Ice Cream Shop Brings Taste of Philly, Jersey to Lutz

A lifetime in the food industry taught Brian Vindick a few things; among them, what makes things taste good.

And that’s the real stuff: real buttermilk, real sugar, real fat.

“I have a critical palette,” the owner of Philly Cream in Lutz said.

Vindick opened the store in November, based on a business plan he first wrote in 2004. The ice cream connoisseur grew up working in kitchens alongside his father, an executive chef. By age 8, Vindick was certified food manager, he said.

He worked his way through various restaurant jobs in New Jersey, and eventually worked with an ice cream truck business before moving to Florida—bringing his ice cream shop aspirations with him.

“I love selling ice cream, I love the kids,” he said. “I have a passion for it.”

Vindick chose Lutz because the tight-knit community is reminiscent of the town he grew up in.

“People stick together, there’s a real feeling of community.”

His contribution to the community: a taste of the paste.

“This is where you go to get good ice cream no one makes anymore,” Vindick said. The ice cream is made in New Jersey on Mondays and delivered to the store a few days later; there’s no fillers, no MSG and very few preservatives, he said.

And there’s no low-fat or fat-free option.

“When I eat something, I want my stuff full of flavor,” Vindick said. “You come to enjoy ice cream because it’s plentiful and very sweet.”

Older folks come into the shop and remark that they haven’t had ice cream that heavy since the 1960s. “People just don’t make ice cream like that anymore,” he said.

The shop also features hard-to-find sodas and candies from all over the country, as well as authentic pretzels from South Philadelphia, which are flown in the same day they are baked, Vindick said.

Philly Cream is hosting a Lutz Craft Fair and Small  Business Expo Fundraiser from 1 to 7 p.m. on Sept. 30. from vendors who would like to participate.

A portion of the proceeds from the event will benefit the Lutz Community for Children's Programs and the Lutz Centennial anniversary celebration in 2013, Vindick said.

More information for vendors, including an application, is available .

Check out Philly Cream on Facebook