Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, the NYC born and nationally beloved brand known for its made-from-scratch dairy and vegan ice creams, will open a scoop shop in Westport on February 6. The launch marks a return to its roots for co-founders Ben and Pete Van Leeuwen who are Fairfield County natives and whose ice cream journey began here twenty years ago.
In celebration, Van Leeuwen Westport will offer $1 scoops on opening day (Feb. 6) from 3pm-5pm and free totes to the first 100 customers beginning at 3pm.
The scoop shop will also showcase a special limited-time offering created by Westport-based cookbook author and creator Julia Dzafic (@lemonstripes). The vegan sundae features scoops of strawberry shortcake ice cream and banana pudding ice cream, and is topped with sprinkles, hot fudge and a “party hat” AKA a sugar cone.
The popular ice cream brand, Van Leeuwen, whose humble beginnings were as an ice cream truck in New York City, has just opened a scoop shop on Greenwich Avenue.
Owned by brothers and Greenwich natives Ben and Pete Van Leeuwen, who, if we’re really getting technical about their ice cream origin story, actually started in their hometown as the two rented a Good Humor truck to drive around and sell ice cream in for two summers beginning in 2002. And they’re both pretty stoked to not only be back in Greenwich, but to have opened their first suburban storefront.
When CTbites last left Amis Trattoria in October of 2020, the Italian-inspired restaurant adopted a fresher, more fun approach. It’s still fresh and fun, only with an idea that executive chef Jes Bengston wanted to implement just under a year ago. The thought for Amis then was small, shared plates and heaps of handmade pasta meant to be passed around amongst your dining companions. Well, it’s here.
“Everything is meant to be a taste or a bite,” Bengston says. “It should feel like you’re having dinner at your grandmother’s house. It’s how I eat, even when I went to Don Memo solo, I was kind of confused on what to order, but I still got a bunch of stuff so I could have a bite.”
Like Bengston, I’m on the sharing bandwagon. Heck, you probably are, too. It’s why Amis’ antipasti refresh is a dozen dishes deep. You and your family or friends, or a mixture of the two, can pick at a shallow dish of citrusy, herby olives with a little heat from pickled fresno chilis or you can fight over who gets the last couple of pecorino and black pepper dusted cacio e pepe fries.
Amis’ O.G. roots are sticking around, though. Crispy Brussels sprouts and those fat, tender, saucy old school meatballs are still favorites that aren’t going anywhere. Just expect less heavy fare to balance it out like spicy crab bruschetta with a burst of brightness from lemon aioli and some Calabrian chili heat. It’s a nice bite and no one would blame you for not sharing this particular plate.
