Those of you who have been with us for a while know that once a year during our slow time (now) Rolando and I make a food pilgrimage. The first year it was to the West Coast where we checked out food trucks and coffee roasters (Intelligentsia, Barefoot, Ritual, Stumptown, Ecco). Last year we went down south to learn about Chicory Coffee in New Orleans and BBQ in Texas. We have an idea that someday we might open these trips up to customers and employees. Be warned, we eat ALOT. I’m guessing your gut is going to ache next week just reading the stories from afar.
This year we’re planning to introduce Frozen Custard at the HUB. So we’re off to Milwaukee, capital of frozen custard. We’ll hit some new roasters we’ve been dying to add to the line-up (Alterra, La Columbe Torrefection), and check out the food in a few cities we haven’t been to for a while.
This year’s trip is going to have a twist: we’re picking up the newest step-van. So Rolando and I are going to be trucking across the middle of the country.
I’m including our itinerary here for those who want to see where we’re going. And if you’re a frozen custard lover feel free to recommend something we need to try (or any other regional food you think would be awesome).
MID-WEST FOOD ADVENTURE ITINERARY
2/15/12
6:15am – Arrive Logan
7:15am – Depart Logan
8:55am – Arrive Milwaukee
9:30am – Depart airport (with rental car)
11am – Arrive Alterra, Madison
12:30pm – Depart Madison
2pm – Arrive German town
2:30pm – Depart Germantown with truck
3pm – Custard tasting in Milwaukee
4:30pm – on road for Chicago
7pm – Arrive in Chicago
8pm – Dinner at Alinea
10pm – Drinks at Aviary
Midnight – Hotel (Westin?)
2/16/12
7am – Visit coffee shops in Chicago, breakfast at OXCO
9am – Tour Intelligensia factory
11:30am – Visit OXCO, Urbanbelly, others
1pm – Depart Chicago NEED TO LEAVE ON TIME!
3:30pm – Original Custard, Lafayette, IN (CLOSES AT 4PM!!)
4pm – Depart Original Custard
Midnight – Arrive Pittsburgh hotel (Sheraton?)
2/17/12
7am – Depart Pittsburgh
1pm – Arrive Philadelphia, tour food trucks/ carts
3pm – Tour La Columbe Torrefaction
5pm – Check into hotel Philadelphia (Sheraton?)
6pm – Dinner, Rolando’s choice
10pm – Cocktails? Late night-food trucks?
2/18/12
8am – Explore coffee/ breakfast in Philadelphia
10am – Depart Philadelphia
noon – Arrive in Queens, deliver truck to Shanghai Stainless
Either stay over in NYC and visit some stuff, bus in AM, OR just hop on bus that afternoon
While you are in Pittsburgh, go to Pamela’s Diner!! Best hotcakes I’ve had in a long time along with incredible breakfast potatoes! Pamela Cohen is a big Pittsburgh restaurant player. The President even loves her! She is also the co-owner of a fantastic Peruvian restaurant called La Feria. The restaurant even has a craft gallery! If you go to the strip district location, there is a great coffee shop right around the corner called 21st Street Coffee and Tea that was the first place I ever had Intelligentsia. That cup had to be one of the best cappuccinos I’ve ever had. There is a place right next to that where you can get incredible fresh donuts! We’re big Pittsburgh fans here! Such an underrated town! We went for vacation a few years ago and could not stop raving about it to anyone that would listen!
Michael’s Frozen Custard in Madison.
It’s the thing I miss most now that I live in Boston (with Ian’s Pizza and the Library Mall food trucks coming in second and third).
I’d ask how Milk Bar in NYC is not on the list but presume either a. doesn’t qualify as frozen custard or b. obviously already had it? Also, enjoy Alinea/Aviary, i’m headed to Next in March for the elBulli menu!
You can contrast the frozen custard with Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams in Columbus, OH. The great state was noticeably on your itinerary.
I forgot to mention that on your way to Queens from Philly, you should try to drive through Princeton, N.J. and stop at The Bent Spoon. Their hot chocolate is legendary and their ice creams and sorbets all use local products is very creative ways depending on what they can get locally. My friends sell them eggs sometimes when they have extra at the farm. Their dark chocolate sorbet is a religious experience. This is definitely one of the places I miss most now that we live in Boston.
LOVE the recommendations. THANKS! We’re going to have to check these out.
I can’t believe I neglected to mention The Milk Bar! I even own the book! That place is genius!
Agreed on the Bent Spoon – but it’s expensive! Not sure if it would be a good model for Clover’s start in frozen delights. You should also give Halo Pub a try – it’s very close to Bent Spoon(basically around the corner), 9 Hulfish St. They have great, quality, affordable ice cream and treats – their farm where they get the milk and make the ice cream is nearby Trenton.
Some unsolicited advice on your Philly itinerary:
-Stop by my truck! We’re called Pitruco, and we do wood-fired pizza. (You might remember me as one of the guys that stopped to chat you up after that info session you gave last summer; I’m back in Cambridge, but let the guys know who you are and they’ll take care of you.) We will be in LOVE Park on Friday until 3pm, along with Guapos Tacos and Chewy’s (burgers, chicken & waffles).
-Other trucks/carts you might be interested in visiting: Yumtown, Cucina Zapata, Marrakesh Express, Magic Carpet, the falafel cart at 20th and Market, Melange Tea, Rival Bros, Hub Bub, and if they’re out, Little Baby’s ice cream. Hitting all these guys would take you well across the city; the concentrations of trucks are in University City (Penn’s and Drexel’s campuses), on Temple’s campus in North Philly, and in the downtown office district. It would be a shame to miss the Lucky Old Souls burger truck, but I think Friday is a prep day for them. And Honest Tom’s taco truck, the first new-wave truck on the scene, is done for the winter, and the Mini Trini truck is off Friday…
-Your dinner should be at Zahav.
-Late night should mean Northern Liberties/Fishtown where you’ll find the Dapper Dog and hopefully the Smoke Truck and just maybe Vernalicious, as well as any number of great bars (Kraftwork, Standard Tap, Johnny Brenda’s, Barcade, Silk City, Abbaye, N. 3rd, 700 Club, roughly in that order).
Please email with any questions! pitrucopizza@gmail.com
Hello! I’m a researcher with a major publication trying to get in contact with someone at Clover to fact-check an article. Would you please contact me at the provided email address ASAP? I can’t find any other way to get in touch. Thank you!
Nathan –
Thanks! These sound like great suggestions!
I agree with what Avery had to say about Pittsburgh (my hometown!). Pamelas in the strip district is amazing, and the strip district in general is a great place to stroll through to sample food/coffee. You won’t leave hungry. Have fun!
Wish I had noticed this a week earlier – just moved to Boston from Madison, and you should totally check out Kickapoo Coffee! Definitely prefer it to Alterra, and agree with SW above about Michael’s custard, hope you got to try it! Also, you should have brought back some cheese from Hook’s. The.best.cheddar. Hope you enjoyed Madtown and get to go back for a longer stay next time!