Rita’s Italian Ice

I love this Italian ice place. Great when I am done having Pizza in the plaza right by. Giusseppe’s Pizza & Fine Italian Food, Old Bridge, New Jersey. Now as I mentioned in my review for giuseppes if you call ahead of time in the morning you can have them make a flavor you might want. They change them all the time.

The highlight to the warmer seasons in Jersey! I love enjoying the long summer days with a Mango Misto in hand. You’ll often find me and my bf here after dinner grabbing dessert.
Even though my favorite tends to be their Misto shakes or their Gelatis. You can also choose from their Italian Ices, Cream Ices, Frozen Custards, Sundaes, Blendinis, Milk Shakes, and Frozen Lemonades. They also have a ton of flavors (mostly fruit — Strawberry, Watermelon, Raspberry, Pineapple, Apple, Blueberry, Banana, and a ton of others but they also have some unique flavors such as Root Beer, Swedish Fish, Sour Patch Kids Red, & Peanut Butter & Jelly). They also have some new ones, which most recently are the Starburst flavors.
This location is on Rt 516 in a mini-​mall and so there’s a lot of parking. They also have a few tables and chairs outdoors so you’ll often see a lot of people hanging out.

Freebies on the first day of spring! And if you mix mango with wild black cherry.
IT’S LIKE *o*
I love mixing different kinds of flavors together.
It’s affordable and you can get a new mix every time for something new to try!

Well you know its spring when they are giving away free ices. The line was or should I say the CROWD! Was massive. But oh well my kids didn’t get it on the first opening day but they had it the next day. They were happy.

Rita’s has a great selection of flavored ice, including my wife’s favorite Swedish Fish. Great place to come for a treat on a hot summer day. I am sure we will be heading over here more often as we have just moved to the area. The also carry quarts so you can order some and have it in your freezer for multiple servings (which will prevent me from going every night my wife asks me for more!)
I enjoy their root beer ice with vanilla custard. It’s like a root beer float! Personally I enjoy the custard over the ice because it’s deliciously creamy and smooth. However sometimes you come across a flavored ice that you just need to try.

This is the place to be during a hot summer day before or after you go swimming in your pool, or you neighbor’s pool. After washing and waxing your car in the heat, or just because you’re in the mood for some great italian ice.
What to get here? Misto shake is where its at baby! What a misto shake is a creamy shake where they that blend your favorite custard like strawberry, chocolate, coffee and or even vanilla old-​fashioned custard mixed together with your favorite flavor of Italian Ice.
I usually get Cherry Misto Shake, and for fun I will add their cheese pretzel with it. Its pretzel filled with warm gooey cheddar cheese YESSSS!!! My day is complete. Thank you Rita.

Remember that big NYC blackout back in August of 2003? I do. It took me 7 hours of dealing with absolute chaos in the midst of harsh humidity to find a way home to NJ from midtown Manhattan that day. And do you know what the first thing I did when I got back was?
I went to Rita’s and got a large Mango ice.
I kid you not.
I’ve been coming here since the days when it was originally located on Rt 34 (where the Wawa’s currently is), which was about 10 years ago or so. Throughout all this time, my Rita’s addiction has never waned. My usual order is a mango gelati (mouthwatering mango water ice layered with smooth vanilla custard). I think Mango is one of the most popular flavors, as it’s one of the few flavors that every Rita’s location always has available. My other favorite flavor is Passion Fruit, which I had a few times at the Hoboken Rita’s location, but I haven’t ever seen it offered at the Old Bridge location — it’s definitely worth a try if you happen to see it.
Unfortunately, there is precisely only one Rita’s location in all of Massachusetts — a cool one hour away from Boston (where I have since re-​located). This makes me super sad. So now, whenever I’m back home visiting in NJ, Rita’s is one of the places I always make a point to stop by!