Sugar Mama’s Ice Cream Reopens With Indian Twist In Fairfax City

FAIRFAX CITY, VA — A Fairfax City institution is back in business but this time with an Indian twist.

Earlier this year, Sugar Mama’s Ice Cream closed it's doors, but new owners Neel Vaidya and Palak Pael decided to reopen the long-time Fairfax City favorite. The couple also owns and runs Troy’s Italian Kitchen in Arlington.

“We saw that this place was shut down, and a lot of people missed this place,” said Vaiyda. “It was a great opportunity to come into Fairfax. We already knew about Fairfax, because a lot of our customers already come to our pizzeria. We had all our ducks in a line. It was perfect and we decided to take over.”

On Friday, the couple celebrated Sugar Mama’s grand reopening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. They were joined by elected officials and members of the Fairfax City Economic Development and the Central Fairfax Chamber of Commerce.

“So many people grow accustomed to the places they love to go, and when they're gone, it's heartbreaking,” said Tara Bowery, programs manager with FCED. “When people heard that Sugar Mama’s was coming back and that they were open again, they were really excited that they could visit one of their favorite spots in Fairfax City again.”

Sugar Mama’s ice cream flavors include Banana Cream Pie, Butter Pecan, Chocolate, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Coco Choc Crunch, Espresso Chip, Pumpkin Spice, Pumpkin Oreo, Mint Choc Chip, Oreo, Pistachio, Strawberry, Vanilla Bean, Rocky Road, S'mores, Peppermint Candy, Coffee Oreo, and Bittersweet. Customers can also order vegan and gluten-free versions of Mint, Pistachio, Coffee and Strawberry.

But the stand-out flavors at Sugar Mama’s are those from India.

• Chikoo - Indian fruit that’s something like a pear
• Mava Malai - Condensed milk with mixed fruits
• Rosa Falooda - Rose-flavored ice cream
• Pan Masala - Paan leaves and candied rose)
• Raj Bhog - Saffron with mixed nuts
• Kesar Pista - Saffron and pistachio

“Everyone has to try the Pan Masala, and I'm just talking about a sample scoop,” Vaidya said. “I guarantee you guys are probably not going to like it, because it's too much flavor. But us Indians, when we find that someone has Pan Masala, we go crazy over it.”

Vaiyda told Patch on Friday that Sugar Mama’s will continue to offer ice cream from Great Falls Creamery, in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The gluten-free and vegan flavors come from another creamery in Fairfax.

“It's important to us to have a family-owned business in our city, and the fact that they chose to continue in the legacy of Sugar Mama’s, which is a much beloved business of the city,” Mayor Catherine Read said, on Friday.

Sugar Mama’s Ice Cream is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday at 11208 Lee Highway in the Jermantown Square shopping center across the street from Lowe’s.