Yogurtland
WHAT: Yogurtland
WHERE: 1 W. Division St. (new location opening soon at 2468 N. Clark St.)
OUR RATING: Do it!
(yogurt-land.com)
Yogurtland, a national chain, opened its first location back in 2006. While the only Chicago location is currently at State and Division on the Near North Side, there’s another one currently going up in Lincoln Park on Clark Street. With so many frozen yogurt shops already in the city, and with a ton more opening this summer, Storefront City gives you the lowdown on this unique franchise with super original flavors, including Salted Caramel Pecan, Dragon Passion Fruit Tart, Lychee Tart and more!
Adam: Those New Englanders are always coming up with something, and in the 1970s they invented frozen yogurt, even though I could have sworn it should have been invented in more health-conscious California. Yogurtland stands out as different to most froyo joints: clean lines, bright open windows and a killer location mean that it’s a pleasure to get your yogurt on here.
Definitely featuring an Around-the-World theme (although they don’t have 80 flavors yet), you are liable to be baffled by the strange combinations you can concoct, each flavor station having three levers, the middle one for a mixed variation on the other two.
(yogurt-land.com)
I tried several flavors, comparing them to the more regular fare you get elsewhere, and I can honestly say Yogurtland has done a marvelous job at keeping ahead of the trend. Starting with Spiced Chai, with ingredients sourced directly from India, I couldn’t help but think a maharaja might have prefered the froyo to the tea on a sweltering day in Jaipur.
Next, it was time to head down South to New Orleans for some Bananas Foster. Rich, creamy and with a dash of cinnamon, this is clearly one of the best yogurts they have and makes me wonder why I haven’t had more of these desserts in my lifetime. Red Velvet Cupcake Batter was also on offer, but I tend to prefer the more unusual varieties.
The final two were the best of the bunch: toasted coconut and taro. What’s taro, you ask? Grown in Asia, taros are little tuberous plants that taste a bit like hazelnut, but then again altogether different. Nutty and wonderful, they go great with chocolate toppings, like the chewy fudge brownie pieces on offer. The toasted coconut is also nutty, but in a more traditional way. The toasting seems to bring out a great new flavor, and after sprinkling some coconut flakes on top, you’ll want to come back for more and more.
(yogurt-land.com)
Alicia: If you have difficulty making decisions it could either be a good or a bad thing here. There are so many options and combinations, both in regards to the froyo itself, as well as the toppings. But you don’t have to choose just one – you can go as crazy as you want, and like other frozen yogurt shops, you can even sample a bit beforehand to make sure your tastebuds will be happy with the real thing.
Being relatively health conscious, Yogurtland definitely fits my desire for sweets while still being super health friendly. Their wide range of flavors are mostly nonfat and some have no added sugar, and at the same time they offer probiotics and live and active yogurt cultures to keep your body happy.
And while I love tart yogurts and sorbets, I don’t have to stick to these kinds of flavors at Yogurtland and still be healthy. I can go as creamy as I want. So on my first trip through the line of yogurts, I started with their Greek style frozen yogurt – Raspberry Banana. Creamy, delicious, extra protein, and a subtle sweetness. But I had to get some tartness in there, so I went a little wild and added some Boysenberry Tart (raspberry-blackberry-esque goodness), Maqui Berry Tart (all the way from the forests of Patagonia with high levels of antioxidants, and with some additional elements of pomegranate, black currant and blackberry), and then some Guava Grapefruit Sorbet (dairy free, but perhaps a bit too sour for my taste).
And while the majority of my cup was filled to the brim with frozen yogurt (I kind of forgot that there was a second phase including toppings), I give major props to Yogurtland over other frozen yogurt shops for their gigantic variety of fresh fruit, with more than 15 kinds available including kiwi, peaches, blackberries, and whole lychee! I may not have had much room left in my cup, but I made sure to get a lychee in there, and couldn’t have been happier for doing so.
Final Thoughts: With better tasting and more consistent yogurt choices than competitors, Yogurtland seems poised to steal a huge new market share in yogurtness. Load up, feel good and have fun!