A mother’s homemade ice pops once sold between haircuts at a busy Bronx hair salon. Today those same Dominican flavors get scooped inside a bright pink little shop in New Jersey.
The lineup reads like a tropical fruit stand, with guanabana, passion fruit, tamarind and sweet plantain. Classics like strawberry and chocolate show up too, plus a flavor built around Dominican cake.
I love that this whole story started with a side hustle and a salon chair. A mother made the treats, her daughter sold them, and customers kept coming back asking for more.
I believe the best food often comes from family kitchens, not corporate boardrooms. So how did a Bronx salon snack turn into a real Jersey storefront, and which flavor deserves your very first spoonful?
A Pink Scoop Shop In Hawthorne Serves A Taste Of The Caribbean
Palmas Ice Cream sits on Lafayette Avenue in Hawthorne, a Passaic County town in North Jersey. It’s a small ice cream shop with a big job: serving Dominican flavors to a whole new crowd.
The menu mixes two worlds in one freezer case. You’ll find tropical fruit scoops and Dominican favorites next to the familiar strawberry, chocolate and vanilla.
That balance matters more than you’d think. A kid who wants plain chocolate is covered, and a curious parent can try guanabana right beside them.
The shop also leans hard into a pink, tropical look. It’s cheerful, a little playful, and very easy to spot on a regular neighborhood street.
New Jersey has plenty of classic creameries and boardwalk stands. Palmas Ice Cream stands out because its flavors carry a family heritage straight from the Dominican Republic.
It works as a quick dessert stop or a small family outing. Grab a cup, try a flavor you’ve never heard of, and see where your taste buds land.
The best part might be the backstory behind every scoop. That story starts nowhere near New Jersey, and it begins with a hair salon in the Bronx.
Homemade Ice Pops Sold Between Haircuts Started Everything
Blow dryers, styling chairs and a cooler of homemade ice pops. That unlikely combo is where the Palmas Ice Cream story really begins.
Belkis Concepción started making ice pops in her Bronx apartment. Her daughter, Rosa DeJesus, sold them to customers at her hair salon.
Salon clients are a captive audience, after all. Someone sitting through a long appointment probably isn’t going to say no to a fruity frozen treat.
Word spread, and the demand kept growing. Rosa saw that her mother’s creations could be more than a fun extra at the salon.
So the family took a big leap from apartment freezer to real storefront. That storefront ended up across the river in Hawthorne, New Jersey.
I like how ordinary this beginning feels. Nobody started with a fancy business plan, just good recipes and people who kept asking for seconds.
Plenty of food businesses claim humble roots, but this one truly earns it. Every cone at Palmas Ice Cream traces back to a mother’s kitchen and a daughter’s salon counter.
Honestly, it may be the best reason yet to chat up your hairstylist about side projects.
A Mother And Daughter Run The Whole Sweet Operation
Family businesses come in all shapes, but mother-daughter teams have a special kind of charm. At Palmas Ice Cream, that partnership sits right at the center.
Belkis Concepción brings the recipes and the Dominican know-how. Rosa DeJesus brought the selling instincts she sharpened at her own salon.
Together they turned a personal passion into a shop with its own address. That’s a lot of trust between two people, and a lot of ice cream.
The family has spoken with pride about sharing their Dominican roots. For them, each flavor is a way to pass along something meaningful from home.
I can’t imagine a sweeter way to celebrate your heritage. Some families share old photo albums, while this one shares guava and passion fruit.
That warmth seems to carry over to the counter, too. The staff is often described as friendly and patient, even with first-timers who need a minute to decide.
It’s the kind of small business that feels personal from the start. You aren’t just buying dessert here, you’re supporting a family that built something from scratch.
That makes even a single scoop feel like a small, happy vote of confidence.
Tropical Fruit Flavors You Won’t Spot At The Average Creamery
Guanabana, also called soursop, is not a flavor most Jersey kids grow up ordering. Palmas Ice Cream puts it right in the case, next to a whole crowd of tropical favorites.
Passion fruit is one of the shop’s most talked-about scoops. It sits alongside mango, guava, pineapple, tamarind, coconut and lemon.
Berry fans have options too, including raspberry, blackberry and strawberry. Raspberry in particular gets plenty of love for its bright, tart-sweet balance.
Then come the real curveballs, like sweet plantain and batata, which is sweet potato. Avocado has also appeared on the lineup, which sounds wild until you remember how creamy avocado is.
The shop focuses on natural ingredients, including real fruit. That approach can give the fruit flavors a fresh, clean taste.
A dairy-free pineapple option has also been on the menu. That’s handy if someone in your group skips dairy.
Flavors can rotate, and popular ones may sell out. Don’t get too attached to one plan before you arrive.
Good news, though: the staff often encourages samples. You can test a few strange ones before you commit, which is the smartest way to explore this case.
Dominican Cake Ice Cream Might Be Your New Favorite Order
Dominican cake is a big deal at birthdays and family parties. So turning it into ice cream feels like a celebration you can hold in one hand.
Palmas Ice Cream offers a Dominican cake flavor right alongside its fruit scoops. For anyone who grew up with that cake, it’s an instant nostalgia trip.
For everyone else, it’s a fun way to learn something new about Dominican culture. Few history lessons come in a waffle cone.
Many of the shop’s flavors are chosen to bring back childhood tastes from the Dominican Republic. That idea of a taste of home runs through the whole menu.
I believe that’s what makes this flavor special. It isn’t just sweet, it carries memories of crowded kitchens, family photos and somebody’s tía cutting extra-big slices.
If you’re bringing kids, it might be the easiest bridge flavor. Cake is a universal language, and pretty much no one argues with it.
Pair it with a fruity scoop like mango or pineapple for contrast. One brings the party, the other brings the sunshine.
Either way, it’s a great order to start with if the long list of choices feels overwhelming.
Little Bags Of Ice Cream Bring Back Island Childhood Summers
Ice cream in a little plastic bag sounds odd at first. In the Dominican Republic, though, helados de fundita are a classic childhood treat.
Palmas Ice Cream keeps that tradition going with these small bagged treats. You tear a corner, squeeze, and enjoy, no spoon required.
Fundita-style treats are often made with a cooked milk base. Some versions bring in warm spices like cinnamon and clove.
The shop also serves icees, which carry a similar nostalgic charm. Coconut versions have built up a loyal following.
For many Dominican families, these simple treats are tied to summers on the island. One bite can bring back hot afternoons and neighborhood corner stores.
I like that the shop didn’t polish this tradition into something fancy. It kept the fun, casual format that made it beloved in the first place.
Kids may find the bag format thrilling all on its own. Adults might just find themselves grinning like it’s 1998 again.
If you’ve never tried one, consider it your cultural homework. It’s easily the tastiest assignment you’ll get all year, and there’s absolutely no grading curve.
Flan, Gelato And Colorful Cones Round Out The Menu
Not everyone in your group wants a scoop, and that’s totally fine. Palmas Ice Cream has a few backup plans that are just as tempting.
Flan is one of the shop’s standout extras. That silky caramel custard is a staple across Latin American dessert tables.
Gelato is on the menu too, and the shop’s scoops often lean toward a dense, gelato-style texture. If you like your ice cream rich, that’s good news.
Milkshakes are another option for sipping instead of scooping. They’re a smart pick on a hot day when cones melt faster than kids can lick them.
Then there are the cones, which bring a pop of color. Orange, pink and chocolate waffle cones have all been part of the lineup.
A pink cone holding passion fruit ice cream is basically a party in your hand. It also fits the shop’s whole bright look perfectly.
So the menu goes well beyond a simple cup or cone. It’s a small dessert counter with real variety, rooted in Dominican flavor.
You could visit several times and still find something new to try.
Bright Pink Walls Make Every Cone Camera-Ready
Pink, pink and a little more pink. The shop’s look leans fully into a girly, tropical style, and it doesn’t apologize for it.
The space at Palmas Ice Cream is often described as cozy, clean and welcoming. It’s small, but that just makes it feel friendlier.
It has also picked up some buzz on social media. If you like snapping a photo of your cone before eating it, this is your spot.
Families seem right at home here, especially with little ones in tow. Kids who love bright colors will probably think they’ve found a fairy-tale dessert shop.
The counter experience is part of the fun, too. Staff often offer samples, which turns ordering into a tasting adventure.
That makes it a great stop for curious eaters. You can try avocado or tamarind without committing a whole cup to the experiment.
It also works well for dessert after dinner or a quick weekend treat. Friends, couples and grandparents can all find something to enjoy.
The vibe is upbeat without being loud or fussy. Think sunny island energy, minus the plane ticket and the sunscreen.
Know Before You Go So Your Favorite Flavor Waits For You
Good planning beats a sad, empty freezer slot. Popular flavors at Palmas Ice Cream can run out, so earlier visits may give you more choices.
You’ll find the shop at 431 Lafayette Ave, Hawthorne, NJ 07506. It’s an easy trip for families across Passaic and Bergen counties.
Hours are generally 11 AM to 9 PM Monday through Thursday. Friday through Sunday, the shop typically stays open until 10 PM.
Hours can shift with the season, so a quick check before you drive is smart. Nobody wants to show up craving guava to a locked door.
Prices run a bit higher than a basic soft-serve stand. Many feel the natural ingredients and unique flavors make it worth it, but it’s a small splurge.
Bringing a big group might add up quickly. Sharing a few scoops and samples is a fun way to taste more for less.
The shop also offers catering for events. Birthdays, weddings, office parties and community gatherings can all get a Dominican flavor upgrade.
That’s a fun twist for any party in New Jersey. Cake is great, but cake-flavored ice cream might steal the spotlight.
Big Dreams Make This Small Business Worth Supporting
From a Bronx apartment freezer to a Hawthorne storefront is already quite a leap. The family behind Palmas Ice Cream isn’t done yet.
They’ve shared hopes of opening more locations across the United States. Someday, they’d even like to bring their shop to the Dominican Republic.
I love that full-circle dream. Flavors born from island memories could one day head back to the island itself.
For now, the Hawthorne shop is the place to taste the story. It’s a small, family-run spot that adds something truly different to North Jersey’s dessert scene.
The shop holds a strong 4.7-star rating on Google. That’s an impressive start for a business that’s still fairly young.
Is it your everyday cheap cone? Probably not, but it’s a memorable treat with real heart behind it.
Come for passion fruit, stay for flan, and leave knowing a little more about Dominican culture. That’s a pretty great return on one dessert stop.
New Jersey has no shortage of classic ice cream parlors. Still, few of them can say their story started with a mother, a daughter and a salon full of happy customers.
