To the uninitiated, a creamy whip may seem like soft serve ice cream in a cone, and well … that’s technically what it is.
Creamy whips are more than a frozen treat, though. They’re summer, tradition and community with a walk-up window.
For those not familiar with this regional term, creamy whip is just the Cincinnati way of saying soft-serve ice cream. The start of creamy whip season, when local creameries open their doors, signals the symbolic end of winter in the region.
For the owners of the Silver Grove Dari-Bar, it means getting to open their family business for the year. “The start of spring, everybody in the community says ‘you know spring is on the way’ when we open,” said Dari-Bar co-owner Jennifer Hutchinson.
Hutchinson, her sister Theresa Baker, and her sister-in-law Jamie Ollberding manage the family business that their parents bought in 1996.
The sisters said that the start of the season is busy but fun. “We get to see all the old customers and all of our old kids again,” said Hutchinson. Baker said it’s great to see all the employees they’ve missed over the winter on a daily basis. “We get to see all of our employees that we really grow to love. And it’s just a fun place to work.”
The Dari-Bar, which opened for the year March 9, typically opens on the second weekend in March, and it is a big event for the community. The shop posted its opening date for the season Feb. 22 on Facebook. That post has over 1,000 shares, 170 comments and over 800 reactions. It’s safe to say people are excited.
The walk-up window off the side of the road in Silver Grove has a 1950s diner style to it, and the owners say that the nostalgia is part of the draw. “I think a lot of people enjoy the vibe of just the old-timey place,” said Baker, “and our kids all count money by hand and give change. It’s just a different kind of environment.”
Outside of creamy whips, the Dari-Bar serves a full menu of burgers, fries, chili dogs and other savory delights, as well as other dairy-filled desserts like shakes, malts and floats.
Baker said her go-to order is a steak hoagie and maybe a hot fudge sundae for a treat. Hutchinson said her favorite is a burger along with a blitz made with chocolate ice cream blended with Oreos and marshmallows.
Over in Burlington, Dreamy Whip opened for the season in February in recognition of National Ice Cream for Breakfast Day. Dreamy Whip’s owners, husband and wife duo Samantha and David Draper, said they started the business with the intent of bring more creamy whips to NKY. The business opened in 2019 as a food truck.
Samantha is from the Cincinnati’s West Side, where David Draper said, “there’s creamy whips on every corner. However, down here in Northern Kentucky, there’s just not a big presence”
In the fall of 2019, David Draper said they began renovating their brick-and-mortar location in Burlington, where the couple lives. Despite some COVID-19 roadblocks, the couple officially opened the location on Mother’s Day weekend in 2020, and they’ve been going strong ever since. Dreamy Whip has grown from one mobile truck to three and the brick-and-mortar location. David Draper said they plan to open a second storefront in 2024.
David Draper attributes much of their success and ability to survive the COVID lockdown to the help of the North American Ice Cream Association, which provided tips, tricks and support for and from small ice cream businesses.
“When people walk through our door, they’re coming in to get a treat, coming in to get a smile on their face, and that’s what we want to provide to them – that experience, and it’s just an enjoyable one,” said David.
Read on to learn more about some of the best creamy whip spots in Northern Kentucky.
Cold cones and more
Here’s a completely not-exhaustive list of NKY creamy whips. If you have recommendations for our list, email news@linknky.com.
Silver Grove Dari-Bar, Silver Grove
A local favorite, the Silver Grove Dari-Bar serves everything from burgers and fries to milkshakes to (of course) creamy whips that can be dipped in all types of toppings. They opened March 9 and will stay open until the end of summer. 5178 Mary Ingles Hwy., Silver Grove
Burlington may be a bit of a drive for some, but, if you’re in the mood for a creamy whip, it may be worth it. Dreamy Whip opened in 2019, originally as a mobile ice cream truck. Now it operates a brick-and-mortar location as well as two trucks. There are rotating flavors of soft serve as well as floats and coffee drinks. 3020 Washington St., Burlington
Piper’s Cafe and Ice Cream Bar, Covington
This Covington spot has a massive menu with an array of ice creams, floats, coffee drinks and more. They serve some unusual ice cream flavors that range from jellybean to crème de menthe to black walnut, plus tons of toppings like sour patch bites and chocolate rocks. They are open seven days a week, 1-9 p.m. 520 W. Sixth St., Covington
At this popular spot, you can get craft beers, lottery tickets, creamy whips and more. Ameristop Bellevue operates two soft serve machines year-round, each offering two flavors that can be served on their own or swirled. Right now, they have cherry and lime in one and orange and vanilla in the other. 545 Lafayette Ave., Bellevue
A popular Alexandria spot, Sharky’s Arctic Sweets & Eats is open year-round. In addition to ice cream, Sharky’s offers coffee, baked goods, burgers, fries and more. Kids are also welcome to play on Sharky’s playground after they eat their treats. 9924 Alexandria Pike, Alexandria