Sweet Creamery
When I ask Tom, one of the owners of the Cabbagetown ice-cream parlour Sweet Creamery, what inspired him to develop his obscene, peanut butter sucker-punch sundae 'The Parliament' he pauses and smiles. "Well, I'm American..." he says wryly, acknowledging the mandatory exposure to both the nutty paste and the obscenely indulgent ice cream desserts that comes with growing up south of the border.
As it turns out, he actually recreated a favourite sundae from the U.S restaurant chain 'Friendly's' that he'd been hankering for since moving to Canada.
His innocuous announcement of nationality actually has more significance in the founding of Sweet Creamery than you'd expect.
After hearing from some of their neighbours in Cabbagetown that the area lacked an independent ice-cream parlour, they set to work surveying residents to figure out what would make the perfect store. Which independent ice-cream supplier should they use (Kawartha Dairy won out)?
Which flavours would people most like them to carry?
Tom named every sundae on the menu he developed after a different Cabbagetown street and Emilio attended George Brown chef school in preparation for handling the baking section of the operation.
During the first week of opening, local volunteers even helped to get the place up and running, serving customers through the initial rush period.
My motivation for visiting to Sweet Creamery was mostly fueled by hearing rumours of a place that made the ultimate sundae for the peanut butter addicted and I'm extremely happy to say that said rumours are well-grounded.
'The Parliament' is a stupendous combination of a waffle basket lined with hot chocolate fudge sauce, peanut sauce (which is imported from Massachusetts), filled with chocolate peanut butter ice cream and topped with whipped cream and Reese's Pieces.
My friend gets 'The Carlton', an equally irresistible medley of both cherry and raspberry cheesecake ice creams, hot fudge sauce, chocolate sauce, whipped cream and chocolate chips in a waffle basket.
Sweet Creamery also serves in-house made gelato and sorbets, tarts, shortcake and cupcakes as well as the aforementioned Kawartha ice cream.
After having a sundae there, I'll have a hard time ordering anything else in future but the baking and the gelato look pretty outstanding too.
Definitely worth a special trip.
All sundaes cost $7.50
Photos by Emma McIntyre.
Discussion
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looks yummy! im hardly ever in the area but if i am in the future i'd def give this a try!
I hope they've made some improvements since opening. We made a special trip and could not have been more disappointed. Both the ice cream and gelato freezers appeared to have suffered a meltdown, literally. It was painfully obvious that both had melted and simply been left to re-freeze and be served to customers (there were puddles in the gelato bins). My ice cream was so soft and tinged with that I've-melted-and-been-refrozen taste and texture (we all know what this is) that I almost couldn't finish it. My husband's was the same. The staff were completely indifferent. We were the only people there and could barely pay anyone to serve us. One of the staff, who I believe is the owner, sat at the cash the entire time, focused on his laptop. He didn't look up at us once, not even when we were standing over him to pay. I really hope that this was just poor timing on our part!!
@Rosie - Wow, I had the complete opposite experience. I've been there a few times and have always found the staff very warm and proud of their work. The ice cream was terrific. This was just the thing the neighborhood needed. Every time I pass by it there are people there.
I need me one of those Parliament sundaes...I'm a PB fiend.
I couldn't disagree more with Rosie either -- I've only had super-friendly service and the gelato is always excellent. I do know that they had problems with some of their refrigeration units at one point, so maybe you got them on a bad day, but I hope you give them a second chance!
LOVE the sweet creamery. As a cabbagetown resident, I'm in there all the time.
One major criticism that has an easy fix - PAINT! The first time I was in there, I couldn't put my finger on it, but something seemed off. After visiting a second time and discussing with my fellow Towners, I realized what it was - Who paints an ice cream store beige??
Live a little! Add some much needed colour to your walls and your customers will be happier! I know it sounds petty, but I want to have fun when I get ice cream, a little homage to my childhood. Brighten'er up!!
it's always a good time at the sweet creamery.
it's true, we've been saying for a while that the 'town' needed an icecream parlour.
i got the PB last night.
delish.
keep up the good work.
i agree with keri's comment about the paint job.
@Rosie: I'm certain you must have been in a different ice cream shop altogether. I can't imagine either owner, who's done nothing but fawn over every customer I've seen there, being indifferent to any customers.
Definitely give them another look. Initial opening-period equipment jitters have apparently been resolved - they were sold a bunch of junk by an outfit near London - and the tastes coming out of there are amazing.
I had a birthday cake made entirely of gelato and ice cream a few weeks ago that absolutely blew my mind.
is it just me, or is being a Torontonian anaphylactic who likes ice cream kind of the same as having a death wish? are there any nut free ice cream places in this city? In most places one puddle of water and 2 scoops deal with every flavor. Anyways, I'm just curious. And sick of only eating super market ice cream.
We love the store. They offer great service and excellent ice cream and gelato.
I am thinking Rosie must be one of those customers who is never happy or a competitor trying to hurt their business. I can't imagine anyone having such harsh complaints.
You have to try the Spicy Chocolate. I just can't get enough. Soma (the chocolate makers) in the Distillery District couldn't do it better and they're the best. Take a walk on the wild side and have the Spicy Chocolate followed by a lovely lemon tart to wash it all down.
Haven't tried the sundaes yet, but the raspberry gelato (or maybe it was a sorbet, I'm not sure) was mind-blowing. I can still remember the taste of it.
I've also had a dulce de leche cheesecake from Sweet Creamery that gave me happy shivers. :o)
(Hmm, now I'm craving that peanut butter sundae.....)
I've heard raves about Kawartha Dairy ice cream, but only tried it in a sundae for the first time last week (it was very good); I've been too busy trying all the gelato and pastries. The Strawberry Shortcake is the best I've ever had. (In fact, all the pastries have been great.) My favourite gelato is the spicy chocolate together with raspberry (eat some of both in each spoonful).
I'm addicted to the moosetracks ice cream. I usually get a 2 scoop waffle cone ($5), one scoop something 'new', and one scoop moosetracks.
Now though, now I think I need to try that sunday.
I love love love it there. They're great, and TASTY.
I saw the same melting as Rosie a month ago, so lay off her. The problem does now seem to be fixed.
Lay off someone lying to hurt a good business in our neighbourhood. No way! Sweet Creamery is awesome. The people there are great.
Guys: why can't someone make a comment without being attacked? Is this a legit blog or hack job? There is an acknowledgment that there were equipment problems initially so Rosie had the experience that Rosie had. What a goof Canuck Nurse must be to suggest she wasn't even there, yet in the next sentence tell her to give them another chance!! Greg, your a joke for the same reason.
I highly recommend the Glandula. It was a fabulous hazelnut icecream. I was pleasantly surprised by this place and it is definitely worth a second trip in my books.