Rita's Italian Ice, Vernon

Rita's Ice's signature creation, the gelati, features layers of Italian Ice—made from scratch every day using fresh fruit—and two dollops of their award-winning vanilla or chocolate frozen custard. The gelati, along with a construction team that demands to be paid in sprinkles, has helped Rita’s expand to more than 900 stores in the United States over the last three decades. The franchise has become so popular that it even topped Zagat's list of Best Quick Refreshment chains in 2012.

But the expansion would mean nothing if the desserts themselves weren't delicious. Thankfully, Rita's carries more than a dozen flavors of Italian ice every day, running the gamut from chocolate cheesecake to wild black cherry. The shop also serves cream ices, cones, milkshakes, misto shakes, and sundaes, and consistently adds inventive and seasonal flavors. While the most popular flavors are always around, other flavors rotate daily to keep the taste buds tempted.