Celebrate National Ice Cream Month at this New Orleans creamery

Creole Creamery's banana split is the perfect way to celebrate National Ice Cream Month in July. Creole Creamery has three locations in the New Orleans area and one shop in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. | Photo courtesy Creole Creamery

By Suzanne Corbett

April 09, 2021

Antoine’s oysters Rockefeller and Café Du Monde’s golden brown beignets aren’t the only specialties defining the New Orleans culinary landscape. Since the shop opened in 2004, Creole Creamery’s sophisticated small-batch ice creams, sorbets, and sherbets have earned it a place among the Big Easy’s legendary food destinations.

Founded by New Orleans native David Bergeron, Creole Creamery has become a favorite sweet spot for anyone screaming for ice cream with its enticing mix of traditional and eclectic flavor combinations.

“There’s nothing else like it—ice cream makes people happy,” said Bergeron, who had dreamt of opening his own ice cream shop after working at an old Swensen’s ice cream parlor as a teenager. “We’re different, and we’re totally a local thing. We locally source most of our ingredients.”

Creole Creamery has four locations: one in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi; one in the New Orleans suburb of Metairie; and two in the New Orleans neighborhoods of Lakeview and Uptown. All the flavors are created and made in the original shop in the hip Uptown district.

Each Creole Creamery shop has 36 flavors available. | Photo courtesy Creole Creamery

“We have chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla, but that’s not what we sell the most of,” Bergeron said. “People come for the special flavors and our staple flavors like Cookie Monster, Creole Cream Cheese, and Salted Caramel. To date, we have nearly 700 flavors. Since we do small batches, it’s easier to make whatever we feel like making. We can make whatever piques our interest.”

Recurring flavors rotate through the year along with new concoctions. But don’t look for all of them to make a comeback. Many don’t, like Chocolate Red Berry Twist, which appeared only once. But Black and Gold Crunch, featuring a chicory-flavored vanilla base and swirls of Oreo pieces and chocolate chips, honors the New Orleans Saints and has been a big winner—even with customers who aren’t Saints fans.

A heaping waffle cone from Creole Creamery | Photo courtesy Creole Creamery

During summer’s heat—especially during National Ice Cream Month in July—look for eclectic seasonal creams and sherbets, such as the beer-infused Grapefruit Shandy and the La Vie en Rosé (laced with candied rose petals). Purists may opt for the ultimate no-frills ice cream, the Naked, which is simply plain sweetened frozen cream without any flavorings.

Each shop has 36 flavors available at any given time, and guests can purchase the ice cream scooped in a cone or packed into pints or quarts. Sundaes, shakes, and banana splits are also on the menu, along with the gargantuan Tchoupitoulas. Named after one of the longest streets in New Orleans, the Tchoupitoulas packs eight scoops of ice cream, eight toppings, whipped cream, sprinkles, wafers, and cherries into an oversize dish.

Originally designed as a treat that a family could split, Tchoupitoulas now attracts competitive eaters. Yet whether you choose this colossal confection or a solitary scoop, you’ll surely concur with Creole Creamery’s recipe for enjoying the good life—eat ice cream, be happy.

Suzanne Corbett is a food historian, author, and culinary instructor from St. Louis.