2016-11-22





Ice cream “churned” from plants. What will they think of next! The wonders never cease in Capitol Hill food and drink. Frankie and Jo’s, the plant-based ice cream shop from the Juicebox’s Kari Brunson and Autumn Martin of Hot Cakes, has announced Friday will be its official opening day.

The “most decadent dairy-free ice cream on the market” might be a good call after a Thanksgiving day of indulgence.

CHS broke the news in March on the plans for the Capitol Hill home for the highly anticipated project from Brunson and Martin in a space ice cream sandwiched between Soi and Rene Erickson’s battery of projects General Porpoise, Bar Mesuline, and Bateau in E Union’s massive Broadstone Infinity development. The project is so large, you’ll also need to make room in your belly for waffles — Sweet Iron opened around the corner earlier this month.

Frankie and Jo’s is part of two ice cream debuts planned for E Union. The Central District Ice Cream Company is hoping to open soon near 22nd and Union in the Central District. Darren McGill, the guy behind Nate’s Wings and Waffles and the Happy Grillmore food truck, says his shop will also sell candy by the pound and will feature an array of flavors to rival some of the crazy creations you’ll find at his waffle restaurants. The planned starting lineup has been posted — no chicken and waffle ice cream… yet.

Coming soon.. pic.twitter.com/vOJNCmQQgL

— CD ICE CREAM CO. (@CDICECREAM) November 19, 2016

Frankie and Jo’s opening roster, meanwhile, sounds equally yum:

Frankie’s Brown Sugar Vanilla, Chocolate Date (sweetened only with dates!), California Cabin (a smoked vanilla and pine ice cream with gluten-free cardamon-black pepper shortbread), Cocoa Nib Mint Brownie, Gingered Golden Milk, Concord-Grape Shrub Sorbet, Beet Strawberry Rose Sorbet, Pumpkin Butter with Cornbread and Spiced Pecans, and Salty Caramel Ash.

The project creates its non-dairy ice creams the old fashioned way — a lot of work:

Each day, they make nut milk out of sprouted nuts and churn that milk into ice cream after infusing it with one of their many unique flavors. Most of their ice creams contain a combination of their silky house-made nut milk and rich coconut milk, but some are also free of nuts and just contain organic juices, fruit purees, and compotes.

The rest of the ice cream experience is also preference sensitive with your choice of compostable cups or gluten-free vanilla maple waffle cones and a promise that the shop “is 100 % vegan, gluten-free.”

UPDATE: Oops. Left out the prices — Mini $4, Standard $6, Large $8, Waffle Cones $2, Toppings $2, Pints $14

Frankie and Jo’s will be open Sunday through Thursdays 2 PM to 10 PM and 2 PM to 11 PM on Fridays and Saturdays. You can learn more and also purchase the ice cream online at frankieandjos.com.

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