If you’re looking for a place to grab a sweet treat, look no further than Andia’s.
Ranked as the number four indie ice cream shop in the U.S—and just a short drive from Chapel Hill—it’s well worth the trip.
Founded in 2014 by George and Andia Xouris, the shop used to go by “The Freezing Pointe.” But the name changed to “Andia’s” in 2016 to better reflect the Xouris family’s stories and roots, as well as emphasize the shop’s small-batch production.
Andia’s Cofounder Andia Xouris said she was inspired by how her hometown ice cream shop brought everybody together.
“Everybody would go there, get a scoop of ice cream, and hang out, and we’d always wanted to recreate that,” she said. “So, when we moved to North Carolina, the weather was beautiful. There was a longer season, so we decided to venture into the world of ice cream.”
The ice cream shop has amassed a number of awards for its unique flavors—among them, the North American Ice Cream Association’s “Grand Master Ice Cream Maker Award.”
Just one of ten in the country, an ice cream shop must win three blue ribbons within five years, all from different conventions. Food safety and manufacturing processes also need to be up-to-snuff.
Even after becoming grandmasters, Andia’s didn’t stop there. This year alone, Andia’s took home five different awards. “Butter Toffee Popcorn” won best flavor of the year in the southern region and second best nationally; double dark chocolate and french vanilla won blue ribbons; and chocolate won a white ribbon.
Andia’s has a permanent selection of flavors—which includes french vanilla and double dark chocolate—as well as a rotating, seasonal menu. Andia said she draws inspiration for new flavors from the community.
And it’s not just the unique flavors that keep customers coming back. Tracy Abercrombie and her son, Logan, are Andia’s regulars.
“It’s extra special to us because my kids have food allergies and they can’t eat at any other ice cream place,” Tracy said.
““I can’t eat any other ice cream,” Logan said. “It’s my favorite place because I can’t eat, like, anywhere else. But I bet anywhere else I could go, this is always going to be better, though.”
With two locations in Cary and one in Raleigh, Andia’s has something for everybody.