A citywide search for seattle’s premiere frozen treat

Many places in Seattle vie for the title of “best ice cream,” however there is more than just ice cream in this town. We are home to gelatarias, froyo shops, and frozen custard creameries. Someone had to look into which of these frosty desserts reigns supreme, and that task fell upon me.

First stop on my journey was Zoeyogurt across the street from Greenlake. Location-wise, Zoeyogurt was tough to beat. During the summertime, this prime spot overlooking the lake is ideal.

Despite this unbeatable convenience, the froyo itself was lackluster. Zoeyogurt had a variety of flavors, ranging from fruity to chocolatey, however each failed to impress. Froyo is just not rich enough for my liking. If you are going to treat yourself, you should really indulge.

Next, I went to Fainting Goat Gelato in Wallingford. Walking in, I was immediately struck by how cute and coffee-shop-esque it was; paintings by local artists hung on the walls, creating a cozy, typical Pacific NW atmosphere.

Fainting Goat really astounded me with their broad and intriguing array of flavors. I tried pear, sunshine, goat’s milk and Earl Grey. These four truly showcased the variety at Fainting Goat. The pear and sunshine (a mix of different citrus flavors) were tangy and astoundingly smooth. Similar to fruit sorbet, they perfectly mixed creamy and icey. Earl Grey had a similar texture, but where the others were fruity, the Earl Grey was well… not for me, but if you really enjoy tea then you should give it a taste.

Seeing as “goat” was in the name of the gelateria, I couldn’t leave without tasting the goat’s milk gelato. Very similar to vanilla ice cream, the goat’s milk was incredibly rich and dense. I highly recommend stopping by Fainting Goat Gelato. It is definitely worth it.

My ice cream escapade then took me to Old School Frozen Custard in Capitol Hill. Old School is a diamond in the rough. Despite a small selection, their flavor is unparalleled and spectacular. Each month, they rotate through a schedule of flavors; today’s was blackberry pie. I ordered a blackberry pie concrete (a dense milkshake). Blended in were mango and raspberry, creating a delicious, fruity masterpiece.

It was hands-down the best thing I have ever consumed. Each bite was new and exciting. Sometimes there would be bits of pie crust, and then I would crunch down into a raspberry. The best part was, it didn’t leave me feeling bloated or sickly. Old School Frozen Custard genuinely impressed.

Last stop was Full Tilt Ice Cream in the University District. Full Tilt is known for its diverse selection of arcade games, and bizarre, eclectic ice cream. The U-District location was too small to house any games, however it still retained that arcade vibe. The entire menu was written above in neon on a chalkboard, accompanied by cute little doodles.

Feeling adventurous, I ordered pear gorgonzola. What I received was a decadent ice cream with little chunks of gorgonzola cheese. I wish I could say the ice cream tasted like pear, but I think they must not have gotten the memo because it tasted like plain vanilla. Decent and quality vanilla, but it was still vanilla. All around, this was a major disappointment.

All in all, the ice cream excursion was awesome. But, I think that I will stick with less adventurous flavors in the future. Cheese and ice cream really do not mix.

By Jacob Greene