Manolis Ice Cream and Pastries
Located in beautiful Southwest Austin, in the heart of the hill country, is Manolis Ice Cream and Pastries. They serve a variety of desserts and drinks, ranging from ice cream to cake to coffee. A smaller business, Manolis is about to become your new favorite post-date night, family picnic, or solo ice cream place. They pride themselves on making the food right there with real fruit and fresh ingredients.
The Lot
The truck – they serve their treats out of a fairly large food truck – is nestled in a cute outdoor courtyard with ample seating. There are about seventeen picnic tables to choose from, some under a gazebo, some in the open barn-like structure, and the rest under trees. In addition to the gazebo located near the back of the lot, there are four or so outdoor games to keep you entertained while you eat your desserts. There is a giant connect four, a small playset, cornhole boards, and an arcade-like basketball net. Strung across the area are lights mixed with water misters to combat the summer heat, and fans are on almost every tree. To finish off the charming atmosphere, there is old music playing throughout the courtyard, and when it gets chillier, there is a small fire pit that in the summer makes the area smell like firewood.
The Cold Treats
We had both ice cream and sorbet, and they were both incredibly creamy and smooth. The sorbet was pina colada flavored, and it tasted exactly like a pineapple, which was perfect for the hot day we went on. The ice cream was even better than expected, and we got smalls in salted caramel and coffee, which was a fair amount for the price we paid. They also have $5 pops and those come in ice, ice cream, ice cream cake, and dairy free ice cream. For both ice cream and sorbets, there are dairy free options as well.
The Pastries
While we didn’t personally try the pastries, they looked amazing. They have cakes made to order, in flavors of almond, tiramisu, black forest, dark cacao, crocantino, and fragola. They also have all those flavors in slices, in addition to mousse cheesecake, and a gluten free mousse cup. However, they take a bit to make and are made at the beginning of the day, so they often run out of certain flavors. If you really want that slice of fragola, then head there at the beginning of the day.
The Drinks
At Manolis, there are a variety of drinks to choose from. Of course, there are milkshakes, however no dairy free ice creams available for those shakes. Then, they offer several fruit juices including mango, guava, and passion fruit to name a few, and those are vegan friendly! Lastly, they offer coffees and affogatos, which is a shot poured over your choice of ice cream. The coffee drinks they offer are espresso, americano, caffe latte, cappuccino, and a macchiato.
They also serve hot chocolate, if you aren’t in the mood for the many other drinks they offer.
Conclusion
Manolis has definitely made its way to the top of my go-to ice cream places. The charming atmosphere, delicious sweet treats, and friendly staff make it worth driving to south west Austin.
Hours and Address
8907 Circle Dr, Austin, TX 78736
Friday – Sunday: 2 PM – 11 PM
