Summer dish: Sundaes in Johnston

With rich pistachio cream, crunchy bits of phyllo dough and enough indulgent layers of chocolate to induce a food coma, it’s no surprise that the Dubai Chocolate Sundae went viral.

Since the photogenic dessert debuted at Sundaes last month, TikTok videos featuring it have racked up thousands of likes. Locals have been coming out in droves to the three Sundaes locations across Seekonk, Johnston and Cranston to try out the chain’s new smash-hit dish.

On a sunny afternoon last Friday, Gemelya Barros was one of them. The Providence resident had been inspired by the viral hype to drive out to Johnston for her first-ever visit to Sundaes. After plunging a plastic spoon into the ice cream, she delivered her verdict: “It’s definitely worth it!”

Alicia Barbieri, who became owner of the Johnston location in 2022, said that new sundae ideas typically come out of conversations between employees across the Sundaes chain. She said the restaurant had become “a really comforting place” for her after 15 years of working there.

“Regulars become like family,” Barbieri said.

In addition to offering 24 flavors on the menu, Sundaes lets customers invent their own. With a variety of mix-ins, including homemade brownies, cookie crumbles and cereal pieces, it’s possible to craft off-menu flavors like Fruity Pebbles. Sundaes also proudly serves ice cream nachos, an original creation: customers receive the flavors of their choice alongside an order of waffle chips to scoop up the ice cream.

“I love this place,” Bobbi-Sue Trahan, who just graduated from Johnston Senior High School, said on Friday while preparing orders. “It’s like my second home.” Trahan, who just began her third summer working at Sundaes, said she plans to stick with the job even after she begins her cosmetology training in Cranston later this year.

Each month, Sundaes debuts a new sundae. The Banana Pudding Ultimate Sundae, which comes laden with pudding and vanilla wafers, will be in stores for all of July. The Dubai Chocolate Sundae will also be sticking around for the season due to its popularity, so anyone curious about the trend still has time to see what the hype is about.

Sundae’s Johnston location is 95 Greenville Ave. and is open every day from noon to 10 p.m. The store typically remains open until October, though Barbieri said they’ll delay closing until early November if the weather is good.