Though there's snow in tomorrow's forecast, this bout of 60-degree weather has us daydreaming of summer. Come Friday, March 2, there will be one more reason to get our hopes up: Original Rainbow Cone reopens for the season at noon. The Barbie-pink Beverly mainstay will emerge from hibernation with a summer sight that Chicagoans absolutely adore—sugar cones brimming with five layers of colorful ice cream. Each Rainbow Cone is a medley of chocolate, strawberry, Palmer House (New York vanilla with cherries and walnuts) and pistachio ice creams plus a dollop of orange sherbet on top.
Ohio native and ice cream aficionado Joseph Sapp started Original Rainbow Cone in 1926; he chose the Beverly location because it attracted city dwellers who visited South Side cemeteries every Sunday. It didn't take long before the ice cream shop became a destination in its own right. Since then, the business has been passed down through two generations of Sapps, and though it's gone through plenty of changes, the signature menu item remains the same.
Today you can find Rainbow Cones in Beverly and at a small second kiosk at Navy Pier. Of course, we recommend heading to the original location to get the full experience—plus, you can't beat those Instagram-friendly pink walls.