Summer 2016 Popsicle Guide
Summer is on its way! Brace yourself for rising temperatures and ridiculous humidity. Alright, lets be honest…we’ve been dealing with hot weather for a while now. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to beat the Florida heat this summer: head to the beach for a dip in the ocean, enjoy a swim in the pool or a run through the sprinklers, stick your head in the freezer for a few minutes, or just grab a cold and refreshing popsicle. Here are a few of our favorite places in and around Jacksonville to find some seriously cool summer treats…
Named after the soursop fruit (which also happens to be their incredibly unique signature flavor), Guanabana Artisan Ice Pops offer a lot of healthy and refreshing ice pop flavors. Their pops are made from 100% pure fruit, with nothing artificial. Guanabana ice pops are handcrafted in small batches using all-natural ingredients. In addition to being super tasty, all of their pops are gluten-free and most are also dairy-free. They have recently added ice cream sandwiches to their lineup of sweet treats and they are amazing! The iconic and playful green Guanabana tricycle cart can be found at various local farmers markets like Riverside Arts Market, Jaxsons Night Market, and now at the St. John’s Town Center, as well as at special events all over Jacksonville. You can also find their ice pops in a few local eateries, such as Hola Cuban Café in Fernandina Beach and Tres Leches. The folks at Guanabana are so genuinely nice and their pops are so delicious that no matter where you get one, you are in for a real treat!
Our top pop picks: Creamy Coconut, Guanabana, and also their Macaron Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwich
Guanabana – Strawberry Mango Kiwi Pop
Guanabana – Macaron Ice Cream Sandwich
The Hyppo started out in 2010 as a small-scale ice pop operation in St. Augustine. Since then, they have grown and expanded and their pops have become wildly popular. What’s their formula for mouthwatering gourmet ice pops? Fresh fruit, cane sugar, and whatever other interesting ingredients they can come up with. And they do come up with some unique flavor combinations. Their all-natural ice pops incorporate fresh, local produce and herbs. And their flavors change as the seasons change, so new flavors can be enjoyed year-round. You can find Hyppo Pops in a lot of places these days…at their St. Augustine and Gainesville locations and at their new Riverside location here in Jacksonville. You can also find their pops at retailers and restaurants in town, such as The Fresh Market, Native Sun, Earth Fare, Grassroots Natural Market, and Bono’s Bar-B-Q or you can order from their website. Also keep an eye out for their fun and vibrant Pop Wagon, which makes occasional appearances at events around the area. With so many places to get Hyppo Pops, what are you waiting for?? Go get one!
Our top pop picks: Bananas & Grace and Pineapple Cilantro
The Hyppo
The Hyppo – Strawberry Basil
Bold City Pops really embodies the spirit of Jacksonville by creating bold flavor combinations and using local ingredients that are hand-picked during peak harvest season. They make their ice pops in small batches using all-natural ingredients and then load them into their vintage camper to head out and spread joy and popsicles all over town. Their farm-to-freezer ice pops are flavorful and incredibly refreshing, with flavors that appeal not only to kids but to more grown-up palates as well. The folks at Bold City Pops love a good caravan and are out and about a lot. You can find them pretty regularly at the Atlantic Boulevard location of Academy Sports & Outdoors on Saturdays and also at the Jax Food Truck Food Court. They make frequent appearances at festivals, events, and food truck rallies all over town. There are plenty of places to catch up with Bold City Pops. And Pearl, their charming retro camper, is pretty easy to spot…just look for the orange and white camper with the crowd of happy, popsicle-loving customers lingering nearby.
Our top pop picks: Cookies-n-Cream and Lavender Lemongrass
Bold City Pops – Lavender Lemongrass
Bold City Pops – Cookies-n-Cream
What’s your first popsicle memory? For me, it was eating a drippy popsicle on a hot summer day in my backyard, hands sticky and face beaming from ear to ear. Backyard Pops evokes that exact feeling and nostalgia with their delicious all-natural ice pops. They get all of their popsicle ingredients from as close to home as possible. Sticking with local ingredients not only makes for yummy pops, but also helps out locally. The folks at Backyard Pops value community and love to give back by donating to local organizations with each special event that they do. And Backyard Pops can be found at a lot of events. We’ve seen their adorable popsicle cart around town at quite a few festivals, special events, and moms group gatherings. They can also now be found at their new store on 3rd Street in Jax Beach. It is a great place to stop in for a cool treat. So pick up a popsicle from Backyard Pops this summer and prepare to relive some of your sweetest childhood memories!
Our top pop picks: Chunky Monkey, Pineapple Papaya, and their new Chocolate-dipped Bananas
Backyard Pops – Pineapple Papaya
Backyard Pops – Decisions, Decisions
For this review we welcome a member of the JRR family: Rhonda Kovar grew up in the heart of North Carolina before moving to Florida after getting hitched in 2002. She is a graduate of Lenoir-Rhyne University and a lover of all things crafty, musical, or edible. Rhonda loves finding new and delicious ways to turn her two tiny picky eaters into future foodies. You can follow her on Instagram.