Taste of Summer: 7 Sweet Treats That Won’t Melt
Jack N’ S’mores shake at Frankford Hall | Photograph by Claudia Gavin
1. Crepes in a Cone
Rolled up into a paper cone and stuffed with tasty fillings, the Japanese crepes at T-swirl Crêpe are an ideal sweet-on-the-go. Go classic with strawberry banana, or kick it up with the matcha azuki bean, which comes with a scoop of Japanese green tea gelato, red bean paste, strawberries and Pocky sticks. (Bonus: These crepes are gluten-free.) Multiple locations.
2. Tubs of Dough
Swing by your local market (try Tela’s Market in Fairmount and McCaffrey’s in the ’burbs) and grab a tub of egg-free cookie dough from the Cookie Dough Café that’s meant to be popped open and consumed with a spoon. Multiple locations.
3. Vegan Milkshakes
Vegans, there’s no need to cry over spilled milk, thanks to the soy-based shakes at HipCityVeg. Chocolate and vanilla are solid options, but check out the seasonal flavors, like the “Strawberry Feels Forever” shake for June and the “Cold Brew Mocha,” made with cocoa powder and Stumptown cold brew, for July and August. Multiple locations.
4. Drunken Milkshakes
Beer isn’t the only spot-on drink at Frankford Hall. The Jack N’ S’mores shake (above) has chocolate ice cream and Jack Daniel’s and is topped with whipped cream and a deconstructed s’more. We promise it’ll improve your Jenga and ping-pong skills. 1210 Frankford Avenue, Fishtown, 215-634-3338.
5. Candy-Spiked Smoothies
There are some interesting treats coming out of Paletas y Helados Bambino, a Mexican ice-cream shop in the Italian Market. The Chamoyada is a thick mango smoothie topped with sweet-and-spicy chamoy sauce; the Mega version has mango chunks, string gummies, and a tamarind candy stick. 1142 South 9th Street, East Passyunk, 215-462-0892.
6. Self-Serve Mochi Bar
With seven flavors ranging from mango to coffee to chocolate, the only problem with the grab-and-go mochi bar at Whole Foods is knowing when to stop. What’s more, at about $1.50 each, these sticky-rice-wrapped ice-cream balls are a steal (although you’ll probably want 10). Multiple locations.
7. DIY “Sundaes”
If you only know Honeygrow for its stir-fries and salads, you’re missing out on the mini chain’s better half: the Honeybar. Pile fresh fruits and fixings like coconut shavings, granola and dark chocolate chips into your cup, and top it all off with local honey — for a kick of guilt-free sweetness. Multiple locations.
First published as “Seven Sweets That Won’t Melt” in the June 2017 issue of Philadelphia magazine.
