For Generations, The UNL Dairy Store In Lincoln Has Been Serving University-Made Ice Cream And Cheese
Sweet corn ice cream. It sounds like a county fair dare, but students on a Nebraska college campus have been scooping it for people who drive across town just to try it.
The shop behind it got started back in 1917. Back then, it sold milk to anyone who remembered to bring their own cup.
Ice cream soon took over, and the place never looked back.
Today, food science students help make the ice cream and cheese. Some of them even invent flavors that land in the case.
I like how a cone here doubles as a tiny piece of somebody’s education.
Butter brickle, bananas foster and lemon curd have all shown up on the menu too. I can’t imagine a better excuse to wander a pretty campus on a warm afternoon.
So which scoop would you grab first?
An Ice Cream Counter That Doubles As A Classroom
Plenty of colleges have a cafeteria, but only some have their own creamery. The UNL Dairy Store sits on East Campus of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, inside the Food Industry Complex.
It’s an ice cream shop by type, though that label sells it short. The shelves also hold cheeses and meats made through the university’s food science programs.
Students play a real role in what lands on the counter. They help create products, test ideas and learn the dairy business from the ground up.
That means your cone carries a little homework inside it. Tasty homework, which is the best kind there is.
The store is open to the public, not just students and faculty. Anyone in Lincoln or passing through Nebraska can stop in for a scoop.
Families like it as a quick stop with the kids. Campus visitors treat it as a must-see on any tour of the university.
The vibe leans old-fashioned in the best way. Hard-pack ice cream, a cheese case and a rotating flavor list keep things simple and focused.
Nobody needs a fancy menu when the ice cream comes with a university pedigree. The scoop does the talking here.
A Nickel, Your Own Cup, And The Start Of Something Big
Back in 1917, the shop went by a different name. Varsity Dairy served all-you-can-drink milk for a nickel, as long as you brought your own cup.
Forget your cup, and you were out of luck. That’s a rule worth a smile more than a century later.
Ice cream quickly stole the spotlight. The business shifted its focus and took on the name Dairy Store.
Over the decades, the shop moved around campus. It spent time in the Dairy Industry Building before landing in the Food Industry Complex in 1972.
The cows have moved too. The university’s dairy herd now lives about twenty miles south in Firth, Nebraska.
So the milk still comes from close to home. A short drive from barn to bowl is hard to beat.
Generations of Nebraskans have grown up with this place. Grandparents who scooped here as students now bring grandkids for the same treat.
Few businesses in Lincoln can claim that kind of staying power. Even fewer can say they started with a nickel and a borrowed mug.
Sweet Corn In A Cone Is Exactly As Nebraska As It Sounds
Corn in dessert? In the Cornhusker State, it was only a matter of time.
Sweet corn ice cream is the flavor that gets talked about most at the UNL Dairy Store. It’s seasonal, so it tends to show up when summer corn is at its peak.
Some folks plan their whole trip around grabbing a scoop before it vanishes. That’s real commitment to a vegetable.
The flavor has fans from far beyond Nebraska. Sweet corn ice cream is popular in Korea, so some visitors find a taste of home here.
It also counts as a homegrown idea. Sweet corn ice cream is widely tied to Nebraska roots, which makes it a natural fit for a university creamery.
Skeptics usually come around after one spoonful. The flavor is mellow and sweet rather than salty or buttery.
A creamy corn variety has also appeared in the case. Keep an eye on the board, because the rotation changes.
If corn still sounds too wild, fruit flavors are waiting nearby. Strawberry and peach have both earned their own loyal following.
Butter Brickle And Other Flavors You Rarely See Anymore
Butter brickle has become something of an endangered species. Plenty of shops dropped it years ago, but this counter still scoops it.
That alone makes the trip worthwhile for some fans. Butter brickle also carries Nebraska roots, so it feels right at home on campus.
Expect around a dozen flavors at a time. Something new pops up often, so two visits rarely look the same.
Bananas foster has drawn plenty of love. Lemon curd, caramel cashew, banana chocolate chip and cookies and cream have all made appearances too.
Students get to research and test their own flavor creations. A few of those experiments even earn a permanent spot in the rotation.
Many flavor names nod to campus landmarks, coaches and administrators. Ordering one feels a bit like an inside joke with the whole university.
The store’s social media is the easiest way to check what’s scooping right now. Your favorite might be gone next week, so timing matters.
Indecisive? Smoothies and milkshakes are also on the menu.
A strawberry vanilla shake makes a fine backup plan.
Cheese, Meats, And Husker Gift Boxes For The Road
Ice cream gets the headlines, yet the cheese case deserves its own fan club. The store carries locally made cheeses crafted through the university’s programs.
Meats sit right alongside them. It’s an easy way to bring a piece of campus home for dinner.
Husker gift boxes package those meats and cheeses together. They make a smart present for anyone who bleeds red on game day.
Gift boxes are also available online. Far-flung alumni can still get a taste of East Campus without the drive.
Back at the counter, the menu stretches further than you might guess. Milk, cookies, drinks and other dairy goods round things out.
Coffee drinks are available for anyone who needs a pick-me-up. Pairing espresso with a scoop is a respectable life choice.
Planning a party? The UNL Dairy Store can help with ice cream socials and special events.
Store apparel is another way to show some love. A Dairy Store shirt says you know where the good scoops live in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Behind The Glass, Students Learn How Dairy Really Works
Every scoop here supports a working lesson plan. Food science students help invent products, run research and explore future dairy innovations.
That hands-on training follows them into careers across the food industry. Not a bad résumé line, really.
Ice cream and cheese production has moved to the university’s Food Innovation Center. The store’s former production space now holds educational exhibits.
Those exhibits help explain how milk becomes something you’d happily eat with a spoon. Curious kids tend to have plenty of questions.
Free tours are offered Monday through Friday by appointment. Trained Dairy Store ambassadors lead each one.
Tours run about 15 minutes. They cover how cheese is made and what gives your favorite flavor its taste.
Ambassadors also share stories from the store’s long history. You’ll walk away knowing more about dairy than most people at the next picnic.
Groups like schools and scout troops can make a fun outing of it. Finish the tour with a cone, and the lesson basically sticks itself.
Grab A Cone And Wander The Prettiest Part Of Campus
A cone tastes better with a view, and East Campus delivers. The grounds are known for lovely landscaping and plenty of room to roam.
Walking the paths after your scoop just makes sense. It also helps justify that second flavor.
In 2020, the store moved into a larger space inside the Food Industry Complex. The new layout gives easier access from Legacy Plaza.
Legacy Plaza is a green space linking much of the southern part of East Campus. It’s a natural spot for a slow stroll.
Inside, there’s a fair amount of seating. The shop runs cold, so a light jacket isn’t a bad idea even in July.
Plan on a short walk from where you park. The entrance sits near the back of the building, roughly half a block on foot.
That little hike turns into part of the fun. Students heading to class and families with strollers share the same paths.
On a hot Nebraska afternoon, the whole setup feels like a small vacation. Shade, grass and ice cream make a strong team.
Know Before You Go: Parking, Hours, And Finding The Door
Getting there is the easy part. The shop sits right off 37th and Holdrege Street on East Campus.
The exact spot is 1625 Arbor Drive, 114 Food Industry Complex, Lincoln, NE 68583. Plug that in and follow the signs toward the complex.
Parking can be tricky depending on the time of day. Class schedules and campus events can fill lots quickly.
Hours run every day of the week. The store opens in the morning most days and a bit later on Sundays, then stays open into the evening.
That morning start is handy for road-trippers. Many creameries stay closed until afternoon, but this one is often ready early.
Holiday closures do happen. Checking the store’s official channels before a special trip can save some disappointment.
Prices land on the reasonable side for a scoop. Sizes can run generous, so order with care.
A small might feel bigger than expected. Nobody’s complaining about that, but your appetite should know ahead of time.
Why One Visit Rarely Stays Just One
More than a century of scooping says plenty on its own. The UNL Dairy Store has outlasted trends, building moves and countless flavor fads.
It still serves the same basic promise. Ice cream and cheese made with help from the university, sold right on campus.
Not every flavor will be your flavor. Texture and taste are personal, and the rotating case means some days hit harder than others.
That’s part of the charm of a student-driven shop. Experiments happen, and some become new favorites.
Families get an affordable outing with a side of learning. Alumni get a sweet dose of nostalgia in every cup.
Visitors from outside Nebraska get a flavor they can’t easily find back home. Sweet corn makes a great story at the next family reunion.
I believe the best reason to go is simple. It connects you to generations of Nebraskans who stood at the same counter.
So grab a cone, take that campus walk and pick something new. Butter brickle will be waiting if you chicken out.
