My favorite Twin Cities handmade ice cream shop

When we had to pick a place to celebrate birthdays last week with my birthday buddy, it didn’t take me long to include a stop at Pumphouse Creamery at 48th and Chicago in South Minneapolis. If you follow my blog at all, you likely know I love homemade ice cream and feel blessed to live in the Twin Cities, which has so many wonderful homemade ice cream shops.

However, my all-time favorite is Pumphouse… not only for its ice cream but also for its incredible handmade cones made with whole wheat, rye, buckwheat and cornmeal flours; flax, sunflower, sesame and millet seeds; rolled oats, sugar, butter and eggs. They have a complex flavor and crunchy texture that perfectly complements the ice cream.

It was the best birthday ever… starting with Pumphouse ice cream… then fabulous Pizza Biga pizza… then ending with Pumphouse ice cream again. It was an ice cream-pizza sandwich!

Started in 2003 by Barb Zapzalka, Pumphouse Creamery ice cream all starts with natural, organic and locally-sourced ingredients… a concept they call ‘farm-to-frozen’. They have 20 rotating choices, both dairy and dairy-free, which they hang on their clothes-pin selection board. I love that they use nuts in many of their selections, something that can be hard to find.

Pumphouse Creamery ice cream has an incredibly fresh, light taste. My favorite at our most recent stop was coconut, almond, chocolate chip. Did I mention even their chocolate chips are hand made?!  When rhubarb was in season they had an amazing fresh rhubarb selection… I happened to be working with clients in that neighborhood during that season so of course I had to stop before heading home each time I was in the area!

This delicious ice cream has been featured both in Minnesota and nationally in places like Food & Wine and Fodor’s Travel. If you haven’t tried it yet, put it on your list of must-stop destinations.