I feel like Joe and I would be friends if we ever met. He's a kindred spirit: I mean, I love iced desserts, and he makes them.
In my life, I've had insane amounts of ice cream, gelato, and popsicles, but I never had Italian Ice until I moved to Tempe. Game changer.
How do you describe Italian Ice? It's not a snow cone, it's not shaved ice... Imagine flavoured snow falling from the sky (sorry native Phoenix people). Each bite of the ice is full of flavour. Last night we got a Dreamsicle Joe Latti. Layers of ice and creamy soft serve. It was like the Creamsicles of my childhood, but in a scoopable bite.
What I really enjoyed about the Ice is that it isn't cloyingly sweet - at least for the fruity flavours we've tried thus far. I don't feel sick to my stomach after eating one. They're light and a perfect treat for less than perfect summer days.
Service: I'm pretty sure the employees are all high school/college students. They're all professional and polite. One made a mistake yesterday and couldn't remember what size we ordered. But she erred on the side of caution and gave us a huge Joe Latti.
Ambiance: GREAT date spot. I imagine it's a place that my parents or even grandparents would have gone to back in their day. It's so cute and full of old retro pieces. They don't work. I may have tried to put a nickel into the old school gum machine.
Joe, can I call you Joe? I'll be back for more of this yumminess.