An Affogato in a Cup, and the Line That’s Part of the Ritual at Jeni’s Ice Cream
A shift in the weather might be all it takes to reset the city’s collective mindset. Suddenly, ice cream feels less like a treat and more like a necessity. And the line at Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams is all the confirmation I needed that we’re all sharing one same thought.
Even if true ice cream weather hasn’t quite settled in, I’ve already made my way through a few flavors, including Sponge Cake from the shop’s limited-edition Bridgerton-inspired collection. This flavor is layered with honey sponge cake and raspberry rose jam. There’s also an earl grey tea ice cream in the lineup, which is already on my sampling horizon.
But the highlight of my visit was the House Coffee flavor. This is an affogato translated into ice cream: rich, but not overly sweet, with notes of cocoa, toasted nuts, and espresso layered throughout. Bold, balanced, and coffee-forward.
And getting that photo? A journey!
The first time I went, I waited in line for a while, only to find out they were out of cone cups, so no good picture of that. But the ice cream was still worth it.
So of course… take two. Another line (because there are always lines), and this time I was looking forward to my “affogato in a cup.” I made sure waffle cones were available! Mission accomplished. And yes, it was just as good as I hoped. I should have splurged and gone for four scoops, though.
And as of 3/26, there are also new flavors on deck: Key Lime Pie, Basque Cheesecake with blueberry jam, and Black Tie Tiramisu. I haven’t tried them yet, but they read like a strong argument for getting back in line.
If you’re looking for a location near you, you can find all the Chicagoland shops here. You can also skip the line and find Jeni’s at several local retailers.
