Cloverleaf Dairy
743 Catawissa Rd
Tamaqua, PA 18252

More Drive-Ins in Berks County

More Road Trips from Berks County

Dessert Drive-Ins Reviews
Burger and Fries from the Pike Cafe
— 2 Comments

Review: The Pike Cafe

Yellow building with red awning and a sign that reads "The Pike Cafe"

We’ve spent a lot of 2017 visiting restaurants that are new to Reading and Berks County.

I couldn’t wait to visit highly anticipated restaurants like Gettin’ Crabby at the Crab Barn and Fork & Ale.

But sometimes, you have to also experience the classics that we’ve neglected, places like Reading’s Pike Cafe.

The “World Famous” Pike Cafe is a true gem in the city. The corner of Pike and Moss isn’t exactly in a part of the city that sees a lot of outside traffic – except for those coming to the Pike.

One of the best parts about the Pike is that it has one of the largest parking lots in the city. And it needs it. We arrived at about 5:15 p.m. on a Saturday night and got the last available table.

Take my advice and make a reservation, especially for the weekend dinner rush.

We were led around the U-shaped bar and into the back corner where they packed in the two-seat tables.

White plate of wings with carrot and celery sticks and a cup of ranch for dipping

It was our first time at the Pike so we had to try the wings – a perennial contender in every “Best Of” competition.

After my first bite, I get it.

The wings are advertised as Bell & Evans organic wings. Anytime you are ordering an organic protein, you can expect it to be smaller – without the growth hormones, the animals are a more natural size.

But what the organic wings lacked in size, they made up for in flavor. It’s everything that chicken should taste like, and without the excess meat, there’s a crunch to every bite. The wings were also able to absorb more of the flavor from the Montreal dry rub we chose.

Sauces and dry rubs aside, these are the only wings in Berks County that I would order naked (the wings, not me).

plate with a chicken sandwich and fries. the top bun has the word "Pike" burnt in

I got another taste of Bell & Evans chicken with my entree, the chicken bruschetta sandwich.

The sandwich featured a grilled chicken breast with house-made bruschetta, asiago cheese, balsamic drizzle and a bun branded with the Pike logo, just so there are no doubts where the sandwich came from.

First, the chicken was excellent. It was juicy, flavorful and clearly not processed. The bruschetta was very good, though I would have preferred smaller pieces of tomato (the large chunks tended to fall out of the bun). The asiago cheese was the perfect choice for the sandwich, and it had just the right amount of balsamic.

Toasting the bun didn’t just add branding, it added a crunchy texture that the sandwich needed to make it truly feel like bruschetta.

I almost forgot to mention the fries. Hand-cut, skin-on, golden brown – this is how fries are supposed to be. I wouldn’t call them the best in town, but I definitely enjoyed them.

Wrap filled with pepperoni and steak meat with a side of chips

Julie went with another Pike Cafe original dish, the pepperoni cheesesteak supreme wrap.

Ribeye chipped steak, pepperoni, mushrooms, caramelized onion, marinara and Provolone were combined in a flour wrap.

It tasted exactly as I imagined it would. While the steak was the base, the pepperoni came through strong. In the one bite Julie allowed me to have, I could pick up the onion and mushrooms, and the melted Provolone helped pull everything together.

Skipping the fries, Julie opted instead for the potato chips – Sweet Maui onion flavored. If you like onions, you’ll appreciate this as a refreshing change from a typical kettle chip. If you don’t like onions, get the fries.

plate of fried ice cream topped with whipped cream, cherry and chocolate drizzle

We were comfortably full after our entrees, but I couldn’t leave the Pike without dessert, or more specifically, the Pike Crème Cafe.

The crème cafe features deep-fried ice cream with whipped cream, honey and chocolate syrup served on a powdered sugar tortilla. Admit it, you couldn’t pass that up either.

We probably would have been more than satisfied with the fried ice cream. The addition of a crisp outer shell is always welcome with vanilla ice cream. The tortilla was good – a fried tortilla shell like you would get in a taco salad – but it was almost too much fried food for dessert.

Still, I didn’t regret it.

That was more than enough for us to leave the Pike Cafe satisfied. Our total was just shy of $40 (one iced tea was also included in that). All told, it felt like a reasonable price for everything that we had.

I don’t know if the Pike Cafe really is “World Famous,” but it’s definitely famous in Reading and Berks County for good reason.

Once you visit for the first time, you’ll get it, too.

BCE Rating
Food: Very Good
Service: Good
Ambiance: Good
Price: Reasonable

Pike Cafe
930 Pike St
Reading, PA 19604

More Bar Food in Berks County

More Restaurants in Reading, PA

Bars & Pubs Dessert Lunch & Dinner Reviews
Wyomissing Restaurant & Bakery won best breakfast
— 3 Comments

Review: Wyomissing Restaurant and Bakery

exterior of Wyomissing Restaurant & Bakery

“Shady Maple north east.”

Those are the words of Hamid Chaudhry as he described his vision for the Wyomissing Family Restaurant to the Reading Eagle in December, shortly after he became the new owner.

Lofty goals, indeed for a restaurant that had fallen on hard times in the years before. On our walks and drives through town, we could see the number of cars in the parking lot slowly start to shrink.

But new ownership has breathed new life into the location, and spawned a new name, the Wyomissing Restaurant and Bakery.

griddle station with chalkboard signs reading "pacncakes and french toast" and "bacon, scrapple, toast"

When Julie and I visited for Sunday brunch a few weeks ago, the parking lot was fuller than we could remember seeing in a long time. Thankfully, despite the crowd, there was no wait for a table for those of us doing the brunch buffet.

We were seated with all of the other buffet-goers in what would be the banquet room. With no large groups closing off the space, it was the closest seating to the all-you-can-eat  smorgasbord.

buffet station with various breakfast and lunch items

Five stations of varying size waited for me and my fellow eaters. On the left sat a small table where I found my orange juice and assorted breads for toasting.

Against the back wall was the griddle, where pancakes, French toast and omelets were made to order. A hot bar in the middle featured breakfast favorites: scrambled eggs, ham, bacon and three kinds of potatoes, as well as a couple lunch options like mac and cheese.

I started among these three stations, choosing cream chipped beef over toast, homefries and French toast for plate number one.

plate with cream chipped beef on toast, French toast triangles and homefries

I was expecting one slice of French toast with my order. I got three, and loved them. The powdered sugar was there for you to sprinkle on yourself so I added just the right amount of sweetness for myself.

The chipped beef was also very good (had I known I was getting three slices of French toast, I probably would have skipped it, though). It was rich, but not too much. The homefries were good, though I had to add a little salt and pepper to them.

plate with French toast triangles, red skinned potatoes, mini sausages, scrambled eggs and a cup of syrup

Julie’s seasoned potatoes were quite the opposite. If anything, they were a little oversalted. She enjoyed her French toast as well (throwing a few chocolate chips on for good measure). The bite-sized sausage links were very flavorful, and the eggs were also nicely done.

Not a bad first plate for either of us.

With plate two, we both migrated to the middle island and lunch. The full salad bar was open with two kinds of soup and two pasta options (the soup, salad and pasta buffet station is available for lunch every day).

plate with a bowl of borccoli soup, vegetable lasagna, ziti in sauce and a small dinner roll

I had a bowl of cream of broccoli soup with a helping each of vegetable lasagna and penne pasta with clam sauce.

The vegetable lasagna was delicious, with layers of pasta, cheese and plenty of veggies (broccoli, carrots, and more). The cream of broccoli soup was good, too, though if I wasn’t blogging, I probably wouldn’t have needed both the soup and the lasagna. I’m also not a fan of clams, but I tried the pasta and actually enjoyed it. It wasn’t too clammy, though you could definitely taste it.

plate with a salad topped with hard-boiled eggs with two cubes of jello

Julie’s second plate was a little lighter as she went for the more traditional salad options. She was happy to see that her favorite item from the old salad bar was still there: Jell-O. The options were actually very impressive, with a wide variety to build a nice side salad or even make it an entree.

The final station was serving up sweets: waffles and soft ice cream. For research purposes, Julie and I both made mini sundaes to cap off our brunch.

two cups of ice cream - one chocolate covered in ranbow sprinkles and chocolate syrup, the other vanilla topped with Oreo cookie crumbles

For $15 per person (discounts for seniors and children), the brunch buffet is definitely priced right. The buffet definitely seems like the way to go, with reasonable prices for breakfast, lunch and dinner throughout the week.

While we were at the ice cream station, we had a chance to chat with Hamid Chaudhry. In between hosting duties, he was greeting regulars and striking up conversation with newcomers.

“What do you think of the changes?” he asked.

Julie and I both agreed, the changes are positives.

It’s not Shady Maple, but as long as the restaurant holds on to those aspirations, it will be a great buffet.

BCE Rating
Food: Good
Service: Good
Ambiance: Good
Price: Very Reasonable

Wyomissing Restaurant and Bakery
1245 Penn Ave
Wyomissing, PA 19610

More Diners in Berks County

More Wyomissing, PA Restaurants

Breakfast & Brunch Buffets Dessert Diners Reviews
A close-up photo of a cone of pecan ice cream with an old fashioned soda fountain in the background
— Leave a Comment

Review: Longacre’s Modern Dairy

lighted sign with an image of an ice cream sundae and the words "Longacre's Old Fashioned Dairy Bar" with a red arrow pointing right

One of the great things about the suggestions we got for ice cream shops is that they represent all parts of Berks County.

It forces me to visit corners of the county that I don’t get to very much, but ice cream is a great reason to go anywhere.

Especially to Barto, where the highly acclaimed Longacre’s Modern Dairy and Old Fashioned Dairy Bar has been crafting and serving homemade ice cream since 1940.

When we made the turn off Route 100, the parking lot was nearly full. I pulled into the last of the three rows, next to a car with a New York license plate.

On our way in, we walked past the soft-serve shack, where one lonely employee sat, waiting for customers that just kept walking by.

small seating area with wood paneling and tables for four with metal chairs

The setup inside Longacre’s is very different from anywhere else. Walking inside, the ice cream counter is straight ahead. There is a small dining area off to the left with tables and booths, and to the right are the refrigerators and freezers where you can get not only ice cream, but milk, eggs and more dairy products to go.

wooden board with slots with the names of ice cream flavors in red, orange, blue and yellow letters

Four or five girls work behind the counter, taking turns assisting customers (very similar to the Jigger Shop, which we visited recently). But the counter is only for ordering. After you get your ice cream, you have to turn around and stand in line again, this time for the cash register on the opposite wall.

Once we paid, we went outside and grabbed a bench to enjoy our ice cream in the cool night air.

sugar cone of chocolate ice cream

My choice was the bear paw: chocolate ice cream with brownie bits, walnuts and caramel swirl. It was a hefty scoop. Longacre’s doesn’t skimp on portions.

The first thing that you notice is the creaminess. It was heavier than any other ice cream that I have tried so far.

The chocolate flavor was strong. I loved the brownie bits (very reminiscent of the Death by Chocolate at Lori’s Candy Station), and I do love walnuts with my brownies. The caramel was a welcome addition as well.

All in all, it was some of the best ice cream that I have tried in Berks County and beyond.

cone of vanilla ice cream with chocolate chunks

Julie went with a more familiar flavor with her moose tracks (vanilla ice cream with hard-shell chocolate and mini peanut butter cups).

Like mine, the ice cream was very creamy. According to the Longacre’s website, the mini peanut butter cups are from Gertrude Hawk so the add-ins were definitely quality.

It made a difference, too. When you hear moose tracks — in our region at least — you think of Hershey’s. Hershey’s can’t compare. And it’s not even that close.

Best of all, our two cones were less than $8. We did go back in for a $1 bottle of water (do yourself a favor, get the water when you get your ice cream).

diner booth in a wood paneled dining room with a menu that reads "Longacre's Dairy Bar"

Longacre’s is certainly unique, and after visiting there, I can say it is some of the best ice cream that you will find. And with their prices, it’s a great places for families.

If you do go, be prepared to wait, especially during peak hours, because everyone else seems to agree.

But don’t let that stop you. It’s worth the wait (and the drive).

Longacre’s Modern Dairy
1445 PA-100
Barto, PA 19504

More Ice Cream in Berks County

More Nearby Restaurants

Classics Dessert Diners Ice Cream Reviews
— 1 Comment

Review: Carvel 5th Street Highway

exterior of Carvel's location along the 5th Street Highway in Reading, PA

I have to admit that when I asked for suggestions on ice cream places in Berks County, I hadn’t anticipated the love for Carvel.

Quite frankly, I was surprised to get any support for Carvel. I always looked at them as just another chain, Dairy Queen light.

But you asked for it, so I begrudgingly gave it a try.

The small, angled parking lot off the Fifth Street Highway in Muhlenberg is not the easiest to get in and out of, but we were fortunate to find a space (with plenty of room to turn around after).

menu board at Carvel with photos of sundaes, Carvelanches, thick shakes and sundae dashers

Inside, I was pleasantly surprised to see a sign touting the local ownership of the franchise. A community bulletin board, complete with dry-erase board for doodling, adorned another wall.

Even though Carvel isn’t a local brand, this was definitely a local store.

Most of the seating is outside on picnic tables and Adirondack chairs. After ordering at the counter — and waiting while our server made each item, one at a time — we grabbed two of the chairs, sat back and tried to not drip ice cream on ourselves.

Ice cream sundae in a clear plastic cup with with caramel and whipped cream next to a cup of soft serve blended with peanut butter cups

There were plenty of options: cones, sundaes, shakes. But I wanted something more. That’s why I ordered the bananas Foster sundae dasher.

Sundae dashers differ from a traditional sundae because the toppings are layered in with the ice cream. So I had caramel and bananas throughout, instead of just on top.

The toppings were great (if you’re a fan of the blog, you know I’m a sucker for bananas Foster). And I love that they were layered in, but not blended so every scoop was a little different.

I wasn’t as big a fan of the vanilla soft serve. To me, it tasted too much like DQ, with the same heavy consistency. It was good, but didn’t wow me.

soft ice cream blended with peanut butter and peanut butter cups

Julie went with a more blended treat, one of their Carvelanches. Similar to a Dairy Queen Blizzard, the soft serve is blended with the toppings, in this case Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.

Like mine, it was good, but wasn’t too different from similar items that she’s had before. Still, it’s ice cream and peanut butter cups so it’s hard not to enjoy it.

The prices for everything were in line with other places, $11 for our two items (mine a medium, hers a small).

Overall, we enjoyed our trip to Carvel. I still wouldn’t put it at the top of my list, but I can see why others, especially those who live nearby, keep coming back.

It’s cool treats at a reasonable price in a locally-owned and operated store. You really can’t go wrong with that.

Carvel
3322 N. 5th St Hwy
Reading, PA 19605

More Ice Cream in Berks County

More Muhlenberg Township Restaurants

Dessert Ice Cream Reviews
— Leave a Comment

Road Trip: The Jigger Shop

yellow and green awning covers an outdoor dining space among the trees

I don’t spend a lot of time in Lebanon County. Especially working in the opposite direction, my trips to Berks County’s western neighbor are few and far between.

But we recently found ourselves in the Lebanon area with enough time to pay a visit to Mt. Gretna, and its famous ice cream parlor.

Mt. Gretna feels like a different world. It’s a secluded, quiet getaway. Except at the Jigger Shop.

Part old-time soda fountain, part fast-food restaurant, the Jigger Shop was packed with people on the Wednesday afternoon when we visited.

posters advertising performances at the Gretna Playhouse

The place has its own unique vibe  – part old-time soda fountain, part 1950s drive-in. Everything is ordered at one of the counters, ice cream to the left, food to the right.

We didn’t bother with the food (the hamburgers and fries looked rather generic from what we could see) and instead went right to the ice cream line.

At the front is counter seating for about half a dozen,

For my first time, the only real option is a namesake jigger.

large sundae in glass cup with chocolate syrup and crushed Oreos

I don’t know what came first, the name of the sundae or the name of the shop, but either way, it’s a great choice because the jigger is legit.

One of the things that makes the Jigger shop unique is that everything is made one at a time so we got to watch the construction process.

It started with scoops of French vanilla ice cream. Then came the chocolate syrup. After pouring it on top, our server took the wrong side of a spoon and used it to spread the chocolate around the glass. It was then topped with a heaping pile of whipped marshmallow, flattened on top so it could hold a spoonful of jigger nuts.

prep area for an ice cream parlor

Essentially, the jigger is a CMP sundae (chocolate, marshmallow, peanuts) with vanilla ice cream, though the jigger nuts are a little different. I think I caught hints of hazelnut and cocoa.

In any case, it was delicious. I’m not a big marshmallow fan, but I enjoyed it here. Honestly, and this may be sacrilege, but I could have done without the jigger nuts.

Julie’s sundae was more intricate and even more entertaining to watch make. The strawberry shortcake sundae started with a little bit of milk on the bottom (optional) followed by slices of shortcake. Next came three scoops of vanilla ice cream. That was topped with strawberry syrup, which was then covered in a mound of whipped cream. The whole thing was topped off with strawberries sliced to order.

oval metal bowl with an ice cream sundae topped with whipped cream and strawberries

It took a good five minutes to build, the anticipation building as I stood there with my ice cream, waiting for Julie.

Eating it took a little longer, but that’s because Julie was taking time to enjoy every bite. The shortcake had absorbed the milk and a little bit of the ice cream, making it sweet and a little wet. There was a lot more whipped cream than ice cream, but both were very good.

Like mine, it was a big hit.

Mt. Gretna is a resort of sorts so the prices are a little higher than a lot of places around here. For our two sundaes, the total was more than $15. But we also didn’t need to eat a real dinner afterward so I guess it worked out in our favor.

From Memorial Day to Labor Day, the Jigger Shop is one of Lebanon County’s coolest (pun intended) destinations.

It’s a destination in and of itself, a unique place that’s worth visiting at least once, especially if you find yourself in the neighborhood.

More Ice Cream in Berks County

More Road Trips from Berks County

Dessert Reviews
Photo of an ice cream sandwich with vanilla ice cream between two chocolate chip cookies
— 5 Comments

Review: Sweet Ride Ice Cream

round sign with a picture of an ice cream cone and the words "Sweet Ride Ice Cream"

When Sweet Ride Ice Cream announced it was opening its first permanent location in West Reading earlier this year, it was a big deal.

Sweet Ride built a reputation as an ice cream company on the go, first as a bicycle-powered cart, then as a full mobile ice cream parlor.

A brick-and-mortar location was a huge step, but I knew they were doing it right when I saw a Facebook post about its 1946 soda fountain.

small old-fashioned food cart painted white in the back of a dining room with black tables and chairs

The public has responded in a big way, too. The little shop along Penn Avenue seems to always have a crowd, and Berks County Eats readers recommended it more than any other ice cream parlor in the county.

So of course, I had to give it a try.

On our visit, the menu listed 26 flavors including Coconut Almond Joy, Espresso Explosion and Bullwinkle (vanilla with thick fudge and mini peanut butter cups). The flavors come from Nelson’s Ice Cream in Royersford, who have been in the ice cream business since 1935.

two black wet erase boards with ice cream flavors written out in multiple colors

Can’t decide what you want? Sweet Ride offers a four-flavor flight.

The ice cream parlor offers more than just cones and cups. Visitors can enjoy an old-fashioned malt, ice cream soda or float.

For me, there was only one option: the ice cream cookie sandwich.

two chocolate chip cookies with vanilla ice cream in the middle

I chose the French vanilla ice cream to be the “meat” between the two fresh chocolate chip cookies. It was heavenly.

The cookies were soft, too soft to pick up and eat like a sandwich, but perfect for shoveling spoonfuls of cookie and ice cream. The French vanilla was delicious and the perfect, simple compliment to the chocolatey cookies. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Julie opted to build her own sundae with banana peanut butter chip ice cream as the base and pretzels and peanut butter sauce on top.

ice cream sundae in old fashioned glass cup with caramel and pretzels on top

It’s a combination of three of her favorite things so she couldn’t help but love it. I was surprised by how much the banana was able to come through, and despite the fact that I am not a big peanut butter fan, I even enjoyed the taste that I was allowed to have.

The only negative was that they forgot the whipped cream and cherry on top, though Julie was too busy enjoying the sundae to notice until she saw someone else’s fully constructed sundae.

Our total came to $10 for the two of us. The service was good and relatively fast. As everything is built one at a time, I got mine just a minute or so before Julie’s arrived at our table.

Sweet Ride has done a great job of building on their success and making the new store a true extension of what they were already doing. The store is modern, but with a definite call back to the heyday of the neighborhood ice cream parlor.

That’s why so many people are already listing it among their favorites.

BCE Rating
Ice Cream: Excellent
Service: Good
Ambiance: Very Good
Price: Reasonable

Sweet Rice Ice Cream
542 Penn Ave
West Reading, PA 19611

More Ice Cream in Berks County

More Restaurants in West Reading, PA

Dessert Ice Cream Reviews
Photo of two milkshakes in styrofoam cups
— Leave a Comment

Review: Lori’s Candy Station

pink awning with the words "Lori's Candy Station" over the doorway of a narrow building

“There’s no place like home. There’s no place like home.” All Dorothy Gale had to do was repeat those words and click her heels to be rescued from Oz and returned to her aunt and uncle’s farm.

For me, it means a 20-minute drive along Route 422 from Wyomissing to Robesonia.

And no trip home is complete without a stop at Lori’s Candy Station and a specialty shake.

three stainless steel milkshake cups upside down on a counter

It’s a true taste of home for me. You see, Lori is my mom, and I invented the secret milkshake menu.

It started a few years ago when she started with a new ice cream wholesaler, JAS (Just About Sinful), who also own Ice Cream World in Allentown). The new supplier meant new flavors and new flavor combinations.

My go-to is a mango shake. It’s a scoop of mango water ice with vanilla ice cream, blended up for a thick, brain freeze-inducing treat.

The mango ice is naturally sweet and the vanilla helps tone it down just enough. It works with just about any flavor of Italian ice (except vanilla, that would just be weird), but give me the mango every time.

two milkshakes in styrofoam cups with the lids off, one with chocolate the other with vanilla and mango

Julie also has her own milkshake creation that she likes to call the chocolate covered strawberry – dips of strawberry and death by chocolate ice cream.

Death by chocolate ice cream is a monster of itself. It consists of chocolate ice cream, chocolate chips and brownie chunks. Blended with the strawberry ice cream, it really does give the flavor of a chocolate covered strawberry, only more refreshing and less messy.

If you order it, make sure you get a straw and a spoon. With death by chocolate ice cream, there is always a few bits of brownie waiting at the bottom of the cup.

man and woman take a selfie holding milkshake containers

But you don’t have to mix and match to get a great milkshake. Salty caramel, mint chocolate chip, cookie dough and teaberry are all delectable on their own.

We had mediums — in my younger day, I would take down the 32 oz. large, but not anymore — and they were more than enough, and just $7 for the pair.

Other treats at the little shop include waffle cones dipped in chocolate, floats, chocolate-covered bananas, and some of the most decadent ice cream cakes you will find anywhere.

tray of chocolate-covered caramel discs - milk and dark chocolate - topped with sea salt

And we can’t forget about the famous homemade chocolates.

Made from soft ice cream and the best mix-ins, the ice cream cakes from JAS are available for special order with at least a week’s advance notice.

Yes, I’m biased. But I will always love going to Lori’s Candy Station for a milkshake. They’re just like mom used to make.

More Ice Cream in Berks County

More Restaurants Near Robesonia, PA

Dessert Ice Cream Uncategorized