Sticky Sweet — Restaurant in Portland

I had high hopes for Sticky Sweet but given their social media posts about supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. However, my recent visit was incredibly disappointing and highlighted a stark contrast between their public image and the reality of their treatment of Black customers.

From the moment I went there, I felt unwelcome. The staff seemed more focused on chatting among themselves than acknowledging my presence, while other customers received friendly greetings and attentive service. It was disheartening to witness such blatant favoritism.

When I finally approached the counter, the staff’s demeanor changed completely. There was a noticeable lack of respect, and I was met with dismissive attitudes. It felt as though my presence was a burden rather than a valued part of their business.

It's frustrating to see a business use social justice rhetoric to market themselves while their actions do not reflect those values. It’s not enough to post about supporting equality; real change starts at the ground level with how you treat all customers.

I sincerely hope that Sticky Sweet takes a hard look at their practices and addresses these issues. Until then, I cannot recommend this place. True support for the Black community involves genuine respect and inclusion, not just performative gestures.

Yes, the ladies...

I've had MANY vegan ice creams, and this beats every one of them hands down! I'm gluten free, vegan, and refined sugar free. I also believe in shopping responsibly (pro environment, social justice, local, etc.) So Sticky Sweet effortlessly ticks ALL the boxes! Compostable cups and wooden spoons. Very supportive of local, and actively promote racial quality on social. These sisters are amazing, and I'm so happy they are being met with such success. (Plus they are amazingly kind and have always treated us like dear friends even though we've only been in 3 times so far.) Now, the ice cream...HOLY WOW! Wonderful rotation of incredibly delicious and unique flavors (Butter Pecan Praline, and Chocolate Cream Pie blew my socks off last night - LOVED the cookie bits!) The cashew blended with coconut base gives it a creamy depth I haven't tasted in any other vegan ice creams. And the homemade waffle cones could be made into wafers and I'd eat them all day long (good thing they aren't.) I'm not big into desserts, so some flavors are a tad sweet for me, but others are just right. Meaning, I think anyone can find their perfect flavor here. The prices are simple and truly reflective of quality: $5 per scoop (1/2 cup), $3 mini (1/4 cup), $1 waffle cone.

As others have mentioned: Get there early as some flavors (or all)...

As a non-vegan/dairy free eater, this place really wasn't for me. The look and presentation scream ice cream, but the flavor and constancy do not. For those looking for good ice cream, or other frozen dairy treats, this isn't' it.

The Good: Really friendly and polite staff Good selection of flavors Alternative to dairy. Looks great The Bad: Is not ice cream, and I can't pretend it is. Doesn't melt (could be a positive depending on person) The flavors didn't seem too balanced (ex: chocolate pb didn't taste much like pb) Odd mouthfeel. It's similar to the mouthfeel of Halo Top. Pretty expensive for what you get.

The Other: Could be bad/good depending on how you look at it, but the cone had a burnt(?) quality to it that I can only describe as being similar to slightly stale ice cream cone that came from a box you bought about 4 months ago. I found the taste really nostalgic but others did not.

This place definitely fits into a great niche here and Portland, and I hope it does well. I just prefer a different...