Summertime is definitely on the way and if you're craving a sweet ice cream treat, Van Dee's might be just the place you're looking for. Located at 5915 Merle Hay Road in Johnston, Van Dee's is a seasonal mom and pop ice cream shop that serves up a variety of frosty desserts like cones, shakes, malts and sundaes.
The menu is right on the outside wall, so you can take your time deciding what cool and creamy item you want to order. They also serve a few sandwiches like beef burgers, hamburgers and cheeseburgers, hot dogs, and even 'Walk'n Tacos,' those yummy bags of Doritos filled with taco fixings.
Grant went with The Big Chipper - creamy chocolate soft serve sandwiched between two big chocolate chip cookies. Mmmmm....
I ordered up a Peanut Butter Cup Blitz - Van Dee's version of a DQ Blizzard - it's a big cup of candy and ice cream blended into the perfect chocolaty treat.
It was a popular place when we stopped in on a Sunday afternoon. Most of the time there's quite the line, but it moves pretty quickly.
You'll find great little ice cream places like this in small towns all over Iowa, so it's nice to see that they've survived even in the Des Moines metro where there are obviously more exotic places to stop in for a frozen dessert.
We'll be checking in to more ice cream shops throughout the summer. Let us know your favorite place in the comments and we'll put them up on Iowa Foodie! I know, such a hardship for us, but we'll suffer through.
Make sure you stop to grab a cone at Van Dee's next time you're in Johnston!
Van Dee's Ice Cream
5915 Merle Hay Road
Johnston, IA 50131
515.276.1040
Hours
Monday - Saturday 10am - 9:30pm
Sunday 11am - 7pm