Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour

It's time to remember my visit to the most delicious place in Diagon Alley! My visits to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor with Abbie are one of the key highlights of our Grad Trip 2014-15!

An eye catching building with yellow highlights adjacent the Gringotts bank spreads a happy vibe throughout the newly opened Diagon Alley. When Abbie and I first caught a glimpse of Florean Fortescue's Parlor we could imagine how bright and inviting the insides must be. In Abbie's words, the place was "announcing ice cream"! Abbie and I stepped inside with our sweet teeth and excitement and then followed a never-to-forget experience.

This entry belongs to the Bestie Times and the Potterhead label

If the exterior said "happy", the interior of this parlor screamed it out loud! A perfect use of chic greens and pinks with yellow created a friendly atmosphere as Abbie and I got in line.

It is only obvious that this place always has a really long line, everybody loves ice cream! The queue extended all the way through the shop to the entrance of The Fountain of Fair Fortune beside the parlor. The wait is pleasant though, if outside the parlor you're standing right under the majestic Gringotts dragon and once inside you have lots of picture taking opportunities. The parlor has a lot of very funky displays like the tower of topsy turvy ice cream scoops. Imagine if they were selling that! *drools*

Another cool display inside is that of these bobbing heads with ice cream cones. The heads move up and down and represent the soft serve cones the parlor sells.

A closer view of the display at Florean Fortescue's

In my opinion having a longer line in this shop is actually a blessing. I have a super difficult time deciding from menus, especially when there are such delicious ice cream flavors involved! The long line passed away really quickly for me because I was pestering Abbie with a million questions. "Bestie let's have that one, no that one, no this topping, but then that topping is so tasty, but then ...."

The shops backdrop is decorated with a display of its ice cream toppings and souvenir mugs. The toppings are really fun. We tasted the Shortbread Crumbles, Chocolate Chips, and Chopped Nuts. Abbie and I had our eyes set on those specialty hard pack ice cream flavors so we decided to skip the soft serve altogether.

Oh my God! Those flavors were all sounding so appealing and we had to taste them all while we were on vacation there. Abbie and I payed three visits to the parlor on three separate days, buying two scoops in each trip. That way we tasted six different flavors and skipped the Earl Grey and Lavender and the Clotted Cream for next time!

 

It's actually a wiser decision to buy the souvenir cup. Firstly, the cup is so pretty you have to be kidding me if you don't want to collect it! Second, buying two scoops in this cup is cheaper than buying two individual ones so you're actually getting two scoops and a pretty souvenir cup for a lesser price. Thirdly, if you share with your Bestie you get to taste two flavors in one trip! Now THAT is some seriously awesome stuff right there!

If you haven't already collected one of those pink cups from a prior ice cream experience at The Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade, get one straight away! If you immediately wash the insides after you're done enjoying some delicious ice cream you get to save this cup as a souvenir too! Of course, both Abbie and I have collected these!

I loved the waffle cones looking at me from their glass case, but we wanted the souvenir cups so bad we decided we wouldn't get the cone. On top of that, it is much easier and appropriate sharing a cup than a cone (how do you half a cone?!). But even then I had my eyes set on the pink cone picks that had Florean Fortescue written on them. I plucked up all my courage and went to a server to ask her if I could get a pick without buying the waffle cone for my scrapbook back home. She was so sweet, she handed me one right away! Any chance of collecting a Potter souvenir must not be missed!

Now isn't that the best photo bomb ever?! I had no idea this had happened until I came back home and checked out all the pictures! I was flipping through all the pictures one day and BAM! Super cheerful and adorable shop lady bombing my photo! *laughs*

Edward, scooping up our ice creams!

The first souvenir cup and ice cream we had on our trip!

Our absolute favorite flavor was the undisputed champion: The Salted Caramel Blondie. Seriously, if anybody ever visits the parks they HAVE to get Blondie or they've completely wasted their lives! It is so delicious I wanted to go back to the parlor and purchase the entire bucket/container! Oh my God .... oh my God .... I think I can't breathe ... MUST HAVE MORE BLONDIE!!!

After the Blondie it is very difficult for me to pick favorites because they are all so delicious! With the Salted Caramel Blondie we tried Strawberry and Peanut Butter which was very yummy; the strawberry and peanut butter didn't overpower each other and you could taste both! In our second visit we had Chocolate Chili and Sticky Toffee Pudding (if I remember right!). The Chocolate Chili is a great surprise because one second you think you're eating classic chocolate and that is when the chili kicks in and does wonders! The Sticky Toffee Pudding was deadly delicious, those toffee pieces in the ice cream should be sold by the pack! In our third and last visit we had the Apple Crumble and the Chocolate and Raspberry. Oh my God the Apple Crumble was like eating pie! And the Chocolate and Raspberry was such a delicious pair!

I am totally craving more Salted Caramel Blondie after recalling our visits to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour ... MUST HAVE MORE SOON!