Yelp names Filipino-inspired ‘Sampaguita’ as one of the top 100 ice cream shops in the US
Photos from Sampaguita/Facebook and Instagram
Sure, TV shows and music can trigger nostalgia. But with ice cream, it’s almost a five-sensory experience.
It’s the sight of ice cream gallons sitting inside your fridge, sparking curiosity and hopes that they do contain ice cream (and not fish or sewing materials). It’s the smell of bubble-filled birthday parties that will surely serve sorbetes in small cups after the games. Also, it’s the sound of the bell from outside, signaling that a colorful cart of the traditional dirty ice cream is on the way. It’s your touch on the ice cream cone, with your favorite flavor slowly dripping down your fingers. It’s the taste of sweet childhood.
These are our shared experiences—and in Orlando, Florida, a Filipino-inspired shop serves as a love letter to ice cream’s connection with that well-loved kaleidoscope of stories, community, and more.
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Located at 1233 East Colonial Drive and co-owned by Marie Mercado and Mo Hassan, Sampaguita is an “exploration of the richness of Filipino culture, family traditions, and self-identity.” It is home to various desserts, with a special spotlight on the Filipino flavor palate. It’s also the sister concept of The Greenery Creamery, the first artisanal ice cream boutique in Orlando.
“Our goal is to create fun and fanciful flavors with profound meaning and nuance,” the ice cream parlor-slash-bakeshop’s official website says. “Ice cream is our canvas to express and capture memories of childhood, stories and generational folklore, and sweet moments with loved ones; we process what it means to live and exist between cultures as Filipino-American.”
The scoop on Sampaguita
Your reflex action might be to check out their reviews—well, going through them wouldn’t give you the idea that they just soft-opened in January this year. They even scored a seal of approval from Yelp through Sampaguita’s inclusion in the list of top 100 ice cream shops in the US for 2023, coming in at 63rd.
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Aside from complimenting their pretty and cozy interiors and good service, the main thing that draws people to Sampaguita, of course, is their interesting offerings. Filipino snacks and delicacies are sprinkled into their roster of dairy ice cream flavors like Keso Guava Cheesecake, Milo Rocky Road, Mango Peach Pie, and Ube Latte, among others.
There’s also a flavor that’s named after their shop, which is a fusion of almond vanilla bean, a hint of jasmine, and some lychee jellies. I’m curious about Birthday Mamon (sponge cake plus birthday cake batter with cream cheese) and Champorado (dark chocolate ice cream with chocolate puffed rice crunch and condensed milk) the most, though.
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The cream of the crop
If you need extra info on a flavor before you gobble up, Sampaguita has made it a habit to mention key ingredients in their menu. They also have a separate menu for vegan flavors, such as Buko Pandan, Mango Float, Coffee & Biskwit (you know the vibes), and Rotating Sorbet (spoiler alert: this might be your go-to if you’re a calamansi and/or coconut fan). Feeling a little extra? There’s a lineup of toppings and sauces, too.
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You can choose to indulge in these flavors with a cup, a complimentary cake cone, or a waffle cone, depending on your mood. The rest of their roster includes soft serve ice creams, shakes, and Filipino specials like halo-halo and bananacue (a bruleed banana split version).
In a February interview with Orlando-based television station WKMG-TV, Sampaguita co-owner Mercado said, “This is a concept that is paying homage to my culture—my parents, (my) ancestry—bringing something to Orlando that doesn’t currently exist and I’m not sure that it does exist in Florida at all.”
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On Instagram, the co-honchos shared that it’s always been their vision to “reimagine the ice cream experience,” highlighting the “warmth and hospitality of Filipino culture.”
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Sampaguita recently participated in various events like the AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) Night Market. In an Instagram post in June, the Sampaguita team revealed to have met up with Phil Rosenthal of “Somebody Feed Phil” to film for an episode featuring Orlando’s Mills 50 neighborhood and the Filipino-American community.
