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Categories: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Local Flavor [Edit]
Neighborhood: Dutchtown
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Pretty tasty ice cream.... er, frozen custard. I recommend the concretes, which are basically blizzards, but a little better, because you can get more crap mixed in and the ice cream tastes better than Dairy Queen. Their Reese's Cup and Cookies and Cream are both extremely good, and they have some pretty crazy mix-in concoctions that are good as well.
Definitely recommended.
This was my first time visiting this location of Ted Drewes, and while the atmosphere isn't as enjoyable as the Chippewa location, I really enjoyed the staff and their suggestions at this location. I wanted something with chocolate and they recommended the perfect concrete (chocolate with oreo).
I ordered the mini (or kids') size and it was quite large.
While I don't find that Ted Drewes tastes any better than other ice cream places, there's no denying that it's a St. Louis tradition and is delicious in its own right.
So many, many fond memories of Ted Drewes. There was one that I remember that was open year around, but the rest opened in late spring for the summer months and closed in the fall. I am not sure if that has changed since it has been a few years since I have had some of their yummy custard but man it is so worth it. Even now I am drooling. Hmm, I need to make a trip to the Lou very soon.
**Be aware: This Ted Drewes location is only open during the summer months (not sure which ones these are) from 11 am onward!**
I made the mistake on my St. Louis visit by driving by and seeing the mini building all boarded up. They also don't accept credit cards at this location...
Ted Drewes is definitely a St. Louisian cultural landmark that you can't admit you have never been to when in St. Louis. Picture it as a "When in St. Louis" kinda thing. This is the reason I had no choice but to check it out... Darn it! I began with the location closest to me and not the other Chippewa one. ((Again, if it's winter, just go straight to the other one in St. Louis Hills.))
Now for the truth...I personally prefer my basic Culvers or Kopps custard. It must be because I'm originally from the Illinois-Wisconsin border.
My big confusion is, "Why are there so many famous ice cream or the "fancier, smoother" sister custard joints across the Midwest??" After all, it's only warm for 7 months of the 12...at most!
Well even though it's edging onto the end of winter, I was finally able to visit the Route 66 St. Louis landmark Ted Drewes on Chippewa. Once you make up your mind on which ice cream concoction you want, you'll get asked whether you want it as a sundae or "concrete." The latter is basically a blizzard that goes by another name. I had the Terramizzou concrete (pronounced like the Italian delicacy tiramisu) that is a secret blend of chocolate and pistachio nuts. Too many nuts for me, but it was definitely delicious and didn't give me an upset stomach after chowing down. Also the portions are definitely larger than they look, so you have been forewarned!
There is nothing better on a hot St. Louis summer day when it is like 90 degrees outside and so humid you are sweating the second you step outside. I repeat THERE IS NOTHING BETTER!
As good as frozen custard gets. One of my favorite dessert spots.
Recommend the apple pie or mint oreo concrete.
This place is great, right on old route 66. I had never had a frozen custard before, it was like really rich, creamy ice cream. This place adds all sorts of stuff into the custard in really nice combinations. The prices were really great too. We all enjoyed our visit to Ted Drewes.
Oh Ted Drewes...what can I say? So many memories of waiting in line, grabbing my custard, and then standing outside with hordes of people to eat it. Wonderful custard, very friendly staff, easy to find location, sometimes parking can be hard to find if it's really busy, but well worth it! Please say you'll always be a staple in STL when I visit.
Sometimes you just need some frozen custard after a tough day. And a cold concrete feels so good on a muggy day. And the rich sweet taste may ruin your dinner, but when you need something sweet when life gets a bit sour, this place is great.
Oh...the other Ted Drewes. This seems to be the forgotten location, the location that no one wants to drive to, the location that everyone thinks isn't as good as the Chippewa location, but I really don't know why that is. It's close to South Grand, which makes it incredibly convenient if you are hanging out in that end of South City. Also, there is NEVER a line at this one!!! Ever!!!! No Cardinal traffic, no birthday parties, no people in Limos fighting to get their Fox Treats and Terramizzous. I actually love this Ted Drewes location.
They have the same full menu that the main location has, so you really aren't missing anything, except the hassle that you encounter sometimes at the Chippewa stand. Also, they do have a more limited schedule since they are only open during the summer months and they don't have the Christmas trees during Christmas. But if it's summer, and you don't want to wait in line for your custard, I highly suggest checking this location out.
Ted Drewes is good, but it's not the best custard I've had.
The real fun comes in sitting on the back of your car on a summer evening, people watching and wondering why the stand's a/c unit is leaking rivers into the parking lot.
I can see why this is a mandatory St. Louis activity. Coming here makes me feel like a kid on summer vacation again.
Lets just be real about this, if you want some great frozen custard then this is the place to be. When I was a teenager I use to work at Baskin Robbins and had the pleasure of working at the one that is across the street from it. I can say that after about five hours of only one person coming into the store I locked the front door and went over and got a nice big fox treat from Teds as it is affectionately called; if your from "the Lou". So whatever you do if you are just swinging through town or there for a min, make sure you get over there and try some custard you won't regret it. Oh and don't forget to get a glass of water cause for some reason the water tastes better when you are eating the custard. And show up early cause they have lines and make sure you buy a Christmas tree cause they do that too in the winter......ok enough is enough
Any time I bring someone to STL I bring them to this Ted Drewes. It is by far the best custard EVER!!!! It's the thickest, richest, best custard known to man kind!
I don't think I can add anything that anyone else hasn't already said!
But I am glad I don't live in the area I would be huge!
You don't need another review to tell you how great this place is. You already know. In fact, you're on your way there now, aren't you?
Save me a spot in line, will ya?
We all know how crazy it gets in the warmer months. Insane...but it's the fastest line I've ever seen. If only the DMV took pointers.
My favorites are the foxt treat - devil's food cake, hot fudge, raspberries and macadamias, and the amazing terra mizzou - pistachios, whipped cream and some mystery sauce that's a cross between caramel and milk chocolate. I can't figure it out. It's incredible.
I like sitting on the hood of my car eating my mystery concoctions. And so does the majority of the city.
Guess I'll see you there.
each & every time i go home to visit my family in STL, i make it a point to get my happy ass to a ted drewes. do the same, and you won't be disappointed. custard is so much better than ice cream, and i swear that ted drewes' custard must have opiates in it. so insanely delicious. go. now.
We were on a determined quest to try this fabulous custard...our first attempt was denied as the location at 6726 Chippewa was temporarily closed...but a drive onward to the main store was successful.
The verdict: the custard was good, but not great. But then again, you're not really going to Ted Drewes just for the custard
I can honestly say this is the best frozen custard I have had because it was another first for me. I have had gelatos, frozen yogurt, sundaes, tempura ice cream, mochi ice cream, parfaits, but never frozen custard.
I ordered the small Terramizzou and Hawaiian concretes which came out to $7. Since I was still dehydrated from the Botanical Gardens, something more fruity and less sweet was more to our satisfaction- the Hawaiian. Just because it's frozen custard don't expect something magical, it's still pretty much ice cream with a slightly different texture. But, I think it's worth trying if you're visiting.
I was in St. Louis visiting the inlaws this weekend. When I asked what the big deal about frozen custard was, everybody stopped in their tracks and said, "You've never been to Ted Drewes?!?!?!" So even though it was like 42 degrees, we went to the Chippewa location and got our concretes.
They were super tasty.
I got called out for blasphemy when I said that it just tastes like really yummy ice cream.
I'm such a heathen.
Still, it was really yummy!
This is the little Ted Drewes. The one that is only open in the warmer months and usually doesn't have as big of lines. This is the one to head to if you're hanging out or live or are hanging out in the South Grand area, or if you just want to avoid crowds.
I went here the other day and realized how incredibly long it had had been since I had been there (or the other one). My recently retired veganism (not to mention a bit of lactose intolerance) had prevented me from eating this St. Louis treat for a while. I almost passed the other night, because I had just eaten a bunch of Mexican food, but I was persuaded to get something. Luckily, the size options run from kiddie to something gigantic, and I opted for a kiddie root beer float. I had a bite of a friend's Fox Trot (so many of their concoctions are named after local place), but I'm glad I went with the simple float. It was great, but what root beer float isn't?
The thing with Ted Drewes, and with frozen custard in general, is that I don't really see a giant difference in taste. Well, it is different, just not better or worse. That said, if you're visiting town and want a St. Louis food, and somehow can only have one item go for the custard over the St. Louis style pizza.
My mom grew up in St. Louis so when we went back to visit the old hometown, a stop at Ted Drewe's was obviously a requirement.
A Dairy Queen Blizzard is like a drippy, watered down, knock off of a Ted Drewe's concrete. The custard is sweeter and richer than typical ice cream, and all in all it's just the most delicious at Ted Drewe's.
I even bought a keychain to prove my visit to this legendary custard stand.
Before my recent trip home, I diligently read up on cool places to eat in St. Louis, especially researching on Yelp. So girded, I made casual mention of wanting to see Ted Drewes. The family was there last week, and happily brought me to see it (and eat it!)
Ted Drewes....it's a miracle, a mirage in the desert...it's a yummy frozen dessert!
Ted Drewes, a St. Louis staple. Everyone knows it as you can see from the other reviews.
I have nothing remarkable to add. Go here, you won't be disappointed.
The only reason I deducted a star is b/c it's too far from my house (see how I'm turning it around on them and blaming THEM for my issue w/ location) and I can't help, but drool just a little more over Sheridan's.
I would eat this every day if it wouldn't make me fat. And sick.
If you go to St. Louis, you have to try it. You just have to.
The place doesn't serve any other flavor but vanilla, you have to add the rest in yourself through a "concrete," called that because you can turn it upside down and it won't fall out. The counterpeople do this when they hand you your ice cream.
My favorites are the oreo concrete or the chocolate chip concrete. The chips are unlike anything you've ever had before. They take the stuff they make "chocolate shell" out of for ice cream cones, put it in the concrete machine, and you get bits of chocolate shell throughout your vanilla ice cream.
Word of warning though - this stuff is rich. The mini-concrete might LOOK small, but it's probably all you need.
The lines are long, it's almost impossible to find a decent parking spot, and all for one good reason. The awesomeness of the custard.
My favorite food is anything ice cream- frozen custard- or frozen yogurt-related, and this is the best that I've had. I could really have a concrete for every meal. Even breakfast. How do they make it so darn good and better than the competitors, I'll never know.
You really can do the whole turn-the-concrete-upside-down thing here. I know because I've tried it. I also know that you can't do it at other custard places; the consistency isn't thick enough. My friend learned this the hard way in a very unfortunate (and messy!) experience at a rival custard place. Nothing compares to Ted Drewes.
This is literally as good as frozen custard gets. Seriously.
I remember hanging out on summer weekend nights with friends at Ted Drewes. When I think of American childhood, I think of those nights. Ted Drewes is more than just a place to grab dessert, it's a part of St. Louis history for all of us.
Onto the custard! I got a oreo concrete the last time I went. The oreos were still chunky and not fully dissolved into the concrete like I've had at other places. The turtle sundaes are good as well. They really pile on the toppings, including caramel!
If going on a Friday or Saturday, the lines can be pretty long, but getting an order in is surprisingly easy. Don't be discouraged!
Either location is great!
A-MAZING!
should be an absolute mandatory stop for any trip to St. Louis!
The best custard treat, anywhere! Very busy during summer months, but friendly, fast service.
I miss Ted Drewes! I lived three blocks from Ted Drewes as a scrubby little kid. I used to go almost every day during the summer. I remember my neighbor and buddy, Donn, would always go with me. We'd eat our sundaes on the walk back, and like clockwork, Donn would always drop one once we got home.
Not only does Ted Drewes frozen custard keep you regular, it's like an orgasm in your mouth. (Except you don't have to perform fellatio on anyone.)
My husband's family is from St. Louis, so last winter on our visit we went to Ted Drewes, one of a handful of places that Ray says are quintessential St. Louis. He has fond memories of visiting as a child.
A troop of us went after dinner on our first night. We ordered and ate on the curb beside the road, bundled up as it was December. The cold weather didn't matter, the place was still busy.
I didn't try the famous concrete, but instead shared what Ray recommended- vanilla custard with fudge.
I completely understand how the childhood link romanticizes this in Ray's mind. I'm not a custard fan so I wasn't bowled over, it was just ok. But, I still give it 4 stars because I really see the appeal here for those who do. And perhaps I would have liked the concrete better, it is what they are famous for.
If you ever go to St. Louis you need to go here I think it's an official part of the city tour. I had heard of the legendary concretes on the Food Network.
It was a bust summer night with a line 20 people deep so maybe the rush to serve everyone effected the consistency of my dessert. It wasn't frozen enough to turn over upsdei down but damn that stuff was tasty.
I used to live in Soulard. One scorching Friday afternoon mid-summer, I decided I couldn't just sit in front of the air conditioner any more.
Into the broiler I went, walking south in search of respite from the weather and stillness it brings. After I while I realized I was about the same distance from Ted Drewes as I was from home. I turned and headed for custard. This was perhaps the most exquisite bit of anticipation of my life. Pounding my hot feet on the hard pavement, the sidewalk radiating all that heat back at me. Sweat dripping off my exposed skin and soaking into my clothes.
When I arrived, a minor miracle happened: the experience lived up to the high expectation. Raspberry concrete with macadamia nuts. Satiation. I don't know how many stars that is worth.
The only way it could have been better is if a stretch limo with an ice bath had arrived to take me home instead of having to walk home. Although, with the walk back, I feel like the whole outing was calorie neutral.
Okay, after reading all the reviews online about Ted Drewes I had to try it. I am going to say I was not all that impressed and don't understand how everyone gives it four and five stars. It was okay custard it wasn't bad...but I have had much better. I much prefer Carl's or Milwaukee's Frozen Custard in Virginia. I ordered the Dutchman concrete which had chocolate, pecans and butterscotch in it. It was good....but like I said not the best.
This place is a St. Louis institution. Have you all ever heard of a TV channel called the Food Network? Have you all ever heard of something called Route 66? If so, you've heard of Ted Drewes Frozen Custard.
Here's a random link if you're curious:
http://www.roadtripame...
Anyway, I grew up in St. Louis, 6th grade through High School, and can authoritatively say that Ted Drewes has a special place in my heart. Coming here after a Cardinals victory and being surrounded by a sea of red-clad fans makes the wait in line worth it. Even if you drive by and see a tour bus at the stand, don't be deterred! The lines move at a blistering rate.
If it's your first time here, try getting a concrete - frozen custard that is tested to not full out if you turn the cup upside down. My personal favorite is the Fox Treat - where vanilla custard is covered with hot fudge, raspberries, and macadamia nuts.
So if you're ever in St. Louis, go see the Cardinals play and then come here. It's pretty much a tradition so don't miss out.
As folks have already said (and I will echo) this has the best frozen custard ever. But don't just take my word for it - you hardly know me (probably)
St. Louis is a pretty good sized city. Surely you know someone from there. As them if they have ever been to Ted Drewes and they will tell you the same thing. It is a must see place if you are visiting. Love it.
Wait in the long line, and don't be discouraged. The wait is worth it.
i canNOT say enough good things! amazingly wonderful. sooo creamy! LOVE IT!
A must every time i am in St Louis
Ted Drewes concrete + oreos = euphoria
Ok, this place is legendary for St. Louis, but I won't be raving about it like everyone else. To me, it's an assembly line of kids putting a couple additives in frozen custard that's good but not glowing the way others/locals describe it.
However, hot or cold outside, there are usually people waiting, maybe they got some secret addictive ingredient that doesn't work on me?
dear ted,
i thought you should know that your delicious custard made me gain 10lbs. when i moved to STL. seriously, its a your fault. your little custard stand was right by my work and always conveniently open when my shift ended. about 4 times a week, i stopped in for a concrete. i tried to stop, but the urge to eat this addictive yum yum just kept growing. damn you ted!!!
Ted Drewes! Oh my GOD I love you!
Custard! The best you've ever had in your LIFE. Go HUNGRY.
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