Stop at the Sign of the Lemon!: RI frozen treats to cool you off this summer

Whether you call it a slush or frozen lemonade, it’s impossible to call it anything other than delicious. 

It’s impossible to think of a RI summer without sipping a Del’s. Del’s has been a state staple since 1948, becoming a must-have for locals and tourists alike, making the green and yellow cup with the lemon logo as recognizable as the Big Blue Bug. With storefronts located throughout the state and trucks filling the gaps in between, you can’t go far without running into this iconic company.

As popular as it is, Del’s isn’t the only place in town to enjoy a frozen beverage. There are many local places to feed that frozen beverage urge; we encourage you to try all the ones below, just not all at once for risk of a brain freeze!

Helger’s Ice Cream Shoppe in Tiverton has been family-owned and operated since 1989. They have everything you would expect from an ice cream shop, but it’s their inclusion of “Snowballs” on the menu that really makes them stand out. 

A little thicker than other frozen beverages, the Snowball is meant to be eaten with a spoon and feels similar to biting into freshly fallen winter snow, but with delicious syrupy flavors, watermelon being owner Maryellen Helger’s personal favorite. “It cools you off fast,” she shares.

Helger’s Ice Cream Shoppe is located at 2475 Main Rd in Tiverton. Call 401-624-4560 or check out their Facebook page for more information.

Lemon King is a “Royal Treat” on Plainfield St in PVD. Their menu offers hard ice cream, milkshakes and other quick frozen treats in addition to an assortment of frozen beverage flavors. The frozen beverage features a thicker ice, which adds a fun crunch. 

Lemon King is under new management and is coming up with creative treats and listening to customers’ feedback. This led to the addition of tables and chairs for people to sit and enjoy their snack.

Lemon King is located at 616 Plainfield St, PVD. Call 401-654-5214 or visit their Facebook page for more information.

Mr. Lemon has been refreshing customers since 1974. Located on a side street off of Admiral St, it is a hidden but popular gem in PVD. Run by “Mama Lemon” and her family, they use a family recipe for their flavor syrups. There are staple flavors (lemon, watermelon, vanilla) as well as featured flavors, which they announce on their Facebook page and sell until gone. The flavors can be combined into a variety of custom flavors, which are always a treat.

The texture of a Mr. Lemon frozen beverage is much finer than its peers: Think sand at the beach fine, which makes the drink go down with extreme smoothness. This gives a better taste of the flavors, with no chunks of ice getting in the way.

As tasty as Mr. Lemon is, the service is even better. Customers are always greeted with a smile and friendly welcome. Staff always take a few seconds to talk to the customer and make sure they’re aware of how appreciated they are.

Mr. Lemon is located at 32 Hawkins St in PVD. Follow their Facebook page for updated flavors and other information.

New England Frozen Lemonade has become a local institution of refreshment since first opening in 1960. Their philosophy of providing the highest quality product with professional and courteous service continues to this day, now with the third generation operating this family-owned business. 

New England Frozen Lemonade prides itself on using only real lemons when making their frozen beverage. “Our product is truly the only 100% natural product in the local market,” Owner Bob Lombardi says.

In addition to lemon, watermelon and cherry flavors are also popular. Cherry is a personal favorite of mine because it tastes like a blended cherry popsicle. New England Frozen Lemonade has two brick-and-mortar stores to go along with a large fleet of trucks and over 50 mobile units. They plan to be all over RI this summer.

“We have always worked close in the community supporting all causes: sporting programs, non-profits, school functions and all kinds of local community events,” Lombardi says of giving back to those that have supported New England Frozen Lemonade for so long.

New England Lemonade is located at 280 Douglas Ave in Providence. Please call 401-274-3255 or check their Facebook page for more information.