Cold Stone Creamery

How I heard of this place: I first heard of Cold Stone through a friend years ago when we were visiting Seattle from Bellingham. I was blown away by the novelty of creating one’s own ice cream treat. Now, it seems like a birth-​right, but with a bounty of new flavors, the novelty still exists.
Type of cuisine: «If it has anything to do with ice cream, it has everything to do with Cold Stone Creamery. From unique ice cream creations to smoothies, cakes and shakes — nobody serves up the ultimate indulgence like Cold Stone. It starts with using the highest quality ingredients and ends with our signature process for preparing your custom creation on a frozen granite stone… Through almost 20 years of serving up the finest ice cream, cakes, smoothies and shakes, some things have certainly changed. And frankly, some things haven’t. Ever since we opened our first store back in 1988, we’ve been serving up what we refer to asCreations™. In other words, if you want it in your ice cream — you get it. By mixing nuts, fruits and candy into our smooth and creamy ice cream on a frozen granite stone (around here, we call it „the stone“) we’re actually more like ice cream artists. Over the years, we’ve stumbled on a few concoctions of our own that we call our Cold Stone Signature Creations. Ice cream for breakfast, a smoothie for lunch, and a sensible cake for dinner? — Who says you can’t eat this amazing ice cream for all three meals?»
Ambiance: Decorated in dark browns, blacks and deep shades of red, each Cold Stone Creamery resembles the one before it. Every Creamery I have visited has floor-​to-​ceiling windows along the front, included the glass door, which opens onto a rectangular shaped space. To the immediate left, patrons find the ice cream cake display and selections for purchase. Just beyond and ahead is the ice cream and mix-​ins station, complete with granite slab. To the right, posters announcing new creations and limited-​edition flavors, just ahead of the two or three small, black, wrought iron tables and accompanying chairs. Posters, menu and flavor selections are posted on the wall behind the crew members, to assist in making decisions, or simply look in the case ahead and make your own creation.
What I ordered: One of our dining companions selected the Love It-​sized dark chocolate ice cream and went out of ear-​shot to select his mix-​ins. He also ordered a second, starting with cake batter ice cream to take home for his wife. The next in line in our party, after sampling the cookie batter, decided to go for the Love It size, with white chocolate chips and Hershey’s Crunch bar. I chose the chocolate cake batter ice cream in a Like It size ($ 3.85) with my one mix-​in: Oreo cookies.
What I loved: While I do love the dark chocolate ice cream, I was quite pleased with the sweetness and lightness of the chocolate cake batter. The Oreo cookies adding extra crunch!
Why I loved it: It’s quick. It’s easy. It’s just the way you like it!
Cost: Average to high ($ 3.85 for the smallest cup of ice cream and one mix-​in)

Wednesday’s visit at a 100+ degrees?! Two Thumbs Up from me on a day like that!
Cheesecake ice cream mixed with a swirl of peanut butter and topped with sprinkles — Can you feel the love?

A typical ColdStone, The experience and Ice Cream were exactly what I expected. The outside seating is a nice touch and the employees were on point. I will return.