Blank Slate Creamery

I visited Blank Slate Creamery on a Friday afternoon after strolling along Main St. in Ann Arbor. There were a few other customers while I was there but no wait at all. The staff behind the counter were patient and made no judgement when I tried six different flavors — bananas foster (amazing!!), banana nut bread, chocolate covered pretzel caramel, apple spiced cinnamon donut (tastes exactly how autumn should taste), pumpkin spice, and chocolate stout malt (not a fan of these last two).
They told me the chocolate covered pretzel caramel was their most popular flavor, so I got the kids size of that in a cone. 1) the kid’s size was humongous and so reasonably priced and 2) the cone was WARM and so fresh! The ice cream of course was creamy, rich, and delicious.
The place is quite large with both tables and bar stools. Lots of chalkboard everywhere for kids (or bigger kids aka adults) to draw on with chalk, and for the season they had chalkboard pumpkins on tables for decorating as well.
Hopefully I will be back in Ann Arbor again and able to try even more flavors!

I love ice cream and this place satisfied all my cravings!
Line was long every time i went but the line goes by pretty fast so dont be intimidated by the long line.
To start i love the interior. Love the chalkboards and all the design ~ and how you can write your own messages or drawings ok the tables and wall !
Theres lots of ice cream flavors ~ the balsamic strawberry was one of my favorites such a unique flavor and i usually dont like strawberry ice cream but something about theirs was different and i loved it !
They make the waffle cones freshly their and i got a new one when i made the order so it tasted even better !

Best ice cream in this town – every flavor I’ve tried has been completely on point.
Highly recommend scoops of the Blueberry Pancake, Vietnamese Cinnamon, and Roasted Butter Pecan ice creams altogether in a cone.

Blank Slate is a local favorite and definitely a great place for ice cream. The service is amazing, and the ladies behind the counter patiently let you try any flavor you want!
They have a great mix of classic flavors as well as new, interesting blends such as basil, or banana nut bread. They have something for everyone :)

I have a Blank Slate Babyyyyyyy, and I’ll write your name — - in ICE CREAM
This could be one of my most favorite ice cream spots ever. Granted, the ice cream here is suuuuper rich and sweet. However, I don’t drink, smoke, or eat too many hot dogs, so let sugar be my vice.
As you walk in the scent of glorious waffle cones fill your nostrils. I swear this is probably what heaven smells like. Like seriously, in my previous reviews, I talk about mouth-​gasms, but this might be the only place that gives me a smell-​gasm.
You are greeted with a chalkboard of all the flavors of the day which change constantly and 2 smiling scoopers, waiting to offer you samples.
All their flavors are pretty interesting and worth paying for, rather than just buying a pint at the supermarket. There is no extra charge for a waffle cone, so I recommend you go for one!
Also, my friend is a milkshake connoisseur, and he travels around the country trying milkshakes in differing locales. He has told me that the milkshake here is one of the best he has ever had.
My favorite flavors are:
**blueberry pancake
**green tea
**salted caramel
**any sherbet
Great place for kids, as you can pretty much draw all over the inside and outside of the building with chalk.

Favorite ice cream place in A2, and I have really high standards for ice cream. The line is almost always out the door, or so I hear, but when I came on a Sunday afternoon, there was hardly any wait, and the friendly ice cream scooper guy let us try as many flavors as we wanted.
I ended up getting the chocolate covered pretzel with caramel swirl, but also tried my friend’s white chocolate raspberry swirl chip, which I might have liked even more than my own! I love the cute décor of the place, and how there is chalk available to draw on the tables!
What pushed Blank Slate from 4 to 5 stars for me was the fact that while sampling the matcha ice cream, the guy told us that they make most of their flavors in-​house, and asked us our opinion of the matcha (matcha is one of my favorite flavors). I mentioned that it wasn’t strong enough, and he said he’d work on it for next time. Wow — Talk about taking feedback well! I’ll definitely be back!

Friendly staff, awesome environment (you can write on the table tops with chalk!!), delicious ice cream. ¹⁰⁄₁₀ recommend.
I had the salty caramel flavor (yum) with the waffle cone– I also tried the malted stout and it was a very unique, richly layered flavor.

So good! Finally tried out A2’s new-​ish ice cream join. Very good. It’s often got a long line but moves fairly quickly. As you can see in the photos others have posted, flavors are written in chalk on the board. You can try flavors before choosing what to get. I got the featured flavor — orange creamsicle in a waffle cone and loved it. My friend got coffee and you could smell and see flecks of ground coffee beans. Her second scoop was chocolate peanut butter. She said the chocolate was bitter but she couldn’t tell if that was from her coffee scoop or not. It’s a tad bit expensive for ice cream so I won’t be coming here often (I also only tend to eat ice cream when it’s hot), but I’ll definitely be back again.

Wow heaven on earth! Came here on a Sunday night at 9:30pm and the place was packed!
The waffle cone was still warm when I received my homemade banana foster and salty Carmel icecream. Wow wow wow! So delicious! And super affordable. Two scoops is considered a small + waffle cone = $ 4 (insert dropped jaw)
I highly recommend this place over washetenaw dairy! Beats that place out the water!

Don’t get me wrong, it was tasty and hit the spot, but it hit it a little too hard. Do I dare say what I got was WAY too sweet?
I’ll start by saying that the atmosphere was spot on. It’s a great atmosphere, I’m happy to finally see a successful appearing business in this building that’s seen a lot of turnover. The walls are chalkboard and inviting and as far as I could tell (because it was so crowded), it had a upscale country feel to it. The employees were friendly and accommodating with my multiple samplings but ultimately I gave in and went with a simple chocolate peanut butter, but only because they were out of the blueberry pancake that I’ve heard so much about.
While the chocolate peanut butter was tasty, it was incredibly rich. Not just rich, but oh so sweet, to the point where it pushed it a little too much. I got the same impression from the other samples I tried. Just SO incredibly sweet to where it overwhelmed my palate to the point where I was searching for chunks of peanut butter in the ice cream to help balance it out. Some friends also had similar experiences with their flavors such as cookies and cream and the Wolverine tracks. Perhaps it might’ve been different had I tried the different flavors like butternut squash, salted caramel, or the balsamic strawberry, who knows.
I don’t think the price is too far out of the box ($ 3.25 for a one scoop/​kids size), especially for downtown Ann Arbor. Also considering how sweet it was, I’m not sure I’d want/​need more. Perhaps I’ll go back, but if I did, it’ll be more if I was conveniently in the area.

Ice cream is my kryptonite. After hearing about this place endlessly from my sister who shares the same indugence obsession with the creamy stuff (she is my twin, after all), my partner and I decided to go during their slow period as any time after 7pm on a weekend night has a line wrapped around the block.
Atmosphere inside feels cramped and unorganized. The tables are painted with chalkboard paint so youngsters can doodle away while screaming like banshees because that’s what children do here (note: do not come here in all black, like me). The area where you order and pay for your sweets is a U-​type shape which leads to an awkward «‘scuse me» around lingering folks taking an hour to sample every flavor God allowed humanity to invent. Service was steady but layout is all very wrong.
I got the blueberry pancake and white chocolate raspberry chip ice creams as I’ve heard rave reviews about these. This is not what I consider ice cream. It is too sweet, too dense. Like a custard. The sweet ice cream base is the star and the flavorings play second fiddle. If you are on the verge of Type 2 diabetes, this is not your ice cream. If you like your flavors to shine as bright as a rapper’s grill, this is not your ice cream. I ate it all, of course. Had to make sure my first taste and second and third and so on, was true ’til the end. And get more napkins while you’re at it. This stuff stays solid all but 5 seconds after being scooped.
Also, if you have allergies to tree nuts, be mindful that the website states that their ice creams are made with tree nuts yet they do not state which kind. My partner ordered hers, asked if they contained tree nuts, and the server said no, offered to sanitize the scoops beforehand (kind with good training) and gave her the ice cream. Well folks, not 20 minutes later her throat started closing and scratching. So maybe these did contain traces of tree nuts or there was cross-​contamination, but this is atrocious. She doesn’t want to die over a $ 4.50 cone of sweet cream.
I am very much saddened this was a miss for me. Maybe I’ll try it again, one day, but not any time soon.

While giving a tour of downtown Ann Arbor to International visitors, we stopped by Blank Slate to get some ice cream.
I got the medium size ice cream, which comes with three scopes… the employee asked me if I wanted all three scopes of the same ice cream or different… I went with two scopes with butter pecan and one scope of coffee.
As someone who loves ice cream… I had missed emotions and feelings… the ice cream here were very sweet… a lot sweeter then all other ice creams I had before… my taste buds weren’t sure how to process the new feelings… don’t get me wrong, it was very good and I ended up finishing everything… Are all locally made ice creams this sweet??? Maybe I’ve been spoiled by all the store bought ice creams… I don’t know… but it took some time to get used to the sweetness.
Based upon first visit, three stars… I hope the place will grow on me… free parking in front of the store, but few spots only… park at the new parking structure or street park and walk few blocks… staff were friendly and offered samples… they have tables inside and out… if you sit inside, you can write on the tables with chalk… which is a plus!

Ice cream holds a disproportionate level of sway over my emotional state. Really good ice cream can make me almost euphoric, feeling like human existence is a sublime phenomenon, and really bad ice cream makes me wonder where this sick, sad world is headed. Maybe Blank Slate is a metaphor for my mental makeup just before I get my scoops, waiting to see whether I’ll be raised up or cast down by the vicissitudes of frozen dairy fate.
Either way, this place was definitely in the first category. They win on both quality (the salted caramel and chocolate peanut butter left me ecstatic) and quantity (I toyed with the idea of going back for two more scoops to alleviate the agony of having had to choose among so many tantalizing flavors), thank goodness we drove by it on the way to dinner. Some people do yoga, some meditate, but the truly enlightened among us know that the path to satori comes one scoop at a time. Find your center at Blank Slate. Om.

Love this place! What a find. Was walking with my friends & saw this creamery!
I had the basil flavoured ice cream & it wasn’t wierd at all. Tasted totally refreshing. The blueberry pancake had real chunks of blueberry. totally delicious. Nice way to top the day off

We may be lactose-​intolerant, but that doesn’t stop us from treating ourselves to Blank Slate every few weeks. Someone in the exceedingly long line asked me last night, «Is it worth it to wait?» Honestly, yes, it is, despite the Ann Arborian high prices.
The flavors and creativity of Blank Slate remind me of some of my favorite Bay Area ice creameries. Although the Blueberry Pancake is my all-​time favorite (that maple aftertaste is phenomenal), I can’t resist trying out whatever new concoction is being debuted that week. Last night the Orange Creamsicle was the winner, transporting me back to elementary school memories of popsicle goodness. Their waffle cones are fresh and being crafted before your eyes as you order. (Sometimes the cone is still warm as you’re eating, which is a nice contrast to the cool, creamy scoops.) Furthermore, their cheerful staff don’t seem overwhelmed by the hectic crowds that flow through the shop and always take their time to provide you with generous samples prior to making your flavor decision.
My main complaint (other than paying $ 10 a visit for two cones/​cups), is that they’re not open year-​round. Just because it’s –10 degrees doesn’t mean I don’t need to get my dairy-​belly on.

Best ice cream in Ann Arbor! I’ve gone in the afternoon, evening, late at night, and there almost always seems to be a line out the door. They have dozens of flavors to try, and all the ice cream is made in house. If you’re looking for an adventure, you could sample the basil or pistachio flavors, but they also have the classic vanilla, chocolate, and fruity flavors as well. I’ve tried a handful of flavors and they’ve all been spectacular. Creamy, rich, and full of sugary goodness.
Another thing that makes this place fun is the chalkboard tables that guests can draw on. Gives you something fun to do while enjoying your ice cream!
Lastly, I really appreciate the fact that this place is eco-​friendly. They’re generous with sampling and instead of handing out thousands of plastic spoons each day, they use small reusable metal spoons.

This is THE ice-​cream shop to hit up this summer. When you first walk in you smell fresh waffle cones and the interior decoration is on point. The chalk board walls and tables give it a fun atmosphere. The workers are always friendly and more than willing to help/​give you samples.
The wall of flavors is adventurous and they have new flavors frequently! When you visit you probably want to try more than one scoop since the flavors are unique. Ive always gotten a cone and the scoops are very large. I don’t think I’ve ever finished a double scoop myself so bring a friend to share it with!
White chocolate raspberry was okay. Don’t expect the raspberry to be super tart it mostly just very strong chocolate flavor.
Garden Mint Chip. If you’re into the herby mint flavor this is the one you need to get. Forget about the green artificially colored one this one was delicious. Ive only had mint ice-​cream like this at one place in new york.
Fresh Basil. I love herbs and this was right up my alley. I like that it was light the flavor wasn’t overpowering.
The price for ice-​cream is a little higher than average but it’s hot out and summers in Ann Arbor just gets better with delicious ice-​cream so treat yo self!

After a very disappointing experience with Washtenaw Dairy, I had my heart set on ice cream, so my eating companion and I made our way over to Blank Slate Creamery. Parking was a pain. There’s a very small parking lot connected to the store but as this was full, we parked in a nearby parking structure. We were in the store for maybe 15 minutes and found we were charged $ 5. That’s quite steep for 15 minutes if you ask me. Now we know, don’t park in the nearby structure.
Now, to the actual ice cream. They have several flavors, some traditional flavors like cookies and cream and then some more innovative flavors like blueberry pancake and strawberry balsamic. I’m sure I was irritating our server as I think I requested to sample about six flavors before I could finally decide. Honestly, I would have preferred to sample more but I didn’t want to hold up the line. I finally decided on bananas foster and my eating companion blueberry pancake. We got a small (which allowed us to get two different flavors) and shared it. It was enough for us to share especially since we had already eaten dinner.
Near the register, they had a cup labeled «delicious mistakes» which were bits of broken waffle cones. I kept going back for more and the lady at the register seeing this generously gifted me a full-​sized waffle cone. I thought that was so sweet and absolutely made my day! That’s the definition of good customer service. The counters were cute as well. They were made of chalk boards and they had chalk all over so you could scribble to your heart’s content.
And the ice, cream, the ice cream was pretty yummy. The bananas foster was smooth, creamy, and had just enough banana flavor to tickle your palette but not be overpowering. And the blueberry pancake was a little strange yet oddly addictive. It literally tasted just like a blueberry pancake. You just don’t usually expect that from an ice cream. Anywho, besides the parking, I’d say our visit was a success. I’d definitely go back… and anyday over Washtenaw Dairy. Just my two cents.

Delicious ice cream, so many choices, such a fun and cute space.
The flavors are imaginative from blueberry pancakes to classic with white chocolate raspberry. Freshly made waffle cones greet you at the door, ready to house your choice. The staff are energetic and friendly. Honestly, the ice cream is a bit too sweet but I will still be back.

Truly spectacular ice cream, comically befuddled employees.
The butter pecan is absurdly good, and the caramel coffee is full of both those things. Seasonal oddities like squash are impressively enjoyable.
Frequent-​flier tip: Buy the reusable 1.5pint container, refill it for the price of a pint.
Do leave a little extra time — I usually have time to read the chalkboard and write something while they’re trying to find a scoop, find the ice cream, scoop ice cream into a cone, and put the scoop away. Henry Ford would not be impressed.