Trowbridge's Ice Cream and Sandwich Shop in Florence, Alabama: Review

Named after Paul Trowbridge, Trowbridge's Ice Cream and Sandwich Shop has been serving the citizens and tourists of Florence, Alabama, since 1918. A diner that's retro without trying to be, Trowbridge's is one of the historic downtown's prized treasures due its is orange pineapple ice cream, a dish that made the exclusive "100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die" list created by the Alabama Tourism Department. Trowbridge's also gained national when it was featured on Travel & Leisure's "50 Reasons to Love the US Now."

I wasn't really aware of the diner's popularity until I started to visit the shop during my years spent at The University of North Alabama, a short walking distance from the downtown area. When you look at Trowbridge's, you don't have to be told what it is: every part of it, from the barstools to the booths and wad of tables in the pale green shop, spell out American goodies. My roommate and I both worked as student aids, so our monthly funds were hard to stretch; however, at Trowbridge's around three bucks bought us a delightful Oh My Gosh!, an amazing warm brownie topped with caramel or fudge, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, all the whipped topping you would ever need, and a cherry for good measure. Other than the Oh My Gosh! and its famous orange pineapple ice cream, Trowbridge's also offers classics like milkshakes, floats, sundaes, and banana splits. Desert at the diner was always delicious and worth the afternoon walk from the dormitories. I even made the dish a subject in one of my paintings for an art class at the university.

Trowbridge's was featured in the university's newspaper as an affordable place for students to grab a dollar scoop of ice cream on a cone, but the small diner is a great place for family fun as well. Whenever I visit, there's a huge variety of people in the always busy, always full, shop. Children, elderly couples, sorority groups, business men: Trowbridge's has something to offer every customer, a taste of times long gone. And the good food doesn't stop with the sweet stuff, either. Trowbridge's is, after all, a sandwich shop. For home-style diner flavor, try the egg and olive or the chicken salad sandwich. Their pimento cheese also gets love from the locals and is sold both in the shop and in the area's grocery stores. Do you like your banana slices on white with peanut butter or mayonnaise? Trowbridge makes both. Or if you want something a little more ordinary, go for a chili dog.

So, if you're visiting the Florence area during their fantastic Renaissance Faire, W.C. Handy Festival, or First Friday art and music events, or if you're a citizen of the Shoals who has never taken advantage of Florence's downtown shops, I recommend you visit Trowbridge's.

Visit Trowbridge's at

316 N. Court St.

Florence, AL 35630

Or call 256-764-1503 for more info.

http://www.alabama.travel/yof/restaurant/trowbridges_ice_cream_sandwich_shop.html

http://www.yourtownalabama.org/blog/2008/07/trowbridges-in-florence-on-tra.html