Soft serve is having a moment in New Orleans
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Soft serve with sprinkles at The Drift Inn Diner in Algiers Point. Photo: Carlie Kollath Wells/Axios
It's the summer of soft serve in New Orleans.
Why it matters: Businesses are embracing soft serve with creative flavors, boozy twists and nostalgic classics.
The big picture: Soft serve has been exploding in popularity nationally over the past two years, according to Restaurant Business.
- It's a fast-food staple, but now restaurateurs are experimenting with new flavors and presentations, the story says.
Here's what we're seeing in New Orleans.
🍪 Soft serve-and-cookie combos: Super Witch kicked things off in December with an Old Metairie storefront.
- Bella Boo in Lakeview now has its own take on the soft serve-and-cookie combo.
🍍 The boozy option: Felipe's and Tacos Del Cartel have soft serve margaritas.
🥭 The nontraditional versions: Check out Nectar Ice in Metairie. Recent soft serve flavors include mango sticky rice, pandan chocolate and vanilla-ube.
- Sum'n Sweet has strawberry cheesecake nachos, and Bar Pomona has flavors like olive oil.
🍦 The throwback option: In Algiers Point, The Drift Inn Diner has thick soft serve for dine-in and carryout.
🍧 Fan favorites: Robear's, Droopy's, Flavors and other stands stuff classic snoballs with soft serve.
- Sal's added chocolate soft serve this season.
🤑 The free options: New Orleans Hamburger and Seafood Co. and Jason's Deli have free soft serve machines in their dining rooms.
🫒 Worlds collide: Dirty martini items are another food trend taking over social media — think dips and pasta — and one New York shop just combined that trend with soft serve.