Classic Desserts

One has been making and selling its ice cream for 84 years in Wilmette, while the other has been doing the same for more than 90 years in Beverly.

People come from all over the South Side for a taste of nostalgia at The Original Rainbow Cone. Located in a house once occupied by Joe and Katherine Sapp, their granddaughter now runs this one-of-a-kind ice cream parlor.

“My grandpa Joe, in 1926, decided he wanted more than one flavor on his cone, so he built a special tool, and he sliced it to make it look like a rainbow,” said Lynn Sapp.

By “slicing,” she means the tool used to get the five different ice cream flavors from the bucket to the cone.

“It has sherbet and ice cream, so it has orange sherbet on top, pistachio, Palmer has cherries and walnuts, strawberry and chocolate ice cream; and it’s sliced not scooped,” she said.

Since 1935, the Poulos family has been making its own ice cream at Homer’s, in Wilmette. This time of year, they’re relying on peaches to make their famous flavor.

“It’s the only time it’s available because we use fresh peaches,” said Dean Poulos.

“This time of year we use Georgia peaches then pretty soon the Michigan Red Havens will be out so we’ll be using those as well,” he said.

They also make grass-fed burgers and offer a limited menu if you don’t want ice cream, but it’s pretty hard to step into this time capsule and not be lured by one of their super premium flavors.

“We make ice cream sandwiches and ice cream pies, and of course, the shakes and malts and those kinds of things,” said Poulos.

So from Beverly, all the way here to the North Shore, lots of options for classic ice cream treats in Chicagoland. The question, of course, is whether to go with a shake or a sundae.

Original Rainbow Cone
9233 S. Western Ave.
773-238-9833
https://www.rainbowcone.com/
Navy Pier location as well

Homer’s
1237 Green Bay Rd., Wilmette
847-251-0477
https://www.homersicecream.com/

Margie’s Candies
1960 N. Western Ave.
773-384-1035
https://margiesfinecandies.com/