Gina's Homemade Italian Ice and Lemonade, Berwyn
My family and I have been going to Ginas Homemade Italian Ice and Lemonade since we moved to Oak Park in the early 80s. Gina (pictured in link, below) is a very nice lady, who recognized my daughter as soon as we walked in (even though she probably hasnt seen her in three or more years): Shes getting so big, I hardly recognize her!
All the ices are made in the back. Gina told me that she uses only natural flavorings for her ices (though she probably uses artificial colors for some, like lime, which is fluorescent green). My daughter likes the cantaloupe, which is excellent, and I tend toward a yin/yang combo of watermelon/lemon, which I find creates a fine balance of sweet/sour.
Ginas ices are not as sweet as some, and they seem to have a looser pack, which I prefer. There are hunks of fruit in most of them, and overall a very clean and fresh taste.
Ginas is a family-run, neighborhood joint, charging reasonable prices for a hand-made quality product. Ginas is only open in the summer (and she mentioned that lately shes been opening and closing in sync with the weather). If youre in the area, Id recommend you stop in (shes just east of the intersection of Oak Park Ave and Roosevelt, next to Buona Beef; Ginas ice would make a good dessert after a dinner at La Quebrada). There are white Italianate iron seats in front.
Gina's Homemade Italian Ice and Lemonade
6737 W. Roosevelt Road
Berwyn, Illinois 60402
Phone: (708) 484-0944
David Hammond
May 06, 2004 10:25PM
David - thanks for the writeup on Gina's, I've been going to Gina's for decades (since growing up in Oak Park) and I think she offers some of, and perhaps the, best italian ice around Chicago.
For many of the reasons you cite - very fresh, clean flavors made with care by someone who loves her business. Worth a special trip if you are in the area.
Shannon
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Yeahhhh, Gina's! A Buona Beef followed by a Gina's Italian ice followed by a show at FitzGerald's makes Berwyn a summer heaven. Support Roosevelt Rd. eats and live music!
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Newsprint is sterile. Open up whatever section
of a perferablly large format newspaper you
don't read, dump the fries in it (so they
don't steam themselves in the bag) proceed
to the beef stand.
p.s. salt & pepper liberally, I assume all
hounds carry condiments in the glove box.
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What is everyone's thought on this question: Who has the best Italian ice, Gina's or Mario's?
Personally, I like Mario's...most of it has to do with the fact that it is the place that I remember going to get an ice when I was younger...could remember going to Al's across the street for a juicy beef sweet-hot oil and then darting across the street for one of those ices like watermelon, fruit cocktail, or many other flavors...sometimes we would even take our ices to Lawrence Fisheries on canal and eat jumbos and ice in the parking lot late at night.
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Don't you mean "better" Italian Ice? I love Gino's very much, but I might actually prefer the taste of certain flavors from other places in the 'burb's (Teddy's sour cherry is my single favorite) or even, Lord forgive me, the Lincoln Park places.
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Never heard of Teddy's...where is it located?
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It's a beef place in a strip mall in Darien, Plainfield Road (between Cass and Rt. 83) on 75th, near Culver's if that helps. Skip the beef. Hot dogs are good, ice is very good. Not a bad stop if you are in the neighborhood.
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DL_25, as you mention, you prefer Mario's because it's what you remember from your past. For exactly the same reasons, I prefer Gina's.
Last night, my daughter insisted we go to Russell's for her birthday; by general board consensus, Russell's does NOT serve the best ribs around, but it's where my daughter has been going since she was 2 years old, and it's what she wants when she thinks ribs, so that's where we go, and you know, last night those ribs tasted just fine to me, too. Memory plays a big part in food enjoyment, does it not?
David
PS. I used to find it novel that Johnnie's served Italian ice with beef, but it's a perfect combination, and I suppose that's why so many Italian ice joints locate near beef joints (or maybe it's vice-versa).
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In answer to the initial question which ever
joint your closest to.
Now this might get me barred from the board
but I still like Russell's, but their beef
sandwich has nothing to do chicago italian
beefs. Used to go to Johnnies for ice on the
way home from Rusell's.
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And allow me to restate d's first rule of chowhounding:
If you have liked it since you were a child, do not trust your opinions of the place. Memory trumps critical eating.
Since I am on a roll, I will also restate my second rule:
If you have not tried it in 6 months, your tasting is meaningless as too much can change in you and the place.
Having said that, I look forward to the beginning of an Italian ice tasting to occur in conjunction with Beef-athon II!!!!
d
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