Food
The Red Ice Cream Is Colored With Beets. The Green Is Kale.
Pete's Sweet Treats in Gulf Gate dyes its scoops with beets, kale, turmeric and blue spirulina, keeps Pumpkin Pie on the board through mid-October, and stays open until 10 on Thursdays.
Gulf Gate has an ice cream shop that will tell you, right on the homepage, that the red comes from red beets, the green from kale, the yellow from turmeric, the blue from blue spirulina, and the purple from purple carrots. Dark purple is black raspberries, which is the one plant on the list that already sounds like dessert.
That's Pete's Sweet Treats, at 6616 Superior Avenue, and the whole pitch is that they skip artificial dyes and fold real mix-ins into the churn instead of sprinkling them on top later. They also say you taste the cream, not the vegetables. I believe them. I also believe a beet is doing overtime in that freezer.
What's on the board right now
The scoop list was updated Sept. 18: Vanilla, Chocolate, Pumpkin Pie, Black Raspberry Chip, White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle, Butter Pecan, Vienna Lemon Crunch, Crunchy Caramel Delight, Coffee Oreo, Oreo Cookie, Totally Coconut.
Pumpkin Pie in early October is the correct energy. It's still 85 outside and somebody already put pumpkin in a churn. Respect.
If you are 21+, the boozy case has Bailey's, Honey Whiskey and Just Peachy Drunk. There are oat-milk half-pints (Oreo Cookie, Mint Chip, Chocolate) and a rotating pint freezer that currently runs from Cookie Butter to Bourbon Caramel to Lemon Poppy Seed. Italian ice is on the board too, with lemon marked as real fruit.
Hours for a Thursday night
Per the site: closed Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday and Thursday 3 to 10 PM. Friday 3 to 11. Saturday 1 to 11. Sunday 1 to 9. Tonight that means you have until 10.
They also sell cakes by the slice — pistachio ricotta, limoncello mascarpone, chocolate overload, dulce de leche mousse, New York cheesecake, tiramisu, carrot cake — which is useful if your cone plan collapses into a fork plan.
The fine print that actually matters
Pete's makes everything on-site in Sarasota and lists no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. They currently do not offer sugar-free options. For allergies or dietary needs, the ingredient page says online flavor names aren't enough and you should call (941) 217-4859 before you order. Fair.
You can order online, or just show up on Superior Avenue. Instagram is @petessweettreats.
If you've already hit the home bakers this week — Barefoot Barista's beach-named loaves this afternoon, Bode Bread's sold-out pumpkin class yesterday — this is the cold course. Bring cash or a card. Bring a willingness to eat a vegetable you cannot taste.
— Marina
