Go Now: Sweet Cooie’s

What’s the best way to describe the interior of Sweet Cooie’s, a new ice cream shop in Congress Park? It’s like opening a life-size Tiffany & Co. jewelry box and discovering an adorable, ‘50s-era soda shop inside. The 1,000-foot sugar emporium is sure to charm patrons young and old with it’s easy-to-love aesthetic: Blue walls hold shelves laden with glass jars of bright gum balls and other sweet mix-ins; employees working behind the marble counters are outfitted in classic soda jerk attire; and eye-catching, vintage-inspired gold light fixtures give off a sophisticated air.

It comes as no surprise that Paul Tamburello, the man who gave us Little Man Ice Cream and its now-iconic, Coney Island-inspired milk can creamery in LoHi (as well as the recently revamped Adrift Tiki Bar), is behind Sweet Cooie’s. The real estate developer just has a knack for creating a bit of magic in his endeavors (he tapped Denver-based Xan Creative to design the space), recognizing that a huge part of the fun of going out for ice cream lies in the experience and ambiance. Sweeter still, “Cooie” was Tamburello’s late mother’s nickname, and he is honoring her legacy by continuing the “scoop for scoop” program he started at Little Man: a percentage from each Sweet Cooie’s sale will be donated to women’s empowerment organizations around the globe.

Little Man’s most-loved flavors are all available here, including Salted Oreo, 16th Street Chocolate, and Sunrise Swirl sherbet. A few new additions, solely available at Sweet Cooie’s, are also on offer—Holy Cannoli and Mint Julep Caramel are two standouts. And while the cotton candy-lined cones are fun and functional, our ice cream vehicle of choice here is the Gooey Cooie: a buttery brioche bun that’s split open, stuffed with the ice cream of your choice, warmed on a panini press, and then drizzled with a sugary glaze.

Bonus: Look out for the Constellation Ice Cream, a sister concept to Little Man Ice Cream and Sweet Cooie’s, to open in Stapleton’s Eastbridge Town Center this summer.

1506 E. 12th Ave., 720-550-7140