About
In the same pavilion as King Christian Hotel, Cream & Co ice cream shop features handmade ice cream in a range of classic flavors as well as unique originals. (I liken this ice cream shop to the popular state-side ice cream shop, Salt & Straw.) On some days you might walk in and see them making the ice cream right in front of you. In addition to the ice cream, they have some little goodies you can buy and bring back home for friends and family, like lip balm, branded t-shirts, mugs, handcrafted gift cards, sunglasses and similar type items. It’s not a gift shop per se; just a few painted shelves on the wall. I think that once you come here the first time, you’ll want to return every time you come downtown, as I do.
Location & Environment
Cream & Co is open every day from 11 AM to 8 PM, except on Fridays and Saturdays, when they stay open until 10 PM. They have take out, dine in and outdoor covered seating out front, beneath the pavilion. The address is 1102 King’s Wharf in Christiansted. To get there from your St. Croix vacation rental, head to downtown Christiansted. Cream & Co is at the eastern end of King Street, where it connects to Hospital Street. Just turn opposite Hospital Street and follow your nose. When you smell VI Coffee Roasters, you’ll know you’re in the right vicinity! Just walk under the coral-colored walkway and you’ll see the yellow and red Cream & Co shingle hanging from the ceiling.
Once inside, your senses will be overwhelmed by the colorful decor and the array of flavors laid out in the ice cream case. It’s bright and cheerful inside. The first thing that happened to me was that the girl behind the counter welcomed me and asked if I wanted to taste some of the ice creams. How could I refuse? And boy, am I glad I did. I was going to go for my old standby, but tasting something completely new and exotic made me change my mind. This was the creamiest ice cream I’ve ever tasted, by far. And, judging by the looks on the faces of two kids who were seated at a counter by the wall, they were pretty happy with their choices as well. Now, just so you know, since a lot of people have dietary requirements now; while they don’t offer vegan options, they do have dairy free ice cream. However, there are eggs in all of their ice cream.
Ice Cream Flavors
You’ll be startled by the ice cream flavors available at Cream & Co. Not only can you get traditional favorites like coffee, butter pecan, black raspberry and mint chocolate chip, but they somehow come up with the most original flavors that you would never have thought were even possible. Some examples include honey lavender poppyseed, pistachio goat cheese, blackened garlic, cookies and cream, ginger lemongrass and so many more that it’s impossible to name them all. I asked the girl behind the counter, and she said not all of the flavors are permanent.
They’ll try some and if they end up being popular, they’ll stay on the menu. If a flavor ends up not being popular they’ll rotate it off the menu and come up with something else new and interesting to take its place. Another thing she mentioned is that they take flavor suggestions from customers. So if you’ve always had what you think is a great idea for a unique ice cream flavor, this is the place to suggest it. You might just find it on the menu next time you visit St. Croix!
Additional Options
Cream & Co has other options besides ice cream in a cup or cone. They also have crepe sundaes in flavors that are just as exotic, such as The King, made with pistachio goat cheese ice cream with salted caramel sauce and topped with whipped cream and crumbled pistachio nuts. For ice cream floats, they have Salt River, made with chocolate ice cream, chocolate sauce, fresh cookie crumbles, and topped with cocoa powder and Himalayan salt. Best of all, they offer an option to design your own milkshake, with a choice of toppings, garnish and sauce.
What's Nearby
Cream & Co is next to the Fort Christiansvaern historic fortress, where there’s a big open green space. After getting my ice cream, I wandered around the area, starting with that green park. This was the perfect start to my afternoon. I just sat and did some people watching for a while. Then, I walked over to the Christiansted Boardwalk, which is filled with interesting shops and restaurants. I recommend just popping into Cream & Co when you have nothing else scheduled for an hour or so, and you can take your time and enjoy your ice cream while you get a feel for island life.