Disturbance on the surface of a pond

We tried ice cream from 3 different shops so you don't have to

Welcome back to Tiger Town Treats! A Prospect series where I compare delicious snacks-’n-sips from local businesses so you know where to go to satisfy that one craving or reward yourself after that rough p-set! Next up: ICE CREAM

I sampled ice cream from three establishments in town: Halo Pub, Bent Spoon, and Thomas Sweet. At each location, I got a small vanilla scoop in a cup, just to be sure I was making a fair comparison. But, of course, every shop has its own specialties, so I also asked the staff about their favorite flavors. Along with my reviews you can find other recommendations for inside scoops and specialties!

I’ll be rating the texture and flavor of these treats on a 10-point scale, with 10 being the best I’ve ever had, five being average, and one being not too great. But, keep in mind, even a slightly “below average” treat is still pretty delicious! And after midterms, I am humbled enough to admit that even coming close to the mean is to be appreciated, especially when Princeton’s ice cream is so delicious on average! I’ll also be giving you my impressions of the “vibe” of each shop.

Bent Spoon

Price: $6 for 8oz or $10 per pint

Texture Rating: 6/10

HP’s ice cream was light and not too heavy on the cream side. You can tell it is made partly with skim milk instead of 100 percent heavy cream. But I found that this lighter texture was very enjoyable: it allowed me to eat more without feeling the effects of too much richness.

Flavor Rating: 7/10

HP’s bourbon vanilla was a well-executed classic. Without being too bold, it was clear there was a distinctly vanilla flavor, rather than it being just a “plain” ice cream. It would pair great with some warm cookies or a bowl of fresh fruit.

HP has that old-fashioned-classy-soda-shop aesthetic that makes sitting there with friends almost as enjoyable as actually eating their ice cream. And you actually can sit inside there! This is a welcome added bonus when the weather keeps deciding to revert back to winter.

Verdict:

All in all, HP is a great place to stop and grab a scoop or a pint (note: pints of HP ice cream are the cheapest pints in Princeton). Their vanilla was perfect on its own, but if you wanna shake it up, try a bite of the staff favorites: cookie dough or cookies & cream (priced the same as their vanilla)!

Halo Pub

Price: $4.20 for 6oz or $6 per pint

Vibe: Texture Rating: 6/10

HP’s ice cream was light and not too heavy on the cream side. You can tell it is made partly with skim milk instead of 100 percent heavy cream. But I found that this lighter texture was very enjoyable: it allowed me to eat more without feeling the effects of too much richness.

Flavor Rating: 7/10

HP’s bourbon vanilla was a well-executed classic. Without being too bold, it was clear there was a distinctly vanilla flavor, rather than it being just a “plain” ice cream. It would pair great with some warm cookies or a bowl of fresh fruit.

HP has that old-fashioned-classy-soda-shop aesthetic that makes sitting there with friends almost as enjoyable as actually eating their ice cream. And you actually can sit inside there! This is a welcome added bonus when the weather keeps deciding to revert back to winter.

Verdict:

All in all, HP is a great place to stop and grab a scoop or a pint (note: pints of HP ice cream are the cheapest pints in Princeton). Their vanilla was perfect on its own, but if you wanna shake it up, try a bite of the staff favorites: cookie dough or cookies & cream (priced the same as their vanilla)!

Thomas Sweet

Price: $4.15 for 6oz or $7.75 per pint

Vibe:

Texture Rating: 3.5/10

TS’s ice cream has a slightly sticky or gummy texture. I also encountered some small chunks of ice, which added a fun crunch, but I cannot say that I loved them. Generally, I wasn’t a fan of their scooped vanilla’s texture, but the staff did recommend the soft-serve and blend-ins for those who want a creamier, softer treat.

Flavor Rating: 5/10

TS’s vanilla had more of a “sweet cream” than a vanilla flavor, and it wasn’t overly sweet. It was a fairly standard ice cream that would serve as a great neutral base for a wide variety of toppings and sauces.

TS felt like every local ice cream shop in an American suburb. It felt homey and like there was a sense of community. The walls are painted with a fun mural depicting Princeton locals and students alike enjoying cones and cups (they even added masks, which was just adorable). Also, the tip jar at the front has a handwritten, Crayola marker sign that reads “College Fund” with a list of the staff’s schools or prospective schools.

Verdict:

While the vanilla was not an all-time favorite, I’ve heard from multiple sources that TS’s peanut butter chocolate outdoes that of HP with a bolder, more cohesive flavor. And the staff raved about the chocolate chip cookie ice cream as well as their other build-your-own blend-in flavors. At the end of the day, ice cream is ice cream, and I finished the whole scoop, enjoying each bite!