Something sweet is coming to Chicago. Cult favorite ice cream shop Van Leeuwen is making its Midwest debut in September with a new shop in Wicker Park. Located at 1555 N Damen Ave, the ice cream shop is set to open on September 12, with a second location coming to the Willis Tower later this fall.
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In honor of the occasion, Van Leeuwen will be serving $1 scoops from 11am to 1pm on opening day, and the first 100 customers will take home an exclusive tote bag. The best part? You can get a taste of their limited-edition Malört ice cream, available exclusively at the Chicago locations.

The shop will serve more than 30 flavors, including classics like vanilla bean, honeycomb and a selection of vegan options, as well as sundaes, housemade waffle cones, milkshakes, root beer floats, ice cream sandwiches and to-go pints.
“We’re so excited to welcome Van Leeuwen to Chicago the best way we know how—with Malört!” says Tremaine Atkinson, CEO of CH Distillery, owner and producer of Jeppson's Malört. “We’re honored to bring our two brands together to give Van Leeuwen a true Chicago welcome in ice cream form. It’s a bold treat, and we can’t wait for Chicagoans to try a scoop.”
Will the Malört ice cream be as controversial as the liqueur? Probably. But we’ll try anything once.