Nielsen's Frozen Custard

Recommends

jonesey77

Joined 7 years ago

Best Frozen Treat you will ever find!. The original Nielsen's Frozen Custard on Southern and Gilbert in Mesa, Arizona is the best. For the last couple of years it went through a below-average stage, when it was sold to a different owner. Fortunately, it was recently repurchased by the original owners and is back to the smoothilicious quality that made if famous.

I recently moved from Arizona to the Midwest dairyland, where they brag about their frozen custard, and I firmly stand on my opinion that it doesn't hold a candle to Nielsen's. I always make a point of making several trips to go to Nielsen's when I go home to visit. Their most famous treat is called a "concrete". They use their smooth, creamy custard, and mix it in with whatever toppings you desire. (Sort of like a Blizzard from Dairy Queen, but the comparison does not do it justice). My recommendation is to keep it simple and don't go crazy on the toppings. You don't want to cover up the taste of the unbelievable custard. Keep it simple. My all-time favorite is a Fresh Strawberry Pecan concrete- to die for! Also high on my list is hot fudge and pecan with the nuts mixed in and the fudge poured in a hole drilled down the middle. Oreo, Bumbleberry, Strawberry Oreo, Snickers, and Mint Brownie are also very good. The busiest times are at lunch and in the evening, but those are also the times when they are making the fresh custard, so I recommend going then.

If you are hungry for more than just sweets, Nielsen's has AWESOME sandwiches called "Grinders". They are hot deli sandwiches that are toasted to perfection. My favorite is the Spicy Italian with extra pepper relish. They also have a Roast Beef Guacamole sandwich that is amazing, and "The Finer Things" which has turkey, avacados, and cream cheese- probably not good for the waistline, but a delicious indulgence. The only downside of the sandwiches is the size, which often don't fill me up. But if you get a sandwich and a concrete for dessert, it really hits the spot.

Nielsen's service went downhill with the previous owners, but since the original owners came back, you can count on smiling, polite, high school and college kids working the counters, working quickly and efficiently to make sure your order is right. Prepare to stand in line for a while (probably 5-10 minutes), the place has become pretty popular.

Prices are fairly moderate, with the sandwiches running $4-5 and the concretes about the same price. You can order sundaes and scoops of plain custard for cheaper, but if you're going to go, you have got to try the concretes.

If you ever in the Phoenix area, be sure to stop in at Niesen's Frozen custard on Gilbert and Southern in Mesa. It will be worth the trip.