60 Years of Ice Cream

photo Banana Boat

Dari Dip is celebrating its 60th anniversary this spring, honoring its longstanding tradition of offering traditional malts and ice cream treats that began in 1953 when the small ice cream shack opened and began serving ice-cold flavors.

"Dari Dip is a tradition here and I'm glad to carry that tradition on in LaFayette," says Don Benton, who purchased the North Georgia ice cream shop and restaurant in 2009 with his son and co-owner Donald Benton. "Parents and grandparents stop by with their kids after school for ice cream. I think because they come in and get an ice cream with the kids, they are thinking back years ago when it as just an ice cream store - when they were kids and would get cones in the summer."

He personally remembers walking four blocks every day in his youth to the nearest ice cream shack to get his favorite vanilla malt.

Dari Dip features 10 hard-scoop flavors and three soft-serve flavors, including chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, orange sherbet and more. Ice cream is not often easy to eat on the go, but a traditional milkshake or malt is the perfect cold treat for drivers. Each of Dari Dip's milkshakes is made with soft-serve ice cream, whole milk and the fruit, topping or flavor of the diner's choice, from peanut butter to banana, butterscotch and anything in between.

photo Rib-Eye Steak

Dari Dip also serves favorites like a banana split prepared in a boat saucer with three stacks of soft-serve vanilla ice cream surrounded by banana, all drizzled with chocolate, strawberry and pineapple sauces. Unlike many restaurants, which now use peanuts, Benton says his splits are topped with wet walnuts and, of course, finished off with a hearty serving of whipped cream and a cherry. Banana split fans are also welcome to create their own specialty split with their choice of ice cream flavors.

The split is a large serving that diners often share, but there is also a smaller version served in a cup with the same ingredients.

Ice cream sundaes are also popular at Dari Dip and can be ordered in a variety of flavors with hot fudge, chocolate, strawberry, cherry, caramel, pineapple or butterscotch sauce as a topping along with wet walnuts, whipped cream and a cherry.

While Benton says he hopes to continue the tradition of summer ice cream and sweet family time, he is adding to it by offering a restaurant that provides the entire meal in addition to dessert.

"A lot of people still view us as an ice cream store only, but now we're also starting to get more and more people coming in and enjoying our whole menu," he says.

The on-site restaurant's menu is full of Southern-style favorites including fried green tomatoes and fried chicken along it freshly grilled steaks, juicy burgers and a variety of seafood dishes that are popular. Anything on the menu can be prepared for special events, like the season's upcoming graduations, company picnics, weddings and birthday celebrations and even work meetings. "We can and do serve their food any place they want to," says Benton. "We can do anything from a seated steak dinner to a casual buffet or barbecue -- we are not locked into our menu. It's definitely affordable to work with us. You can come to us with a budget and we can work with you according to that."

Dari Dip

LOCATION: 302 W. Villanow St., LaFayette, Ga.PHONE: 706-638-3274.HOURS: Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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