NJisntBoring Ice Cream Quest Spotlight: Mr. Bill’s in Winslow Twp
My ice cream quest of New Jersey has begun for 2017! For my first stop I decided to check out Mr. Bill’s, a family restaurant with homemade ice cream located on Route 73.
If you grew up in South Jersey or traveled to the beach via the Atlantic City expressway, there’s a big chance you grew up with Mr. Bill’s. The ice cream stand has been around for over 50 years where it was stared by Billy Baker.
In the 1970s they constructed their famous statue which is an amazing New Jersey roadside attraction. Some people pull over just to take a photo!
After changing ownership over the years, Mr. Bill’s sadly closed and became an empty lot for two years. After driving past the location many times, John Ernst told his wife Cheryl that he was interested in buying it. John grew up with fond memories of Mr. Bill’s and the nostalgia made him want to come out of retirement to start a new business venture.
John and Cheryl re-opened Mr. Bill’s in July of 2016.
It took them three months to re-open the restaurant once they took over the property, and a lot of work had to be done. Although they made it their own, keeping the nostalgia of Mr. Bill’s was very important.
This biggest change is that their food menu has been upgraded. They offer Angus beef for their burgers, Vienna Beef for their hot dogs which come from Chicago, fresh bread from local bakeries, and they make their own fries (no frozen fries here!). Best part? They increased their food quality but lowered their prices. Plus, if you’re not happy with your meal or service you get your money back.
They serve food all day, every day, and have popular items like BBQ brisket, cheesesteaks, fresh salads, and homemade waffles. Their most popular item is their “Mr. Bill’s Burger”, a 10oz burger served on an artisan roll with all the fixins.
Ice cream has always been the main attraction at Mr. Bills, and all of their hard ice cream is homemade. They offer 25 flavors with new flavors being introduced every other week (like their new cotton candy). They also offer real custard as opposed to soft serve ice cream, as well as homemade Italian Ice made with real fruit.
I tried a few flavors including Cannoli (their most popular flavor), Mint Chocolate Chip (Cheryl’s Favorite), a twist of their custard, and their new flavor Dole whip which is also made with their custard.
Everything was delicious!
In addition to their regular ice cream, custard, and ices they also make jumbo sundaes, banana splits, and cake creations.
Mr. Bill’s is open year round with indoor and outdoor seating. Since they’ve re-opened they have welcomed customers old and new, and have enjoyed the ride of their new business. Definitely sounds like an amazing retirement job!
Additional Information on Mr. Bill’s:
Address: 53 NJ-73, Winslow Twp, NJ
Phone: (609) 878-3829
Find them on their Facebook page!
