The Worst Ice Cream in North Carolina? 

I try not to be a negative Nellie on this blog. I love ice cream and I appreciate how relatively easy it is to come by, even homemade, in most places, and I don’t want to dissuade those who make it or sell it with negative reviews. 

That being said, ice cream isn’t always good. Sometimes, it’s awful. And I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t report it to you. 

After visiting two delightful ice cream locations on the Outer Banks named Scoops this summer, I was hoping Mocksville, NC, which proved to have a cute little downtown, would also hold a delicious ice cream option with the name Scoops. 

They carry Mooresville premium ice cream, according to the signage, which was labeled as either “Deluxe” or “Front Porch” depending on the flavor. Even though they don’t make the ice cream in house, I was happy to review a North Carolina-made ice cream. 

The signs didn’t bode well for this place. They had some signage that I found offensive, and they didn’t have a list of flavors anywhere – you had to walk the gigantic counter the length of the long store to see all of the offerings. That meant walking within a few feet of each table, where I felt people staring us down as I tried to make my decision. 

The prices are really cheap. Crazily so. I paid $3 with tax for one scoop, which would have easily been two anywhere else. 

They didn’t offer any samples, although I didn’t ask, so I settled on Peppermint Moose Tracks, which sounded like the perfect “me” flavor. Peppermint ice cream with white chocolate chunks and that amazing fudge swirl you find in moose tracks. 

I wish I’d tried other flavors so I would know if they all tasted like this one. I’m sorry for that. And if it turns out Mooresville is usually really good, let me know and I will try it again somewhere else! 

Unfortunately, this was disgusting. It has a weird base note that reminds me of sour milk. The chalk was very chalky. And the peppermint just doesn’t work here – it was barely recognizable as peppermint. It wasn’t well-blended in the base. I couldn’t eat more than 5 or 6 bites, and left to myself, I would have thrown the rest away. It was that awful. I’ve only done that once in my life, I believe. (Coldstone mint chocolate chip. Still not my favorite, but the first batch I ever had was just disgusting.)

Ross, my husband, said this wasn’t very good. It was like ice cream that had sat open in a freezer for a year and then was put in the counter for forty five minutes before serving. He did like the white chocolate chunks though, for texture. He called this the flat soda of peppermint ice cream. 

Despite how gross it was, Ross was happy to finish eating it. I, on the other hand, visited the closest gas station for Breyer’s vanilla, which I topped with chocolate chips. Anything to wash the weird taste and disappointment out of my mouth. 

Don’t ever go to Scoops in Mocksville. It was wrong on so many levels. But if you’ve had Mooresville ice cream, did you like it? Did we just get last year’s batch or something? The flavor isn’t even on their website. 

Thanks for reading, and I hope you find something delicious today!