“You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy ice cream and that is pretty much the same thing.”
–Unknown Ice Cream Lover
Milwaukee is known for its incredible ice cream and frozen custard. There are so many local favorites that it’s truly difficult to decide where to go for that special treat! We’ve made it easy for you. We asked our Wimmer Construction Team where they like to go for ice cream and what their favorite flavor or menu item is. Read on…and start planning your next ice cream run!
Kopps Frozen Custard – Randy, Project Manager
Kopps Frozen Custard was founded by Elsa Kopp in 1950 and is currently owned by her son, Karl Kopp. In fact, Karl owns Elsa’s on the Park as well and named the restaurant after his mother. According to Randy, if you want the best frozen custard in town, stop into one of Kopp’s three locations in Brookfield, Greenfield, or Greendale. Each month they feature a shake and a sundae, and they publish their “Flavor Preview” online. True aficionados sign up for the “Flavor Alerts” to let them know when their favorite flavors will be on the menu. But the flavor of the day doesn’t concern Randy because he goes to Kopp’s for their incredible Turtle Sundae!
MooSa’s Custard Stand (Formerly North Point Custard) – Paul, Project Manager
MooSa’s Custard is the latest iteration of the charming custard stand along Milwaukee’s beautiful lakefront, just south of Bradford Beach. But it’s not just the location that’s fabulous. The custard stand is run by experienced restauranteurs, the Musa family, who also own Casablanca on Brady Street and in Brookfield, as well as a second MooSa’s location on 27th and St. Paul Avenues. Although they offer great food choices like burgers and wings, Paul’s favorite menu item is the soft-serve chocolate custard served in a waffle cone. If you’ve driven by but haven’t stopped in, it’s time to try out MooSa’s…and be on the lookout for Paul!
Purple Door – Chris, Construction Estimator
Since 2011, Purple Door has taken Milwaukee by storm with its inventive ice cream flavors created with local ingredients, whenever possible. They started as a wholesale business but opened their retail store in Walker’s Point in 2014. It’s not uncommon to see a line snaking down Second Street as Milwaukeeans can’t seem to get enough of the dairy treats. This summer they have issued a challenge to taste all 50 amazing flavors of ice cream. Pick up your Flavor Adventure Passport at any one of their three locations in Walker’s Point, the Mequon Public Market, or 35th & Fond du Lac in the Sherman Phoenix building. Chris’s favorite Purple Door flavor is cookies and cream, which, Purple Door being Purple Door, is made with special cookie dough made just for them (and Chris!) by Sugar and Flour Bakery.
https://purpledooricecream.com/
LeDuc’s Frozen Custard – Mike, Project Manager
Some beautiful summer evening put all the windows down in your car and drive out to Mike’s favorite frozen custard stand in Wales. LeDuc’s has been in business for 41 years at the corner of Highways 83 and 18. They have a great menu including burgers and hot dogs, but it’s the custard that made them a local favorite. They have 75 flavors in all, but 3 flavors each day including vanilla, chocolate, and a flavor-of-the-day. If you want to plot out your visits, check out the Flavor Calendar on their website to formulate your plan. Mike is a purist and in true fashion orders a chocolate/vanilla cone when he goes to LeDuc’s.
Milk Can Frozen Custard – Dan, Maintenance Technician
Just because a frozen custard stand has been around for a long time doesn’t mean it’s among the best. Case in point…Dan’s favorite spot for frozen treats, Milk Can Frozen Custard. Milk Can started out as a food truck, which operated out of the Bass Bay Brewhouse and traveled to downtown Milwaukee, Bay View, and more. Last year the owner’s bought an old Arby’s and opened a brick-and-mortar version of Milk Can Custard on Janesville Road in Muskego. The owners’ “supper club roots” are reflected in the Milk Can menu, which features soups, salads, burgers, chicken, hot dogs, and curds, but the real star is the custard. Milk Can serves chocolate and vanilla frozen custard daily, along with a weekly featured flavor. Dan is a classic, so it’s no surprise that his favorite featured flavor is an all-time classic, butter pecan.
https://www.milkcanhamburgers.com/
Culver’s Frozen Custard – Perry, V.P. of Construction Administration
Did you know Culver’s was started by the Culver family in Sauk City, Wisconsin in 1984 and now franchises can be found in 25 states? It’s an incredible local success story, and although some people attribute that success to the butter burger, Perry begs to differ. He will tell you that the frozen custard is the real star. His favorite flavor is Really Reese’s, which features Reese’s peanut butter cups stirred into creamy chocolate custard. What’s not to like? With 142 Culver’s locations in Wisconsin alone, it shouldn’t be hard to find an amazing dairy treat right around the corner. And if you want to know which Culver’s is serving your favorite flavor today, check out the Flavor of the Day online, or better yet, sign up for the monthly Flavor Forecast email.