There's a new gathering place in South Buffalo, and it's especially tempting for hungry sweet tooths.
Cookies & Cream, a classic ice cream parlor run by Hook & Ladder Development, opened in September at 2114 Seneca St., a block away from the Blackthorn. The business name reveals its specialties: cookies are baked fresh several times each day – with their aroma wafting throughout the shop – plus ice cream sourced from Gifford's, in Maine.
It begs asking, especially considering the lines that greeted the early days of business: Why didn't anyone else think of a cookies and ice cream combo shop before?
In addition to the video-slideshow above, here are things to know about the year-round ice cream shop.
• Vanessa Suarez has a background as a pastry chef, sharpening her skills in Colorado before returning to Buffalo to lead Cookies & Cream's debut. The general manager has devised a menu that doesn't over-emphasize toppings, allowing the cookies – available in 11 varieties, from standards such as chocolate chip to the more elaborate Chaos – and ice cream, higher in butter fat than Perry's, to shine.
From left: John Otto, Vanessa Suarez and Pete Scarcello. Otto and Scarcello are founding members of Hook & Ladder Development, while Suarez is the most hands-on at Cookies & Cream.
• Hook & Ladder was started in 2012 by Buffalo firefighters John Otto, Gino Gatti and Pete Scarcello who rehabilitated several buildings on Seneca Street. Cookies & Cream is the first food business they are operating themselves. Progress on South End Eatery, a restaurant project they've planned just down the street, has been delayed during the pandemic.
[Related: How Seneca Street mounted a comeback]
Scarcello said the ice cream shop would be open year-round, with a concerted effort to keep outdoor seating viable as long as possible. Behind the shop is a deep backyard with a wooden deck, three spaced-out picnic tables, long wooden benches and a series of teal, two-top tables that line a side alley. The outdoor space can accommodate at least 40 people comfortably while meeting Covid-19 regulations.
Hook & Ladder is exploring heating elements or enclosures to make the experience more comfortable, but indoor seating, in booths with glass dividers, will be available for those looking to avoid the weather.
The No. 5 sundae from Cookies & Cream features a fresh-baked sugar cookie, whipped cream, sprinkles, cake ice cream and a cherry.
• While the video details the cookie tower, ice cream cookie cakes and the thick ice-cream sandwich, a few more dessert details are worth knowing. Cookie-and-ice cream sundaes may be concocted as the customer chooses, but there's a list of eight specialty sundaes ($8.25) hanging on a board above the register.
Suarez said two have been the most popular so far: The No. 1, featuring a chocolate chip cookie, vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, whipped cream, sprinkles and a cherry; and the No. 2, with a Reese's peanut butter cookie, vanilla ice cream, peanut butter sauce, a Reese's Cup, whipped cream and a cherry.
[More "First Look" slideshows: The Bean Bastard | Graylynn Gin Bar]
Another treat, the '77s, are modeled after the popular Dairy Queen Blizzard with the name referring to the Blizzard of '77. Some of the more intriguing blends include a Cereal of the Week, Butterfinger, Worms & Dirt and Heath Bar. Cost is $5.25 for regular size, $6.25 for a large.
At Cookies & Cream, the portion sizes are typically greater than one person can eat in a sitting, but we're not here to underestimate your devotion.
INFO: Cookies & Cream, 2114 Seneca St. (322-0040). Hours: 2 to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
The exterior of Cookies & Cream that faces Seneca Street.
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October 13, 2020 at 05:00PM
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