Looking for new ice cream flavors? This Massachusetts shop has some unique options
PEABODY - Ice cream lovers are coming from all over to visit Holy Cow Ice Cream Cafe in Peabody for their homemade ice cream and unique flavors.
Located right on Route 114, the shop only opened a few years ago but it has exploded in popularity.
Holy Cow's award-winning flavors
In 2022, the North Shore icon won the North American Ice Cream Association's Flavor of the Year award for their ice cream Ritzy AF. So what's in it?
"Salted butter cracker with pieces of homemade Ritz Cracker toffee bar," owner Mike Schifino told WBZ-TV.
The flavor has taken Peabody, and the country by storm. It beat out hundreds of ice creams from all over the U.S. to claim the top spot and it wasn't their only ice cream that got some big accolades. Their Eazy Peazy flavor took home third place at the same competition.
It's made with "lemon curd ice cream with homemade lemon bar chunks," Schifino said.
Schifino credits their homemade ice cream and all natural flavors as the reason for their success.
"We're going out of our way to make it as high quality of a product as possible," said Schifino. He learned how to make the ice cream himself on a small commercial ice cream maker.
"One special turned into two, to four, and eventually our entire menu was homemade," he told WBZ.
What's in Holy Cow ice cream?
All of the tasty ingredients mixed into the ice cream are also homemade, from lemon bar chunks and toffee bars to brownie pieces.
"That's what was making our product special compared to what else was available in the area," said Schifino.
"We use green spirulina to color our ice cream and beet juice and blue spirulina," said Schifino.
They also use a vegan coconut base for customers with food sensitivities. Their waffle cones and famous ice cream sandwiches are both made to order. Customers can mix and match the cookies with an ice cream flavor of their choice for a messy sandwich, or they can have a premade "neat" one.
A family business
For Schifino, ice cream is everything. The only thing that tops that is family. Customers will notice flavors in honor of his kids, like Sugarboy and Nina Colada. He said he hopes he can inspire his three children to follow their dreams the way his father inspired him.
"My dad passed away in 2011, he was a restaurateur," said Schifino. "I can only imagine how he would be very proud and very excited about this whole endeavor."
Holy Cow also partners with local organizations. For Earth Month, they're working with the Sawyer Free Library to benefit the Cape Ann Climate Coalition. Any money raised will help combat climate change.
Holy Cow also has a store in Gloucester, a new spot in Dennisport, and a seasonable shop in Salem.
