The story behind Chicago's legendary ice cream, the Rainbow Cone

If you only had 24 hours to eat in Chicago, there are a few famous dishes you should definitely try. Pizza is one—either deep dish pizza or the lesser-known tavern variety—and a Chicago-style hot dog in a poppy seed bun with the right toppings (always relish, absolutely no ketchup) is another. And while Chi-Town's dessert scene may not be as widely praised as its other iconic dishes, the Windy City boasts several renowned bakeries serving delicious sweet treats. In fact, there's one pastel-colored treat that many visitors are likely to try in particular when visiting Chicago, and the colorful creation has been part of the city's food scene for nearly 100 years.

Chicago's rainbow cone has become a local classic and a must-try dessert for connoisseurs. The popular dessert shop that serves it, aptly named The Original Rainbow Cone Ice Cream Shop after its signature colorful flavors, opened its first location in Chicago's Beverly neighborhood in 1926.

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A complex story

After a fluffy, flavorful slice of Chicago-style cheesecake, a giant rainbow cone should be next on your Chicago dessert menu. The first rainbow cone shop was opened by ice cream connoisseurs Joe and Katherine Sapp. Not satisfied with just one flavor, the couple sought a cone with a variety of flavors, which led the duo to develop their famous five-flavor cone.

The classic Rainbow Cone features a vibrant combination of chocolate, strawberry, Palmer House (vanilla with cherries and walnuts) and pistachio ice cream, and orange sorbet. Each pastel-colored treat is sliced ​​rather than scooped, giving the dessert a unique, stacked look.

The company also applies its signature slice-and-stack style to other cool ice cream combinations, such as Cosmic Birthday (alternating layers of Superman and birthday cake ice cream) and Orange Dream (a mix of orange sorbet and vanilla ice cream). Of course, the shop's original Rainbow Cone tops the menu. The classic is also available in ice cream sandwich form – with the mishmash of flavors sandwiched between two sugar cookies – and in layered ice cream cakes and chocolatey Swiss rolls.

A bright future

The Original Rainbow Cone Ice Cream Shop has become a staple in downtown Chicago. In addition to the original location in Beverly and several locations in Chicago's suburbs, there are kiosks and trucks at popular tourist attractions around the city, such as Navy Pier, the Magnificent Mile, the Shedd Aquarium, and the Lincoln Park Zoo.

The popular company is showing no signs of slowing down, either. In 2019, the brand merged with another Illinois institution, family-run Buona Beef, to expand its operations into the digital landscape and beyond. “They had us online and on Grubhub and a lot of things I couldn't do,” Lynn Sapp, the third-generation owner, told The Chicago Tribune. And as ice cream fans across the country continued to crave the rainbow-colored treats in their area, Rainbow Cone announced plans to launch franchises in 2022. There are now Rainbow Cone franchises in Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan and Florida, with more likely on the way.

Read the original article on Chowhound.