Bend’s summer got off to a slow start, but we’re being rewarded now with some unseasonably warm weather. Glorious weather. The sort of weather that makes you want to stroll down the street in your flip-flops and sunglasses licking an ice cream cone.
Hey, there’s an idea!
In the spirit making the best of our bonus days of summer, here’s the scoop (ha!) on the hottest spots to get your freezie brain fix.
Goody’s has been a Central Oregon tradition since 1984, and it’s not hard to figure out why repeat visitors often have it at the top of their “must do” list. This popular family-owned candy and ice cream company offers handmade chocolates, ice cream, caramel corn, and candy. In June, Goody’s opened a new location that Frommer’s quickly declared offers one of the nation’s 10 best ice cream factory tours.
Goody’s is famous for huge scoops of homemade ice cream including local favorites like marionberry and an Oreo cookie with the cookies hand sprinkled into each batch. My favorite treat is a dish of fruity sorbet capped with their divine bittersweet chocolate topping, a dollop of whipped cream, a sprinkle of nuts, and a cherry. If you’re sharing with a sweetie, try their generous banana split and consider it relationship therapy to work together picking your three ice cream flavors and matching toppings.
Goody’s has locations both downtown and on the east side of Bend, plus in outlying areas like Sunriver, Prineville and Redmond. Ice cream factory tours take place in their new corporate headquarters on SE Division Street in Bend.
If gelato is more your style, you can’t beat the offerings at Powell’s Sweet Shoppe in downtown Bend. They swap out flavors seasonally, and right now they’re offering a pumpkin gelato that is TO.DIE.FOR.
There are plenty of other flavors to choose from, including tasty mixes like tiramisu and crème brule, or standard favorites like chocolate and vanilla. I can seldom resist a pint packed with three flavors for $7.50 (raspberry sorbet, dark chocolate, and coppa mista last night, if you must know). The fun, candy-packed shop is sure to appeal to kids or to grownups who just want to feel like kids in a candy shop.
If you’re out and about the Old Mill District, be sure to hit the Ben & Jerry’s shop located right next to Regal Cinemas. As an added bonus, you can tote your dish right into the theater. No movie date is complete without a giant bowl of Cherry Garcia frozen yogurt.
If you’re looking to get your ice cream groove on outside Bend’s main shopping districts, don’t miss Baskin Robbins right next to Fred Meyer on the south end of town, or Cold Stone Creamery in the Cascade Village shopping center on the north end of town. Both offer bountiful selections and nice, long business hours.
For something a little different, give one of Bend’s frozen yogurt hotspots a shot. Bend Yogurt Factory is located on Bond Street right in the heart of town. You can also hit one of two Cuppa Yo locations – one on Newport Avenue on Bend’s west side, or the east side location on NE Bellvue. Both yogurt shops offer lowfat and nonfat options, and you can control your portion size yourself.
Where’s your favorite place in Bend to get freezie brain? Do you have a favorite flavor? Please share!
And don’t forget the napkins. Or hey, go ahead and lick the ice cream drippings off your hand. You can get away with stuff like that in Bend.