Salt & Straw opening its first Arizona ice cream shop in Gilbert

PHOENIX – Arizonans are always looking for a way to cool off in the summer heat and a new ice cream shop is making its first foray into metro Phoenix on Friday.

Salt & Straw, an award-winning ice cream brand from Portland, is opening its first location in the Grand Canyon State in Gilbert.

The scoop shop will be located at the Epicenter at Agritopia, the residential and retail neighborhood located on northwest corner of Higley and Ray roads .

“We’ve been looking for the perfect place in Phoenix for over five years, and we’re thrilled to have finally found it in Agritopia,” co-founder Kim Malek said in a press release.

The first 100 visitors on opening day will receive a free drink from Peixoto Coffee and a Salt & Straw-branded visor.

The Gilbert location will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

What flavors can you expect from Salt & Straw?

Those escaping the heat and grabbing a scoop can expect inventive signature flavors such as Salted Malted Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Pear and Blue Cheese. The ice cream brand has also created flavors like Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons, Honey Lavender, and Strawberry Honey Balsamic with Black Pepper.

The brand offers 13 classic flavors and a monthly rotating menu that reflects culinary trends, seasonality of ingredients and relevant cultural moments.

Through the end of July, the store will also offer its Berries,Berries,Berries menu items. The five flavors represent the ripe berries of the Pacific Northwest and include Wild-Foraged Berry Slab Pie, Birthday Cakes and Blackberries, Huckleberry Cornbread Pudding, and Goat Cheese Marionberry Habanero. A vegan option will also be available called GoNanas Banana Bread with Strawberry Jam.

Salt & Straw was co-founded by cousins Kim and Tyler Malek, who grew the company from a single ice cream cart in Oregon to now operating in six states. The brand aims to provide ice cream that tells the story of artisans, farmers and meaningful food moments.