About
When you are out on the trails all day, you need to reward yourself with something sweet. Goody’s Chocolate & Ice Cream is the easy choice for this. We have visited Sunriver many times, and this is one of our favorite locations to visit each time we visit. As its name states, it has lots of fresh chocolates (you can buy in bulk by weight if you like) as well as ice cream in all sorts of flavors. What’s great about everything you find here is that it is all made locally and only served locally. That means if you do not get it while you are in the city, you are not going to be able to do so.
A bit about the tradition and history of this location is available at the location. I took the time to read some of the info. Marne and Marion Palmateer began the location in 1984. Their original business was selling candies for resale to commercial locations. Over time, they started making their own chocolate to sell at the Sunriver Village Mall (which is now the Villages at River). They then began offering ice cream, and it was not long before they had really impressed people with the quality of their products, leading to awards.
They opened other locations over the next 10 years. The Danforths purchased the business in 2007. Then, in 2018, the current owners, the Smiths and Goodman’s, took over the location. They have all maintained the same quality standards in the products they created. You can tell from the experience.
Location & Environment
A quick note if this is the first time you’re visiting is this. If you approach and see a line (chances are good you will see a line), that shouldn’t stop you. The line moves pretty quickly, and it is so worth it!
There are a couple of locations in the region around Bend, but the original store was at Sunriver. It’s easy enough to get to since it is within the Village at River shopping district. You will find this is just off Beaver Drive, which you can access from Abbot Road. It is easy enough to find.
Chocolate & Candy
One thing to note is that their menu of chocolates and candy can change often. That often means that you will find something new or seasonal available when you arrive. It is one of those special treats to get to see what’s available. There are a lot of fantastic choices here. You can ask for samples on some of the items.
Typically, you will find a number of fudge products with various flavor combinations. There are always chocolates that are carefully and beautifully made. You also will find caramel corn, peanut brittle, and toffee.
Ice Cream
When you walk in and see the display with all of the ice cream flavors, you may be tempted by a number of different options. It can be had to choose. You can choose cones and cups (they are a variety of mixtures and sundae options to choose from as well.) Go with whatever seems the most interesting because it is sure to be an excellent overall choice. When you approach the display, let the employee know what you want. You can also ask for a taste of something if you are not too sure which one is going to be the one that’s right for you. The last time I visited, I enjoyed a vanilla cup. It is full of rich flavor, and you can almost taste how fresh the cream is. It was fantastic, and you don’t need a huge amount of it (though you probably will want more!)
Everything is really fresh throughout the ice cream parlor, and I highly recommend choosing a few different products to test out. The gourmet chocolates are pretty much secondary to our love for the ice cream here, especially after a long, hot day.
Have Time? Consider a Tour
One of the things we did not know was an option was a factory tour. If you want to spend some time checking it out, you can book this in advance. It allows you to check out the way a candy factory works. You can take a self-guided tour (which is what we did). It takes less than an hour, and you will get to see a lot of functions. There is no charge, but there are free samples.
You can also take a guided tour. These are meant for groups of over 10 people who may want to learn a bit more about the process. There is a fee of $2 per person, and you will get six samples of sweet treats to take home with you.
Also, I saw photos of weddings that used Goody’s for their products. These are fantastic!