Wonders Ice Cream Rolls up to Dinkytown Like...

The trendy rolled ice cream company brings its frozen creations to the U of M campus

It was a Tuesday when I saw it:

A line of University of Minnesota students, stretching almost all the way down the corner of 14th Avenue in Dinkytown. Oh, and a giant blow-up panda. These people were all itching for a glimpse inside the grand opening of Wonders Ice Cream, a rolled ice cream parlor self-proclaimed as “The Hibachi of Ice Cream.”

Illustration by Morgan Wittmers-Graves

So, the next Tuesday, I had to try it for myself.

There my friend and I stood, facing down a menu of 20 different ice cream flavors. I couldn’t help but sneak peeks at the employees as they unfurled liquid ice cream onto what the company calls “ice grills” and proceeded to scrape lines of it into beautiful, sparkling rolls.

While Wonders has a build-your-own option, they also offer signature bowls, which range from flavors like Cereal Killa, Matcha Berry, and Hella Chocolate to less creative names like Strawberry Strawberry and Caramel Caramel. I opted for the Brownie Smashed, my friend the Taro Berry. And yes, it’s taro like the creamy bubble tea.

After we’d each snapped photos for our Instagram stories, we plopped onto the barstools, having to talk loudly over some thick EDM beats. Not the kind of aesthetic I’d expect at an ice cream shop with two-seater tables, but the ice cream made up for it. The taro was delightfully creamy, and the brownie blended to near perfection. At $7 per signature, it’s a commitment for sure. A commitment, however, for quality, rich ice cream in an abundance of flavors both unique and classic. And, let’s be honest, you do it for the ‘gram.