Serving up Soft Serve: This Ice Cream Shop in Florida Won Me Over

Sometimes, you just know you’re going to love a shop before you set foot inside. If Sampaguita’s reputation as the "it" dessert parlor in Orlando wasn’t enough to lure me in, then the yummy eye candy all over its Instagram account was. The shop's photo feed is filled with purple-colored ube ice cream topped with coconut flakes that may as well be confetti poppers. The soft serve, original ice cream flavors, the family story behind the recipes, and its inclusive messaging were the cherries on top. 

I first heard of Sampaguita during a casual conversation: “Have you tried the new ice cream shop on E. Colonial?” We were at our friends’ house, not far from their downtown Orlando location. (Currently, there is only one location, though I wouldn’t be surprised if expansion is planned for the near future.) We passed it on the way to their house for our monthly get-togethers.

The shop’s unmistakable neon sign with the ice cream shop name written in a simple yet well-designed manner caught my eye. It was plain script to an untrained eye, yet I could tell it was a logo created by a talented graphic designer. I instantly knew I liked the owners; whoever was behind Sampaguita knew good design. And yes, you can tell that sort of thing from a logo alone. 

But that’s just the start of this Florida shop’s tasteful choices. The shop’s foundation, essentially one built on family values and good flavors, leads the way to another one of its pillars: inclusivity. This shop covers all welcoming bases, whether supporting the LGBTQIA+ community, immigrants, or vegans. And it’s sincere, not just a marketing tactic.

But a company cannot succeed on its morals alone. Luckily for our tastebuds, this shop doesn’t have to. Soft serve ice cream in Florida is a weekly staple, not just a seasonal treat when the weather warms up. The climate typically goes from warm to hot and back again throughout the year in Central Florida. So if the day ends in a “y” you’re cleared to visit Sampaguita. 

After you enter the shop and take a moment to “ooh” and “ahh” over its beautiful and photo-worthy interior, the hardest part of your visit will be deciding what to get. Owners Marie and Mo honed their flavor-making skills by founding their first ice cream shop, The Greenery Creamery, before opening Sampaguita. But unlike The Greenery Creamery's menu, they are pushing the envelope with Filipino-inspired offerings at Sampaguita.

Ice cream flavors like Keso Guava Cheesecake, Jackfruit Chili Nut, and Soysauce Butterscotch pique curiosity. Less adventurous visitors will be drawn to staples like vanilla or Milo Rocky Road. If you want to elevate your order, get a Halo-Halo made with soft serve, available in dairy and vegan options. Twist the shop’s Ube and vanilla flavors if you’re feeling swirly. Speaking of mixing things together, “halo-halo” means “mixed together” in Tagalog, a language native to the Philippines.

Halo Halo is a transformative Filipino concoction that provides the best of what a dessert can offer: a mix of textures, temperatures, and tropical flavors. Consider it a Filipino parfait. It has scratch-made coconut pandan jellies, palm nut fruit, macapuno (coconut strings), ube halaya (jam), shaved ice, corn flakes, toasted rice, jackfruit, and more. If you watch “Somebody Feed Phil” on Netflix, you may remember that he called this dessert one of his “favorite sundaes anywhere in the world.”

Whether you live locally or you’re road-tripping in Florida across the belly of the state, next time you’re near Orlando, make Sampaguita on E Colonial Drive your destination. Why not make your dessert the meal’s main attraction? I give you permission to eat it for lunch or dinner and to share this article with a friend you want to join you!