Around The Bend: La Rosita's Ice Cream Shop
On this episode of Around The Bend, We’re taking a flavorful trip to Paletería y Nevería La Rosita in South Bend, where Mexican tradition, culture and flavor come together in every sweet treat!
From refreshing paletas to delicious ice cream and other tasty treats, this favorite brings a taste of tradition and culture to the West Side.
La Rosita’s Ice Cream Shop (Paleteria Y Neveria La Rosita) in the heart of the west side of South Bend doesn’t just serve up delicious ice cream, but truly authentic Mexican flavors. With the rich Hispanic heritage on the west side of town, La Rosita’s is a favorite to many.
Around The Bend takes a deeper look into the stories of beloved favorites and hidden gems throughout St. Joseph County that make this place unforgettable. These places we cherish didn’t just appear—they were built with passion, purpose, and stories worth telling.
A Taste of Sweet Mexican Traditions
Shop owner Juan Cervera’s parents moved from Chicago to South Bend when he was just eight years old. They wanted to open a business, originally a restaurant, but in a smaller town. 24 years later, La Rosita’s is still thriving on Western Avenue.
How did they transition from restaurant to sweet shop?
“Throughout his whole life, he's actually worked in a in a lot of sweet candy factories…and when we moved over here to South Bend, the very first job that he got was the South Bend Chocolate Factory,” said Cervera.
This is a connection I imagine South Bend locals were not expecting!
“When he would come home from work, he would bring a bunch of candy over. I would only eat the chocolates. Believe it or not, chocolate is my favorite type of candy out there. But yeah, I guess I got the sweet tooth from him.”
The sweet tooth in Cervera’s family extends beyond him and his father. And in a way, La Rosita’s continues to honor their family’s "sweet" legacy.
“I believe years ago (my father) said that one of my uncles down in Mexico had an ice cream shop of his own, making paletas and everything. So, he kind of saw the process of what it kind of took to kind of get there…and that gave him that vision to do it on his own too.”
Ice cream is their signature item with over 30 different flavors, but definitely don’t sleep on the other incredible menu items they have to offer. Tortas (panini sandwiches), Mexican street corn (fresh off the cob), yogurt parfaits with fresh cut fruit and homemade yogurt (definitely try the fan favorite butter pecan), walking tacos, mangonadas, ice cream-filled conchas, and of course, over 24 flavors of paletas. The list doesn’t stop there.
La Rosita’s prides itself on providing the freshest ingredients daily, and each recipe is made with care for their customers and community.
“We're just happy to be a part of the community. We're just happy to be a part of a place that somebody can come in and enjoy themselves and have a great time too. That's what it is, and that's what I believe a lot of the places in downtown South Bend are there for just there to cater for the community. That's what we're here for as well. If it wasn't for the community, we wouldn't be here today.”
Being a part of this community also means being a staple of the west side of town, and it means a lot to Cervera to be a part of that.
“It means a lot, actually, because it's a culture of ours that we're able to show to the rest of the community here…It's a beautiful culture, and it tastes very, very good too.”
We invite you to be the judge!
Watch More Around The Bend Episodes
You May Also Like
Related
