Thomas Sweet

Thomas Sweet (often called T-Sweets for short) was our final stop; as a result, we might have been a little sarcastic in evaluating its products:

Still, we enjoyed the experience, starting with the fun-house mirror standing against the wall.

The overall feel of the store actually fit in more with our idea of what a small town ice cream shop should be like: the tiled floor, the painted mural of happy customers, the open lawn and picnic tables right outside. It definitely felt like a place the community could gather around on a Sunday afternoon; Ryan said it felt like being "back home," a sentiment I also felt.

The painted mural. How cheerful!

And here's what it looks like outside on a Sunday afternoon!

And that image is, in fact, exactly what Thomas Sweet's website seems to claim. Founded in 1979, Thomas Sweet has boasted "super premium ice cream on-location, using only the finest local ingredients. " The flavors are varied, the servings are large, and the prices not unreasonable: Ryan purchased a single-cup sized cone of Rum Raisin for $3.75 and was very happy with the quality-cost ratio. But he also said it was pretty "typical" as far as ice cream went.

Thomas Sweet also sells a few basic frozen yogurt flavors, as seen on the menu, but it's signature product is its "Blend-In," a creamed-up combination of an ice cream and up to 3 toppings of your choice. Usually a single flavor and topping costs $4.50, but we were armed with coupons: the Evans got Mint Chocolate Chip blended with Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and Christie and Michelle shared Chai blended with Heath Bar. 

Lots of choices!

The magic blending machine!

A grey and lumpy Mint Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Blend-In

 To be frank (and also to quote Frank), the Blend-In did not look particularly "appetizing;" Evan C. went as far to liken the color to "concrete." The consistency also caught everyone off guard initially, but once we got over the initial "weirdness" of it, as Evan M. put it, the taste was sweet and smooth. It was a good thing we shared, however, because nobody felt they could have finished one by themselves. While the uniform blended nature makes it unique, there may have been a little too much uniformity for the amount of ice cream in the cup, making it almost tiresome to get to the bottom.

It is also worth noting that Thomas Sweet sells hand-crafted chocolates and cakes, though we tried neither. Thomas Sweet has another location in Palmer Square that only sells these (no ice cream) and several other locations in New Jersey and in Washington DC, making it the only ice shop not unique to Princeton.

Conclusion for the Hungry: Thomas Sweet offers an atmosphere that would make anyone nostalgic for the neighborhood ice cream store of their childhood, even if they never had one. The ice cream itself is not expensive for its quality, but the thing to try here is the Blend-In. It takes some getting used to, and there might be a little too much in even the smallest serving, but the experience is uniquely refreshing. Share a cup with a friend and eat outside!

Check them out here!