Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard

Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard opened on N. Harrison Avenue in Cary’s Northwoods Market center in early 2024. It is the only brick-and-mortar Rita’s left in the Triangle, which makes it something of a destination for anyone who grew up with the brand up north.

Italian ice is made fresh every day, and frozen custard sits alongside it. Order a gelati and you get both of them, layered together in one cup. The recipe goes back to a front porch in suburban Philadelphia in the summer of 1984.

What to know

• Bob Tumolo, a former Philadelphia firefighter, started the business to add to his income.
• He named it after his wife, Rita.
• The first shop opened in Bensalem, Pennsylvania.
• The chain has handed guests a free Italian ice for more than 25 years.