Old Town Churn Ice Cream — Restaurant in Fort Collins

Great location, disappointing ice cream (specifically the salted varieties).

Located in Old Town Ft. Collins, Churn is the focal point of a handful of restaurants found inside The Exchange, a food market with open seating. This was our first visit and probably our last. The store itself, modeled after an old fashioned ice cream churn, is quirky and charming. And the laid-back vibe of the market space is worth a trip, but we all found the ice cream to be lacking.

We tried the salted oreo, salted peanut butter cup, and the strawberry. Out of the three, the strawberry was the only edible flavor. Normally I am a huge fan off all things salted (especially caramel), but the salt flavor was so overpowering that it's almost all we could taste. We ended up throwing away 4 scoops, then got the kids some strawberry as a consolation. It was good, but nothing exceptional. If we lived closer, we'd probably give it another try, especially since it has the most reasonably priced kid scoops I've come across in this area ($2.50/ lil' scoop). But it's not worth the drive when there are other options closer.

As for the service, it was okay. The employee was friendly, though curt, and seemed to be about as excited to be working on a Saturday as I would be (not very). We went around 3 in the afternoon. The line was long and slow moving, though another employee did show up shortly after and it sped things up. Still, we waited about 15-20...

The Churn in Old Town Fort Collins is a beautiful shop with a great vibe and friendly staff, but for me, the ice cream itself doesn’t quite live up to the hype. Don’t get me wrong—it’s good, and you’ll enjoy it—but if you’ve tried some of the top-tier ice cream spots in Colorado, you may notice it’s not quite as creamy, rich, or flavor-balanced as the very best out there.

The texture can be a little icy at times rather than ultra-smooth, and a few flavors seem to rely more on being sweet than on having a deep, complex taste. For example, while the salted caramel looked fantastic, it leaned more sugary than savory, and the chocolate was solid but not as bold as I’d hoped. The creative seasonal flavors are fun, but the execution sometimes feels more about novelty than perfecting the base recipe.

That said, the overall experience of visiting The Churn is still enjoyable. The staff is warm, helpful, and patient, the location is perfect for a stop while exploring Old Town, and the shop itself has a wonderful atmosphere that makes it worth visiting. While the ice cream might not be the best in Fort Collins, it’s still a quality treat—and paired with the friendly service and inviting space, it earns a solid 4...

My husband and I visited here and are both disabled and medically exempt from mask wearing. Even with being ADA protected and this being an outdoor establishment we were addressed rudely and told we could not order. Under the Colorado Constitution article 2 section 7 (our right to protection of self and privacy) this is the actual supreme law and protects our privacy. While sections 1, 3, 14 &15 outlines our rights as the owner of our body not to wear anything deemed unsafe for ones health or well being. Our exemption is protected through both the ADA and HIPPA. As it is signed by a licensed and degreed doctor there should have been no questions asked, let alone the disrespect we were shown. Being accosted in front of other customers is deeming and discriminatory towards someone with disabilities. I urge anyone to think twice before supporting this establishment. Where as yes there is a "mandate" in place (not a law) in regards to the requiring of masks to be warn, even that mandate outlines the exemption of those medically unable to wear one. So this was blatant disregard for us as disabled americans. I would expect better of a progressive town like...