With the line often leading out the door and a couple buildings away, it’s hard to miss Jeni’s in Wicker Park. Even though it may seem frustrating to wait in a long line for some ice cream, it’s most definitely worth the wait. Even though the line looks unbearable, my experience started from outside the door to the front of the line in only 10 minutes. When you finally make it inside the small ice cream shop, the strong scent of homemade waffle cones is impossible to miss. Creeping closer and closer to the front of the line, Jeni’s displays all their flavors, along with a small station where the cones are made.
With 32 flavors to choose from, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream is the place you want to go to cure any sweet tooth. With flavors ranging from Dark Chocolate Peppermint to Salted Caramel and from Churro to Wild Berry Lavender, Jeni’s has a flavor for everyone. The Wild Berry Lavender, however, stood out as a beautiful flower in my mouth, so I’m all over that.
Seeing all the exotic flavors they have, like Queen City Cayenne and Goat Cheese with Red Cherries, can make it difficult to choose which one to get. Personally, it was a bit overwhelming having to limit my options and not order everything. Thankfully, Jeni’s has wonderful employees that are more than happy to scoop any flavor as many times as you want for a tester.
Jeni’s also offers ice cream sandwiches, sauces, and toppings like whipped cream and smoked almonds.
When you finally get to the register, you’ll realize Jeni’s isn’t a place where you have to break the bank to enjoy some quality ice cream. The smallest cone they serve has two scoops and only costs $5.00. The Trio has three scoops and is only a dollar more. If you plan on getting a sundae, you have the choice of two or three scoops, one sauce, one gravel, and unlimited toppings, with the final cost being $7.00-$8.00 depending on the number of scoops. Adding smoked almonds or whipped cream to regular cone is only 50 cents more, and adding sauce or gravel is an additional $1.00.
Jeni’s has three Chicago locations: 3404 N Southport, 1505 N Milwaukee, and 900 W Armitage. If you ever find yourself in the city, Jeni’s is definitely a place to check out with friends or family and enjoy a delicious treat.
