Tracy J. Chappelle 
For true dessert lovers, a simple ice cream cone is not always enough.
They need something different. Photo-worthy. On top.
That’s where those shakes, sundaes, and other ice cream creations come in. These desserts are in a class of their own, sometimes literally towering above the rest.
If you’re looking for a truly original serving of ice cream, head to these stores known for their one-of-a-kind takes on the classic creation.
Don’t forget the towels.
Unicorn Cotton Candy Shake at Brownstone Pancake Factory, The Brick
Including its weekly limited edition “Insane Shake of the Week”, there are always 10 over-the-top milkshakes available at Brownstone Pancake Factory – including one topped with fried Oreos and another with pancakes, waffles and bacon.
But the crowd favorite has long been the Unicorn Cotton Candy Shake, which is the milkshake of choice for about half of all “Insane Shake” customers.
The strawberry milkshake features vanilla frosting around a mason jar rim and is topped with a blue or red velvet cupcake, cotton candy, lollipops and colorful candies. It is often shared between two and four children, although some customers order it for themselves.
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“The great thing about our crazy shakes is that there are so many components. You’re not just sipping on a hand-spun milkshake, you’re also taking a bite out of a cupcake, etc.” , said owner Bobby Bournias, who also owns the restaurant’s two other locations in North Jersey. (A fourth will arrive in Freehold Township later this year.)
Bournias said he started doing this “crazy stuff” several years ago and was often inspired by flavor profiles, or even just an item he saw in the supermarket. He invented the unicorn shake in 2016.
Many people, especially children, are “hypnotized” when the shake makes its way to the table. But the shake is more than just an Instagram post (although that’s also the case — the family business has over 130,000 Instagram followers).
“I’m proud it’s not just a gimmick,” Bournias said. “It’s not something that we mix. It’s something that not only looks amazing, but also tastes amazing.”
To go: 979 Cedar Bridge Avenue, brick; 201-945-4800, brownstonepancakefactory.com.
Kryptonite Sundae, Cool Scoops Ice Cream Parlor, North Wildwood
This 1950s-themed ice cream parlor, with vintage cars as seats, offers over 35 flavors of ice cream, including dairy-free, sugar-free, low-carb, and gluten-free options.
Customer favorites include salted caramel and banana pretzels, as well as dairy-free and vegan assortments of Cool Scoops Ice Cream.
Homemade cookie bowls are a thing here. The ice cream comes inside a chocolate chip (or gluten-free chocolate chip) or M&M cookie.
Or how about the Kryptonite Sundae? This sweet treat features a scoop of mint and pistachio chocolate chip ice cream, hot fudge topping, green jimmies, whipped cream and a green cherry.
To go: 1111 New Jersey Ave, 609-729-2665; coolscoops.com/
Sideshow Shake at Coney Waffle, Long Branch, Red Bank, Belmar and Asbury Park
Walk into Coney Waffle any day of the week and you’re pretty much guaranteed to see an Instagram-worthy dessert, given the confectionery’s menu of outrageous ice creams and waffles. But the one that undoubtedly attracts the most double takes – and the most customers, as sometimes hundreds are sold per day – is the Sideshow Shake.
The 2-foot-tall milkshake includes a waffle, three layers of cotton candy, an ice cream sandwich, an ice cream cone, gummies, a candy bar, chocolate-covered pretzels, and any other candies you Coney Waffle has in stock.
If that’s not enough, skip to “The Big Show” with more waffles, ice cream, cotton candy and gummies.
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“The ingredients can look different every time someone comes to pick one up, depending on what we have on hand and what kind of gummies we have in season,” owner Joe D’Esposito said. “Very rarely will you get the same shake twice.”
D’Esposito introduced the Sideshow Shake, named after the famous Coney Island sideshow, the same year he opened his first Coney Waffle store in 2016. He wanted to “do something different and over the top,” he said. -he declares.
The shareable shake is ideal for four to five people, D’Esposito said, although people will periodically eat an entire Sideshow Shake on their own. And sometimes they cross state lines to do so.
“People come specifically for this – they’ve seen it on the internet and they might walk past 20 ice cream shops on their trip here,” he said. “I know people who came from Michigan to get one. They said, ‘We saw you on Instagram and we always wanted to see the Jersey Shore, so we thought we’d shake it off and see the Jersey Shore too.’ “
To go: 24 Centennial Drive in Long Branch, 848-888-3717; 13 Broad Street at Red Bank, 732-268-8933; 803 Ocean Ave. in Belmar, 732-556-6951; and 800 Ocean Ave. at Asbury Park; 732-361-3091; coneywaffle.shop.
Michael’s Carousel Waffle, The Hobby Horse Ice Cream Parlor, Ocean City
Over 42 flavors of ice cream are served at this bright and colorful parlor, which has a carousel horse outside and carousel decorations throughout.
This family-run ice cream parlor and cafe is located in the heart of Ocean City.
Their specialty sundaes seem worth the trip.
How about Michael’s Carousel Waffle, made with homemade Belgian-style waffles, two scoops of your favorite ice cream, your choice of topping, whipped cream and a cherry? Or try Dark Side of the Moon, made with two scoops of your favorite ice cream, hot fudge, whipped cream, a cherry, and a homemade chocolate-covered wafer.
Then there’s Jerri’s Peachberry Sundae: your choice of two scoops of ice cream, Georgia peach topping, red raspberry sauce, whipped cream, and a cherry.
Some of the most popular ice cream flavors are blueberry, peanut butter pie, cotton candy, s’mores and red raspberry sorbet, said Michael Dukeman, whose parents, Jerri and Edward Dukeman, opened the ice cream shop nearly three decades ago. . He now runs the salon with his wife, Ciara, and their extended family.
To go: 800 Ocean Ave., 609-399-1214; hobbyhorseocnj.com/?
Octopus Sundae at Hoffman’s Ice Cream, Spring Lake Heights and Point Pleasant Beach
When Adam Richman visited Hoffman’s Ice Cream for an episode of “Man v. Food” in 2010 and tried the eight-scoop, eight-topping Octopus Sundae, it was the sundae’s world premiere: The shop created the colossal sundae in octopus form for The Arrival of Richman.
For the next decade, anyone who finished the sundae in eight minutes received a t-shirt. Over the years, about 150 customers have finished the sundae, which had whipped cream and eight different toppings on scoops of ice cream.
Unfortunately, the challenge is no longer. When the COVID-19 pandemic closed indoor restaurants, staff couldn’t time customers. Once indoor dining returned, they noticed that customers seemed to prefer picking their own flavors of ice cream anyway. But the sundae remains on the menu.
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The octopus sundae is ideal for sharing between about four people, said Point Pleasant Beach store manager Kim Karkovice. About 10 per week are sold out of season and about 40 per week in summer.
“Most people get it to share with their family, so everyone picks their favorite flavor and favorite topping and they eat it together,” Karkovice said. “If people haven’t had it before, they’re still surprised how big it is.”
To go: 569 Church St. in Spring Lake Heights, 732-974-2253, and 800 Richmond Ave. at Point Pleasant Beach, 732-892-0270, hoffmansicecream.net.
Cone Schmears at Skipper Dipper, Long Beach
Even though Skipper Dipper’s customers are all about the classics, co-owner Dave Powitz is still trying to think of how to put twists on the average ice cream cone. One of the 45-year-old boutique’s latest additions, which arrived in Powitz in 2019, was born out of its own snacking habits.
“I was putting fudge in the middle of my soft serve, but I knew it would be too hard for my employees to perform all the time,” he said. “My idea was to put a ‘gift’ inside a cone so that by the time you get to the bottom of the cone, you’re like, ‘Oh, that’s a little surprise.’ “
This surprise was what Skipper Dipper calls a conical schmear. They line the inside of an ice cream cone with toppings such as Biscoff cookie butter, peanut butter, fudge, or Nutella.
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Slowly that caught on, which Powitz says is the trend at Skipper Dipper, which sees many seasonal guests vacationing on Long Beach Island.
“It’s like a little gooey inside the cone,” Powitz said. “Imagine biting into the crunch of a wafer cone and then having a peanut butter sandwich inside. The stickiness of the peanut butter inside the crispy cone is really fun.”
To go: 9305 Long Beach Boulevard, Long Beach; 609-492-9680, skipperdipper.com.
Jenna Intersimone has been a staff member of the USA Today Network New Jersey since 2014, having become a blogger-turned-journalist after founding her award-winning travel blog. To get unlimited access to her food, drink and fun stories, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.Contact: [email protected] or @JIntersimone.
