DeNucci's — Restaurant in Fernandina Beach

A Monument to Indulgence — The Ice Cream Experience That Redefined Dessert

There are moments in life when language feels almost too small to hold the enormity of an experience — moments that deserve not just to be remembered but enshrined. Our visit to this ice cream shop was one of those moments.

It began innocently enough: a casual family outing, the kind we’ve taken countless times. But what we encountered was far from routine — it was legendary.

My wife and I ordered a banana split, expecting something nostalgic, comforting, familiar. What we received was a frozen colossus, a mountain of indulgence worthy of myth. Three massive scoops of hand-crafted perfection — each more luxuriously creamy and intensely flavored than the last — nestled between golden banana halves so ripe and sweet they nearly melted in the mouth. Rivers of hot fudge, caramel, and strawberry sauce cascaded like edible artwork over peaks of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream, crowned with clouds of whipped cream and the obligatory cherry, defiant atop its dairy throne.

We couldn’t finish it. We tried. But it was like battling a beautiful, benevolent monster — one that overwhelmed us with joy and cream and the sheer physics-defying grandeur of its scale. It was less a dessert and more a chapter in an epic poem.

And then there was our daughter’s raspberry ice cream cup. One flavor. One scoop. And yet, it stood like a monument — nearly the size of a softball, bold and unapologetically bright. The flavor burst forth with a clarity and richness that could only come from real fruit and craftsmanship bordering on sorcery. She was halfway through it before she said a word, and when she did, all she could say was, “This is the best ice cream in the whole world.” We had no arguments.

The shop itself exudes warmth and character. The staff don’t just scoop — they curate. Each interaction felt like part of a larger tradition, a celebration of dessert taken seriously and served generously. There was laughter, chatter, the hum of contentment all around — but also a kind of reverent silence from patrons mid-bite, lost in their own private bliss.

If Michelin gave stars for soul, this place would have a galaxy. If critics seek authenticity, generosity, and flavor that rewires your understanding of ice cream, they’ll find it here — scooped high, wrapped in smiles, and served in bowls too full to finish but too good not to try.

Come hungry. Come happy. Come ready to leave changed.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A dessert pilgrimage...

Me my son and my mom went there for lunch and for ice cream, spent $14.39 and was rudely told that my mom could not drink her coffee she bought at Walgreens and told my son who is 5 years old to put his drink away. I told Sara that he didn't feel good and he wasn't drinking it they wouldn't give me a full refund because they already made my hot dogs and that right there is wrong. I work in food and we give refunds on anything even if it's already made we just throw the food away. I was smoking away from the kid area and the man came out and rudely said you can't smoke on the patio but the only sign was on the kid area so I got up and went in the parking lot. I live in Fernandina beach I will never go there again!!!! Sara told my mom she has never heard that a food place lets you bring in other peoples drinks well I bring in food to BK from Taco Bell all the time and they don't tell me I can't eat it. This place the people are very rude they could have said it better and Sara yelled at my mom when she came in for the refund. Not a very nice place like I said I will never be going back there again!!!!

Visited on...

Great treats and large portions. Unfortunately this place is horribly understaffed and the staff are rude when a problem is brought to their attention.

There are three places to order, inside, and outside window, and the drive through with 3 people serving. Each are poorly run (i.e. lost or wrong orders).

At one point no orders were being taken inside and people would leave. Later orders were being taken inside, and the line outside piled up, as people who came later skipped the long line by going inside and received faster service. With only 3 or 4 staff, they probably should only have 2 of the 3 windows open so that they can better serve their customers.

Drive through orders can't be given until you're up at the window. There's almost literally no benefit to the drive through line as it was the slowest of all. I observed people getting out of their cars while waiting in the drive through and getting their order before they made it up to the drive through window to attempt to order.

It's great ice cream but it took almost an hour before we got through to order. It may not be...