Cold Stone Earns Rep for Quality Ice Cream

Cold Stone Creamery burst upon the New Jersey scene about five years ago, and Somerset County's shop in Warren is helping to spread the company's fame.

Famous for its original flavors—like Chocolate Cake Batter Ice Cream—Cold Stone is earning raves by focusing on quality and taste, perhaps over variety.

You won't find an endless variety of flavors, really only a dozen or so are presented, but you will find great treats.

Warren Manager Abby Bush notes that all of the ice cream is made fresh daily in the store, and that most of the flavors begin as special treats for a month. If they prove popular, they're added to the regular menu—this month's "Gold Cone" flavor, as they're called, is Mojito Sorbet.

Don't venture into a Cold Stone Creamery when they're making their famous waffle cones—each waffle is cooked fresh, dipped in chocolate and set out to tempt. The aroma of the waffles was mouth-watering and powerful—if they ever go into the breakfast business, watch out!

"We always offer a variety of 'sinless' flavors, which are made with Splenda," Bush said.

The "sinless" options extend to the shakes and smoothies, too—I tried a "sinless" blueberry-pineapple smoothie, which was rich-tasting—very sweet, thanks to the pineapple, but without the usual fake sugar aftertaste—and very cold [perfect!].

You can add vitamin or protein boosts to your smoothies, too.

Sorbets, yogurt and ice cream treats all round out the selection.

"We do everything from wedding cakes to petit cakes," Bush said, adding that the Warren shop caters to the area and is involved in many community projects.

The Warren Cold Stone Creamery is located at 55 Mountain Blvd., nearly directly across from the township municipal complex, and is open from noon to 10 p.m. daily, year-round.

A location at 428B Route 202-206 in Bedminster offers the same menu and services.