Over 600 ice cream flavors have come out of one family’s recipe book. One of them is called Playdough, and yes, it’s rainbow colored.
The mint chocolate chip uses real mint oil. Two flavors, Almond Divinity and Butter Brickle, are made only at one single shop.
I love that kind of stubborn loyalty.
The parlor sits inside an old red brick building in northern Utah. It has a soda fountain bar, retro diner tables, and doo-wop music.
I can’t imagine a better setting for a waffle cone.
The family behind it started out selling pond ice back in the 1890s. Four generations later, they’re still scooping.
So how does a shop stay this beloved for this long?
Four Generations Have Kept This Scoop Shop In The Family
Long before anyone ordered a cone, the Farr family was cutting ice from frozen ponds in Weber County. They sold that ice in summer so people could keep food cold.
That ice business started in the 1890s. In 1920, the family incorporated as Asael Farr and Sons Company, and the sweet stuff soon followed.
Farr Better Ice Cream opened its parlor in 1929. Back then, the menu offered just three flavors: vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry.
Today the company is still family-owned. President Mike Farr represents the fourth generation, and he works alongside his brothers Darin and Nathan.
I like that the leadership never drifted far from the original family tree. A lot of old brands get bought and reshaped beyond recognition.
This one stayed put.
The company even celebrated its centennial in 2020. That’s a full century of frozen business, counted from the day it incorporated.
It’s widely recognized as one of the oldest continuously operating ice cream shops in Utah. That’s a big title for a little cone.
So when you take your first bite, you’re tasting a family story. It just happens to come with sprinkles if you want them.
The Name Came Straight From Happy Customers
Some brand names come from marketing meetings. This one came from the counter, where customers kept saying the same thing.
People told the family that Farr’s is better. Mike’s grandfather, Dexter Farr, heard it enough times to make it official.
He trademarked the phrase as Farr Better Ice Cream. It’s a pun, a compliment, and a family name all at once.
Honestly, that’s clever branding. The customers wrote the slogan, and the family just signed the paperwork.
The name now shows up far beyond Ogden. Farr Better products are sold in supermarkets and ice cream shops across the Mountain West.
Their ice cream reaches 17 states. The company also supplies ice cream mixes and specialty items to restaurants nationwide.
Farr’s was also a pioneer in bringing ice cream into Utah grocery stores. So that pint in your freezer might owe a quiet thank-you to this family.
There are five Farr Better stores across Utah today. Still, the 21st Street parlor is the original home base.
Visiting the flagship feels a bit like meeting a band before they toured. You get to see where the whole thing started.
Good Luck Picking Just One Flavor From This Lineup
Six hundred flavors. That’s how many recipes the Farr family has developed over the years.
Not all of them sit in the case at once, thankfully. The parlor typically keeps somewhere between 70 and more than 100 flavors stocked.
That’s still a lot of decisions for one afternoon. Bring a backup choice, or maybe two.
Best sellers include cookie dough, chocolate peanut butter, and mint chocolate chip. Those are the safe bets if your brain freezes before your mouth does.
Spumoni and Burnt Almond Fudge are well-known picks too. They feel like flavors your grandparents might have ordered here decades ago.
Then there’s Grasshopper. It blends classic creme de menthe ice cream with crumbled Grasshopper cookies and a chocolate ripple.
My advice? Ask for a taste of something unfamiliar before you commit.
With this many options, a little sampling strategy goes a long way.
You can also lean into the season or your mood. A fruity scoop on a hot Utah day hits differently than fudge in the fall.
Whatever you pick, you’ll probably start planning your next visit before you finish. That’s sort of the point.
Playdough Ice Cream Is Real And Kids Adore It
Rainbow colors and a toy-box name make Playdough one of the most famous flavors at Farr Better Ice Cream. Don’t worry, nobody is eating actual craft clay.
It’s simply a playful, colorful ice cream that grabs attention from across the room. Kids usually spot it first.
Playdough has become one of the signature flavors tied to the Farr name. It’s the kind of scoop that ends up in plenty of family photos.
I believe every great ice cream shop needs one goofy flavor. It gives younger visitors a reason to get excited and adults a reason to smile.
Of course, Playdough isn’t the only fun pick. The case tends to hold plenty of options that look like they came from a cartoon.
If you have a picky eater, this flavor can be a nice bridge. The bright colors tend to win the argument before taste even enters the picture.
Grown-ups are allowed to order it too. No one is checking ID at the scoop counter.
Pair it with a classic on the side if you want balance. Rainbow plus chocolate makes for a pretty cheerful cone.
Two Flavors You Can Only Get At The Ogden Parlor
Exclusives aren’t just for sneakers and concert merch. Farr Better Ice Cream keeps two flavors that are made only at the Ogden store.
Almond Divinity is one of them. Butter Brickle is the other.
Both names sound wonderfully old-fashioned. They fit right in with a parlor that has been scooping since 1929.
That makes the 21st Street shop a destination for flavor hunters. You can find Farr’s products in other places, but not these two.
I like the idea of a flavor tied to one address. It gives the trip a little extra purpose beyond simply grabbing dessert.
Here’s a practical tip. If you’re visiting from elsewhere in Utah, plan to try at least one exclusive before heading home.
You might also want to grab a scoop of something familiar. That way you can compare the new discovery against your usual favorite.
Exclusive flavors also make great conversation starters. Your friends back home can’t exactly run to the corner store and try them.
Bragging rights are part of the fun. Just be ready to describe the taste in loving detail afterward.
Real Mint Oil Puts This Mint Chip In Its Own League
Most mint chocolate chip around the country skips one key ingredient. Farr’s doesn’t.
The family makes its mint chocolate chip with genuine mint oil. That practice is reportedly uncommon among other manufacturers in the United States.
It’s a small detail that says a lot. Choosing the real thing over a shortcut is how a company lasts a century.
Mint chocolate chip also ranks among the shop’s best-selling flavors. So plenty of people have already cast their vote.
If you’re a mint fan, this is your scoop. If you usually avoid mint, it might be worth one small taste for science.
Mint lovers might also eye the Grasshopper flavor. It brings creme de menthe ice cream, cookie crumbles, and a chocolate ripple together.
Ordering both could turn into a fun side-by-side test. One is classic and clean, while the other piles on extra goodies.
That kind of comparison makes a visit feel like a mini tasting tour. You’ll walk out knowing exactly which mint team you’re on.
Either way, your breath will be minty fresh. Call it a bonus feature.
Order A Single And Prepare For A Tall Surprise
A hearty single-scoop is the standard here. That word hearty is doing some serious work.
The shop is known for its signature Farr Better giant waffle cone. It’s a fitting showcase for a family that clearly believes in generous servings.
So think twice before going straight for a triple. Your napkin supply may not survive the decision.
Not into cones? Farr Better Ice Cream also serves milkshakes and malts.
Shakes are a smart pick on a warm summer day. They’re easier to manage when the sun is working against you.
There’s also a soda bar where you can build your own drink combination. It’s a playful option for anyone who likes to experiment.
Here’s my practical tip. Grab extra napkins and pick a seat before you start eating.
Tall scoops and waffle cones look great in photos. They also melt quickly, so snap your picture fast.
Sharing is another option if you’re with family. One big cone and a couple of spoons can stretch further than you’d think.
Just agree on the flavor first. That negotiation might take longer than the eating.
The Retro Parlor Feels Like A Trip To The 1950s
Doo-wop music drifts through the speakers. Retro diner-style tables and chairs fill the room.
The parlor has a 50s-themed interior with an energetic mood. A stylish bar area calls back to the classic soda fountains of the past.
It’s been described as a living antique. That fits a shop inside a historic red brick building from the 1920s.
The space grew after the manufacturing plant moved to Salt Lake City in 2000. That move followed the purchase of Russell’s Ice Cream and freed up room in Ogden.
The parlor expanded within the same historic building. So you get more space without losing the old-school charm.
I can’t imagine a better backdrop for a cone. Every corner seems built for a family photo or a slow afternoon.
Families and groups will find plenty of friendly, easygoing energy. It’s a nice place to linger with friends on a summer night.
Bring the grandparents along if you can. They might have their own memories of the Farr name to share.
Nostalgia tastes best with company. Ice cream helps too.
Plan Your Visit To 21st Street The Smart Way
Sundays are off the table. The shop is closed that day, so plan your sweet tooth accordingly.
Monday through Saturday, Farr Better Ice Cream opens at 10 in the morning. It stays open until 10 at night.
That gives you plenty of choices. A late-morning treat works, and so does a post-dinner scoop under the evening sky.
You’ll find the parlor at 274 21st St, Ogden, UT 84401. It sits in downtown Ogden inside that iconic red brick building.
Ogden makes a great day trip from other parts of northern Utah. An ice cream stop is an easy way to wrap up an outing.
Here’s a tip for busy days. Summer evenings can feel lively, so give yourself a little extra time.
Bring an open mind to the flavor case. You might walk in wanting vanilla and leave with something wild.
And if you fall hard for a flavor, good news follows you home. Farr Better products show up in grocery stores across the region.
Still, nothing beats the original parlor. Some scoops just taste better with nearly a century of stories around them.