Posted on Wed, Aug 15, 2012 : 4:41 p.m.
Search for Michigan's best ice cream parlor stops at Washtenaw Dairy
By Melanie Maxwell
MLive, AnnArbor.com's statewide partner website, is conducting a search for Michigan's best ice cream parlor, and today brought MLive entertainment reporter John "Gonzo" Gonzalez to Washtenaw Dairy as part of the project.
AnnArbor'com's Melanie Maxwell prepared this video report from the visit:
Check out more coverage of the project on Mlive.com .
Melanie Maxwell is a staff photographer for AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at melaniemaxwell@annarbor.com or you can follow her on Twitter.
Comments
babmay11
Thu, Aug 16, 2012 : 4:24 p.m.
The frozen custard at Culver's is amazing
Bonsai
Thu, Aug 16, 2012 : 2:15 p.m.
nothing else going on in town?
Kyle Mattson
Thu, Aug 16, 2012 : 3:36 p.m.
Hi Bonsai- This was a statewide Mlive search including over 20 destinations, you can follow the entire coverage here: http://bit.ly/aadc-mliveicecream
Plubius
Thu, Aug 16, 2012 : 1:08 p.m.
Washtenaw County's best ice cream is located in Toledo - a place called Handel's. The MSU dairy in East Lansing is also quite good. Other than that, this place is an ice cream dessert. Luckily, we do have good gelato in town, Iorio's in downtown A2.
eom
Thu, Aug 16, 2012 : 2:20 a.m.
Stroh's isn't the point. If you can't see the charm in our Dairy, that's okay with us. The fact that it's not fancy is kind of the point...it's a great place to meet a friend, chat about AA, or enjoy one of their famous donuts. It's where little league teams go to celebrate their win OR loss. It's where you go to buy a stick of butter in the middle of making cookies, or sooth your soul with a hand dipped shake. I order the kid-sized cone...a single is too big! Can't say that about any other place in A2...Enjoy your B & J and Stucci's...I'll take the Dairy any day of the week.
uabchris
Thu, Aug 16, 2012 : 2:02 a.m.
I love WD and value for price, they can't be beat...but, amazing ice cream and home made waffle cones from Kilwins...you can't beat it!
Kellie Gluskin
Wed, Aug 15, 2012 : 9:14 p.m.
I have NEVER understood the fascination with Washtenaw Dairy. Yes, it is great to have a place to walk to in the neighborhood that serves up scoops the size of a baby's head, but let's get real. It is packaged ice cream--there is nothing special or original about Stroh's. The atmosphere of Washtenaw Dairy feels like a liquor store that also happens to serve ice cream. You are overlooking gems in Ann Arbor like Stucci's, that make their own flavors and are struggling to compete with large corporate ice cream shop, Ben and Jerry's
Kyle Mattson
Thu, Aug 16, 2012 : 3:59 p.m.
Kellie- As one who had only been to WD a couple times before yesterday, and only to buy donuts I initially had similar thoughts. My visit yesterday changed that as I realized how WD is one of those places where the draw goes beyond the menu. They no longer make their own cones, don't have fancy toppings, and the building seems to be stuck in the 60's. In co-owner Jim Smith's words they are "a dive" ice cream shop, where anyone from UM freshman to townies can stop in to talk anything Ann Arbor and grab a treat to fill their sweet tooth craving. In my opinion that is one of the draws of Ann Arbor, where hometown businesses like Washtenaw Dairy and the more unique options like Stucci's and Iorio's Gelateria can survive alongside each other. Hopefully that stays true in the future.
Goober
Thu, Aug 16, 2012 : 1:08 p.m.
Washtenaw Dairy is excellent! Others like Stucci's do not have the charm, nor the variety that Washtenaw Dairy has. Now that you mention Ben & Jerry's, I understand that they might be going on the road with Joe Biden. Go Figure!
Itchy
Thu, Aug 16, 2012 : 1:03 p.m.
Never, ever Ben & Jerry's. Had they stuck with ice cream and not entered politics, maybe, but now - I will never set foot in Ben & Jerry's again. WD = best value for the money. Good service, great personnel and oh - great ice cream.
L'chaim
Thu, Aug 16, 2012 : 1:58 a.m.
Ben and Jerry's = large corporate. Ain't that a blip? Hippies sold out, didn't they? But the stuff is good. Better than Stroh's. Stucci's was sold, too, by it's original owners, but I guess it isn't corporate yet. IF they served it up bigger, maybe they could compete with the WD. Now, I hope you're not bad-talking the WD. It's the best, that's all there is to it, corporate ice cream or not.
Terry Star21
Thu, Aug 16, 2012 : 12:45 a.m.
You are correct Kellie, yet painfully honest to the many followers. Ann Arbor should learn to appreciate what Stucci's has accomplished - they are 'Pure Michigan' !