Bruster’s Real Ice Cream

By Edita McQuary

Washington, D.C. native Ethan Wahl-Taylor came to visit Santa Cruz in 2022 and immediately fell in love with the area. So, he returned a few years later and opened his first business, a Bruster’s Real Ice Cream Store in the Rancho Del Mar Shopping Center.

“Bruster’s top-performing store is located in Montgomery County, Maryland, where I grew up,” he tells us, explaining how he came to be a fan of their ice cream while going on dates with his then-girlfriend. “They had a drive-thru — it was nice.”

Bruster’s Real Ice Cream is located at 150 Rancho Del Mar Shopping Center in what used to be the Kentucky Fried Chicken store. The location has a lovely dog-friendly outdoor seating area with tables and chairs where customers can relax and enjoy their favorite ice cream flavor while taking a break from shopping. You can even order a complimentary “Doggy Sundae” – a scoop of ice cream topped with a small bone-shaped biscuit. There is plenty of parking available.

“We have more than 150 flavors on rotation, with the widest selection of vegan ice creams available within 100 miles. Our ice creams and waffle cones are made fresh on-site daily,” explained Wahl-Taylor.

The menu at Bruster’s features flavors, of course, like the standards of Vanilla, Chocolate and Strawberry. However, you can also select Mint Chocolate Chip, Cookies & Cream, Oreo, Cotton Candy Explosion, New York Cheesecake, Birthday Cake, Rocky Road, Chocolate Peanut Butter with Buckeyes, Mocha Almond Fudge, Coffee Ripple or Butter Pecan, to name just a few. Seasonal and featured flavors are Caramel Chocolate Pretzel, Peanut Butter & Jelly, Double Chocolate Chunk, Lemon Crème, Galaxy, Gooey Butter Cake, Death by Chocolate, Creamsicle and Black Cherry.

For those interested in non-dairy ice cream made with oat milk, the choices are White Raspberry Truffle, Cookies and Cream, Oreo, Strawberry Banana, and Mint Chocolate Chip. There are also Italian ices available in Pink Lemonade and Blue Pop. Non-dairy sorbet comes in Orange flavor. Want no sugar-added/fat free flavors? They have Caramel Swirl and for sherbet lovers, Lime Sherbet.

At the moment, customers’ favorite specialty ice creams are White Raspberry Truffle and Death by Chocolate, according to Ethan.

“With so many flavors on rotation, it is hard to pick just one! Right now, if I want some thing fruity, I’m getting the Lemon Crème, but if I’m really craving ice cream, I’ll take home a pint of our non-dairy Triple Chocolate Oreo. Truthfully, I probably sneak myself a scoop of Banana Chocolate Chip here and there more than anything,” admitted Wahl-Taylor.

Naturally, when interviewing an ice cream store owner, it is imperative to try some of the product. I can attest to the fact that the Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream was excellent! When asked about the number of customers in winter versus summer, Wahl-Taylor replied, “Ice cream is definitely seasonal, but you would be surprised how many people still show up when it is cold outside. Apparently, 92% of Americans eat ice cream annually.”

Customers can order online for pick-up or visit the store. Check out their website for the Sweet Rewards Loyalty Program.

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Bruster’s is located at 150 Rancho Del Mar, Aptos, in the Rancho Del Mar Shopping Center next to the east entrance. Telephone 831.661.5015, website: brusters.com

TOP PHOTO: Ivonne Silva-Cornejo shows off one of the more colorful flavors at Bruster’s