Polk’s Best Ice Cream goes to Frostbite Ice Cream and More

In the dog days of summer, The Ledger asked Polk County residents to share with us their picks for the best ice cream around.

In August, we started with a list of 22 locally owned ice cream shops and parlors. We know there’s countless Baskin Robbins, Culver’s and Dairy Queens, but we were in search of the richest, creamiest homemade ice cream around.

Several weeks of head-to-head competition came down to who has the sweetest scoop between Andy’s Igloo, an iconic Winter Haven community staple off U.S. 17, and Frostbite Ice Cream and More, a cozy family-run shop off North Scenic Highway in Frostproof.

What we didn’t know is the bracket-style contest created “Family Feud: Ice Cream Edition.”

Popi Nouaros, owner of Andy’s, is a second cousin of Nick Peros, co-owner of Frostbite with his brother, Dino.

Who won Polk’s Best Ice Cream?

With thousands of votes cast, the title of Polk’s best ice cream goes to Frostbite Ice Cream and More at 801 N. Scenic Highway in Frostproof. It narrowly beat Andy’s Igloo, collecting 55.8% of the votes cast in the final week.

“It was a really fun competition, and it’s awesome to win,” Nick Peros said laughing.

Introducing Frostbite Ice Cream

Given Frostbite’s strong social media presence, we’re not sure that an introduction to this family-owned and operated restaurant is needed.

Nick Peros said his father, Paul Peros, and his mother, Sophia, started Frostbite Ice Cream and more in 2005 with their three children. They had moved back to Winter Haven after spending five years in Greece and were looking for a fresh start.

“My dad didn’t have much money, and Frostproof gave him an opportunity,” he said.

The three children decided the family should sell ice cream, and Frostbite Ice Cream and More was born. It’s got a funky, retro feel like it’s come out of the 1950s and 60s, tilted floors and bright red vinyl chairs and tables. There’s indoor seating as well as outdoor tables under a patio.

What sets Frostbite apart?

“It’s a a fun atmosphere that people come in and people enjoy a good time,” Nick Peros said. “We’ve been here 20 years in the making, so it’s nice to get noticed by such a broad audience.”

In 2016, Nick Peros said his dad was ready to take a step back, so he and his brother, Dino, went all in.

When they saw The Ledger was having a bit of fun, Peros said they decided to have some fun with it on their Facebook page. It’s very telling of the restaurant’s light hearted, upbeat atmosphere.

Nick Peros said he was in the middle of attending church with his family on Sunday, when his phone rang and he was informed Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd stopped by to grab ice cream and show his support.

“My family and I were realizing we had to vote,” Nick Peros said. “We were talking so much smack, I thought, “If we lose this now, we might as well have to take ourselves to jail.”

Frostbite’s ice cream case has flavors that range from throwbacks like butter pecan, to those that spark sweet childhood dreams, a boldly blue-colored Cookie Monster that has cookie pieces in it, or Superman, in rich hues of red, yellow and blue.There’s always a few seasonal favorites available for those who always want to try something new. Peros said watermelon sherbert is back, as is a pumpkin flavor that’s proving popular in sundaes and shakes.

What’s the future hold?

Peros had kind words for his competitor, Andy’s Igloo.

“Andy’s is a landmark. They have paved the way for others,” he said. “They are great and in Winter Haven, everybody loves Andy’s.”

Being in business for 20 years, Peros said he hopes to see Frostbite grow into a community role similar to what Andy’s has, and he thanked his staff for their dedication.

“Andy’s has been around for decades. Everyone can relate to memories, you take your kids out and say, ‘This is where I ate ice cream’ or ‘I worked my first job here,'” he said. “I see Frostbite growing toward that, the people who used to work here or come in before they had families, you see them bringing kids in.”