Bites Nearby: Rita's Italian Ice

When you don’t need a meal, and a cool treat is what will really hit the spot, Rita’s offers a variety of Italian ices and custards that are a worthy alternative to ice cream and milk shakes.

There are locations nearby in West Allentown, Whitehall, Macungie and Lower Macungie, as well as numerous other Rita’s across the Lehigh Valley. The business is now franchised widely throughout the East Coast, but Pennsylvanians may be interested to hear that Rita’s got started not far away in Bensalem, the brainchild of a Philadelphia firefighter who sought to supplement his income.

Italian ice, or water ice as it is often called, is a far more sophisticated version of a snow cone: much smoother, and made with real fruit as well as ice. Rita’s insists on freshness. Its ice is made daily at each location.

Italian ice comes in about 40 flavors, although the selection of flavors available each day rotates based on seasonality and demand. Some are: mango, bubblicious, chocolate chocolate chip, wild black cherry, root beer and piña colada. There are also quite a few sugar-free options, including citrus green tea and pink grapefruit.

Italian ice is not nearly the only frozen delight at Rita’s. Customers unfamiliar with the menu should plan to spend a few minutes familiarizing themselves with the names and options of the various items, including Gelati (a blend of Italian ice and frozen custard), Slenderita (fat-free custard served in any form or combination you wish), and Blendini (ice and custard come together with your choice of candy mix-ins, such as Reese’s peanut butter cups and Heath English toffee).

By tradition, Rita’s give a free regular-size Italian ice to every guest on the first day of spring. It’s their way of celebrating warm, pleasant days ahead and another season of serving their hallmark “ice-custard-happiness.”

For days and hours of operation, be sure to note signs at your local Rita’s. Most locations are shuttered during cold months, and re-open mid-March through September.

5681 Hamilton Blvd., Wescosville.  610-481-9310.

100 W. Main St., Macungie  610-966-5560.