Taste Test: Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams

A flight from Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams in Athens Georgia on Aug. 23, 2023. On the top row (L-R) is the Texas Sheet Cake, Brambleberry Crisp, and Bombastix Sundae Cone. On the second row (L-R) is the Milkiest Chocolate, Gooey Butter Cake, Coffee With Cream and Sugar and Honey Vanilla Bean. On the third row (L-R) is the Lemon Bar Dairy Free, Rainbow Frozen Yogurt and Wildberry Lavender.

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams is a franchise ice cream chain located across the United States. It has over 65 scoop shops with online delivery in all 50 states and distribution in popular grocery stores across the country. Jeni’s was founded in Columbus, Ohio in 2002 by Jeni Britton, a James Beard award-winning ice cream maker.

Jeni’s recently opened its first location in Athens, Georgia on 1710 S. Lumpkin St. in the Five Points neighborhood. It is open every day from noon to 11 p.m.

I visited the new location on Wednesday, Aug. 23. The building itself is not very big, and the parking spaces are limited. There is also a drive-thru, however, it is still under construction. There is no indoor seating, but there is a back patio for customers to sit and enjoy their desserts.

When I walked in, it smelled like freshly made waffles from the griddle. I appreciated that the ordering process was super quick and allows customers to ask for free samples before picking the flavors they want.

The menu features options of a “standard,” “signature” or “flight.” The standard is either one big scoop of one flavor of your choice or two normal-sized scoops of two flavors of your choice. The signature consists of up to three scoops and flavors. The flight offers an appetizing sharing option: ten scoops of ice cream for $21. Jeni’s also has pints of ice cream in the freezer for customers to purchase.

I ordered the flight to get a little bit of a taste of everything. The image above showcases each flavor I ordered. On the top row, from left to right, is the Texas Sheet Cake, Brambleberry Crisp, and Bombastix Sundae Cone. On the second row (L-R) is the Milkiest Chocolate, Gooey Butter Cake, Coffee With Cream and Sugar and Honey Vanilla Bean. On the third row (L-R) is the Lemon Bar Dairy Free, Rainbow Frozen Yogurt and Wildberry Lavender.

The following ratings are in no particular order.

This flavor is a best-seller and one of the first flavors Jeni herself made for Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream, according to Jeni’s website. The website describes this flavor as “oven-toasted oat streusel and a sweet-tart brambleberry jam layered throughout the vanilla ice cream.” I rate it a 3.5 out of 5 because I did not like its tart flavor. I do not think I would order this again, but I appreciated its authenticity.

Rate: 3.5/5

Jeni’s describes this flavor as “an ultra-lush milky chocolate, like a fine Swiss bar. Evaporated milk imparts concentrated milkiness and delightful chewiness.” This flavor showcased the richness of the milk flavor combined with a smooth, delicious chocolate taste. I am typically not the biggest chocolate ice cream fan, however, I really enjoyed Jeni’s take on this classic flavor.

Rate: 5/5

This flavor is one of the newer ones at the shop, according to its “just in” sticker advertisement. I picked it because the name sounded interesting, and I have not seen this flavor at other shops. Jeni’s website describes this flavor as “double vanilla cream with gooey fudge and chocolate-covered waffle cone chunks.” It was simply vanilla and chocolate mixed together with waffle cone chucks throughout, which added a pleasant crunchy texture. I would order this flavor again.

Rate: 4/5

The Honey Vanilla Bean is “made with Fair Trade vanilla beans that are warm and complex in flavor and a perfect partner for a touch of honey and grass-grazed milk,” according to Jeni’s website. The vanilla flavor was very potent with the bean-flavor making all the difference. It was not too sweet and tasted very light. This is now my go-to flavor at Jeni’s; you can never go wrong with classic vanilla.

Rate: 5/5

I wanted to try the Gooey Butter Cake because of its mouth-watering name. Jeni’s website describes it as “cream cheese ice cream layered with crumbles of vanilla cake and a swirl of caramel-butterscotch sauce.” The cream cheese aspect in the description made me hesitant because cream cheese often overpowers desserts for me. However, it balanced well with the vanilla and caramel-butterscotch flavors. I was surprised that I liked it as much as I did.

Rate: 4/5

I picked this flavor because of its light purple coloring and because I had never seen such a flavor before. It is described as “intensely fruity, brambly berry ice cream with a pop of sweet orange and lavender.” The taste of the orange mixed with the lavender went well together, adding to the desserts fruity composition. This flavor would pair nicely with the Brambleberry Crisp or even the simple Honey Vanilla Bean.

Rate: 4/5

Jeni’s website describes this flair as “intelligentsia coffee steeped in cream.” I am not the biggest coffee-flavored fan or coffee drinker, however, I really enjoyed this flavor because its cream and sugar flavor mellowed out the bitter coffee taste. If you are a coffee lover, this is a must-try. It also would pair well with the Honey Vanilla Bean.

Rate: 4.5/5

The Texas Sheet Cake Dairy Free is described as “decadent chocolate cake crumbles, bittersweet fudge, and palate-gripping cocoa.” The chocolate cake chunks mixed with the ice cream reminded me of a brownie flavor. They added a nice texture to the ice cream, however, their combination made for a very sweet bite. I like that Jeni’s offers multiple dairy-free options to accommodate those with dietary restrictions.

Rate: 3/5

This is a “punchy lemon curd, shortbread crust, and rich coconut cream.” I did not like this flavor because the chunks of lemon curd made the flavor very sour. I would not order this again, but I am typically not a fan of lemon-flavored ice cream.

Rate: 2.5/5

I enjoyed this flavor the least out of the 10 I taste-tested. Upon the first bite, I immediately made the face you make when you taste something super sour. This flavor did not pair well with the other ice cream flavors; there was too much yogurt flavor, and the sour flavor was overpowering. To give it the benefit of the doubt, it could have been because I tried it last, which might have affected my taste buds.

Rate: 1.5/5

Overall, I enjoyed this experience because I got to try so many unique flavors. The staff was friendly, and the ordering process was super quick. Although, I went at 1 p.m. on a Wednesday, so it was not as busy of a time to visit. Something I like about Jeni’s is that it always comes out with new flavors, including seasonal flavors, that are only in-store for a limited time. I would definitely go back!

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1710 S. Lumpkin St.

Open from noon to 11 p.m. daily

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