Zwahlen's Ice Cream & Chocolate Co. — Restaurant in Lower Providence Township

This review is about a place that I think is one of the best ice cream hangouts I have ever been to. Zwahlens in Audubon, PA is an interesting mom and pop ice cream/chocolate place that opened up when I lived in the neighborhood. They offered yummy chocolates and truffles and ice creams that were just out of the world. Now, unlike your Pop-Tate’s this place didnt offer a dozen flavors. They offered a flavor of the day, a dessert of the month and your always available vanilla and chocolate. The ice cream was made fresh, and sold at a very affordable price. The Flavor of the Day was repeated based on popular demand and they were truly imaginative and inventive. You could take home the flavors by the pint or quart as I often did and if you wanted more, tough luck.

In my innumerable trips to Zwahlens I managed to develop a love for their English Toffee and Mayan and Orange creamsicle. I hoarded when these flavors got their turn in the Sun. In addition to taking the ice cream home, Zwahlens had a wonderful family atmosphere, accentuated by the constant chatter of kids in summer. Parents flocked with their kids late into the evening on Fridays and Saturdays making it a summer hangout for everyone. The place was always packed in summer and come winter, there were people willing to bite the freeze for some wonderful ice cream and an awesome hot chocolate. Their cosy Alpine resembling interior was very welcoming- be it the warm summer or the cold winter.

Their belgian style chocolate and truffles were to die for- so special that I chose to distribute boxes of their wonderful truffles when my little guy was born. I could think of no other way to convey how special the occasion was.

For young kids, parties could be had in Zwahlens with a tour of the ice cream making machines. I’d be willing to go on and on about this fantastic place that I loved and cherish so much.

If I am sounding nostalgic, I am. In a sense, Zwahlens represents my life and times in Southwest PA. Fun, inventive, homely and just fantastic. I so wish I was there right now, tasting their...

Usually this is my go to gourmet ice cream spot but tonight was an embarrassing dissapointment. I went in with my 2 yr old and they didn't have the lollipops she loves so much. That was more than excusable as it isn't an official Zwalens creation. I ordered a pint each of their 'grab n go' flavors and 2 crepes with Nutella and pineapples. I got my pints and was td to wait for the crepes; no problem. As I'm waiting over 15 minutes and seeing other customers get serviced and given their orders I walk up to peek at the crepe maker only to see the crepe flour sitting idle beside the maker. Then a manager comes up complaining about having to make more crepes and asking the younger servers about two crepes sitting on the corner of the counter. They told her they were old and needed to be thrown out. The manager proceeds to ask why she can't just use the old crepes. At this point I walk up and refuse the crepes and ask for a quart of vanilla (equal value) instead of the old crepes she was about to serve up to me. I should have given everything back and gotten a refund because that was just a disgrace but my 2 year old enjoyed her chocolate pretzels and it was too late to return those and ruin her fun. I wasn't the only customer made to wait and given the excuse of the outside line despite others that came after us being served without wait. I am so dissapointed. Usually this place is great and has top customer service. At the very least I should have been informed of the wait or that there were no more crepes available so I could have made another selection and avoided this whole mess of...

Hidden secret! The quality and ingredients of this ice cream match no other. All ice cream and candy are homemade daily. You can get chocolate or vanilla every day and make different desserts using these base ice cream. Every 2 days, they run a special flavor, and you can get it dipped or buy a pint/quart. Their prices on ice cream are fantastic for quality and size. The chocolate side of the store is a bit pricy but again, it depends on what you chose. If you are getting pre-packaged items, I find it too high for what you are getting, but if you get it from the case and weigh out items, it is reasonably priced. When they run a 2 day special, the base ice cream, such as pumpkin, you can get that dipped on these 2 days. I have NEVER disliked an ice cream I have tried. The atmosphere is cool, and there are plenty of seats, and parking is ample. Look them up on social media, and you will find a monthly "Flavor of the Month" calendar. I would drive up to 30 minutes to get their ice cream or candy. I am not a homemade candy apple person, but they are known for...