Summer weather is slowly starting to fade, but there are still a few weeks left to enjoy a sweet, cold treat before autumn comes around. While Ivanhoe’s Drive In is a convenient and delicious choice, The Tasty Spoon is Hartford City’s hidden treasure.
The drive-through and walk-up ice cream shop is tiny, unobtrusively perched alongside a busy street. The small structure is inviting with picnic tables and colorful chairs decorating an open patio space.
If you’re in the mood for ice cream, the options are original and spectacular. Their signature parfaits are layered with ice cream and your choice of toppings and served in an elegant parfait glass, elevating the experience to something beyond a drive-through ice cream shop. They also offer a variety of milkshakes, sundaes, smoothies and frozen coffee drinks.
However, if ice cream isn’t what you’re in the mood for, there are creative and classic food options to try. Leaning toward the adventurous side, The Tasty Spoon offers “tachos”, a combo of tater tots and tacos or pickle fries. For those with a milder palette, the classic hot dog and fries combo might be a better move.
Their prices are reasonable for a college students budget with ice cream treats starting at $1.00 for a kids cone and going up to $5.75 for a large shake or malt. There are also a variety of shakes, sundaes and cones that ring up between $2.00 and $5.00. Their food is also affordable. A hot dog rings up at a mere $1.35 while their most expensive item is the Philly cheese steak at $6.69.
This sweet spot is seasonal and will only be open until Oct. 13 so make the most of these last days of sunshine and head over to The Tasty Spoon for a dinner with friends or a pick-me-up when classes get overwhelming.
The Tasty Spoon is located at 1425 N Walnut St., Hartford City, IN. It is open Sunday – Thursday, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. and Friday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Overall Pros: Affordable, delicious and creative sweet treats. It is a quick 13-minute drive from Taylor which makes it super accessible for students.
Overall Cons: The lack of indoor seating could be inconvenient on a chilly day and there aren’t many options for those with food sensitivities.
