Rita’s

Rita’s is a great place to go for a quick treat. The mix of Italian ice and custard is so simple its perfect.
This location is always clean and the employees are friendly. The manager who franchised this location is a nice guy. I have seen him supporting fundraisers in the local area like the aid for Japanese quake victims most recently.
The Gelati is what I always get here. Mint chip ice with vanilla custard, is my favorite. They always have this sweedish fish ice flavor which is pretty potent.
This location is open seasonally, so enjoy it with the summer.

Hadn’t tried frozen custard or Italian Ice before visiting last week… been back twice more since.
The custard is very creamy, much different from your standard soft serve ice cream. I am a fan of the Gelati (custard topped with ice, topped with custard), particularly coffee ice with chocolate/​vanilla swirl.
Dangerous to have so close.

I can’t believe i lived my life for so long without knowing the wonderfulness that is Rita’s Italian Ice. I’m not really an ice-​cream fan but I can tear up these delicious icy treats. There flavors switch out daily, but the website usually lists what the flavors are for the day. Try Alex’s Lemonade, it’s really awesome on a warm summer day. Also the custard here is really great, they always have vanilla and chocolate and then they have a third flavor that changes every so often. The custard is so thick and creamy, and they will make you a custard/​icy combination if you ask for it. On second though, try the Alex’s Lemonade with vanilla custard on top — perfection! The staff here is also really nice, it’s usually a mix of managers and high school kids. Some days this place gets packed and the move through the customers pretty quickly, without being rude.

I was so glad to have found a custard shop here. I have visited a handful of times over the summer and bought two quarts to last the winter while they are closed. The staff are always friendly and willing to answer any questions, they even offer free samples. This custard shop offers more than just custard, they also have Italian Ice and Gelate. Located in a growing area of Newport News this Custard stand is worth the trip. While on that side of town I often find myself stopping in for a treat. Regular twist on a waffle cone please!

This place doesn’t serve traditional ice cream. Don’t go in here thinking you’ll find ice cream like that at Cold Stone’s, Baskin Robin’s or other traditional ice cream places. They specialize in frozen custard which is not quite soft serve. Unfortunately, they have limited flavors: Vanilla, chocolate and the occasional special flavor.
They also have frozen drinks and frozen ice. The frozen ice they have has varied flavors that you can choose from but let me warn you beforehand that these aren’t ice creams. It’s like flavored ice.
Remember to also pick up your frequent Rita’s card if you decide that you like this place. Then you can get your free ice cream after your large number of purchases.
*note: Rita’s is open seasonally so they’re actually closed during the winter time.