Wondering how you can get a taco stuffed baked potato, peanut butter burger AND a scoop of Pecan and Sugar Cream Pie ice cream all at the same time?
The Barking Cow might be the perfect place for you. Located in Gaston, just 15 minutes away from campus, this small town ice cream shop is full of personality, color and really, really great ice cream. The walls are eccentrically decorated with photos of Indiana’s famous residents, local Gaston sports teams, colorful paintings, comical signs and more. The tables themselves are decked out with a variety of collages, featuring different photos in each booth. As you head towards the bathroom, there’s even an old Pac-Man video game as well as an old fashioned telephone booth.
Besides the delightfully audacious decor, The Barking Cow has delicious options for ice cream and food, making it the perfect place for a post pick-a-date scoop of ice cream or a Saturday lunch with friends. Be sure to allow some time for waiting when you head to the Barking Cow though because on a weekend, this place is popping.
There are a variety of hand-dipped ice cream flavors offered from Blueberry Cheesecake, Peanut Butter Buckeye, Ghosts and Goblins and more. You can also order shakes and slushies.
The menu for food isn’t particularly vast but contains perfect accompaniments to ice cream. One item The Barking Cow boasts is their baked potato. Baked potatoes come in a variety of flavors including a taco potato, pork BBQ potato, chili-cheese potato, broccoli cheese potato and a classic plain potato! Nachos, hotdogs, soups, wraps, burgers, salads and sandwiches are also available.
The Barking Cow is open Tuesday - Thursday, 12 - 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 12 - 8 p.m. and Sunday from 1 - 6 p.m. It is located at 103 W. Elm Street, Gaston, Indiana.
Overall Pros: A variety of creative food options and delicious ice cream flavors all for an affordable price.
Overall Cons: There aren’t many options for those with specific dietary needs like gluten or dairy allergies.
