Blows crappy Pinkberry out of the water! I make no bones that I hate Pinkberry and the wannabe trendoids that gather at the Upper East Side NYC location to eat this sour tasting dreck. Seems like it’s a combination of the baby carriage crowd and skinny girls coming in after the gym. I’ve tried it a few times just to make sure and I still prefer 16 Handles over this stuff. So many more flavors and toppings to experiment with. They win my taste buds hands down. Plus, to me, it’s a more fun spot to dive into a cold treat!
Walking by at night you can’t miss 16 Handles – bright and spacious with lots of seating. It almost invites you to come inside. Cool green, white, and faux wood interior. Kind of very modern and space age looking as if the Jetsons would eat here. Even a big flat screen with sports on it. Sure, on the weekends it can get packed with gangs of teenagers, but during the week it’s a mellow crowd in here enjoying their cups of frozen comfort.
Since it is self serve we head straight to the flavor wall. Wow – a great selection to choose from. Guys at front counter give us a bunch of sample cups and we go to town! Peanut butter, red velvet, birthday cake, pistachio, cookies and cream, mango tango, vanilla, strawberry, chocolate and so many others. Plus, I do like that above each flavor they show the nutritional content. So if you are on diet you can be choosy here and watch calories.
Now the bad/good part – the amazing amount of toppings you can put on your frozen yogurt choices! From fruits to nuts to all things chocolate and crunchy and candy. Oh my! Marshmallow, caramel, and hot fudge toppings. Oh yes! And this is all self serve too so you can put as much or little on as you want. Mix and match to your hearts desire. Adding on all this stuff can kill the low fatness of your choice if you don’t control yourself!
When you check out the cost is determined by weight so it can get a little pricey, but it was worth it. The frozen yogurt flavors were rich and creamy while the toppings added to the overall taste. The tartness was just right and had no sourness to it as I find with Pinkberry. Plus, you can choose different sized cups so if you want a smaller portion or larger portion you can place a few different flavors in it. Is there a bucket? Hello? I’d like to eat a bucket size! Can I bring in my own bucket?
The store is clean. Bathroom was clean. Staff is helpful and was constantly offering sample cups while also cleaning the foors and yogurt dispensers. They also have a customer punch card for $4.00 off a purchase after eight purchases. Just a great place with lots of combinations to choose from to satisfy your sweet tooth. No wonder it’s always busy.
Of course, I am now craving a large cup of 16 Handles with a boat load of toppings on it. Problem is, it’s now 1am and I’m sitting on the couch suffering because it’s closed for the night. Sometimes life is just not fair!
16 Handles – http://16handles.com/
http://www.yelp.com/biz/16-handles-new-york-3
16 Handles looks great Phil! Those toppings really put it over the top, love it. You and I are definitely on the same stream of thought regarding Pinkberry. It may be one of the few foods I’ve tasted in my life that I literally had to spit out into a napkin. YUK! Maybe its better cooked into spices or something. Love other frozen yogurts though, 16 Handles looks like a nice NYC choice.
Hey Peggy!
I’m a big ice cream guy. I never thought I would be a froyo fan but with the great flavors and all the toppings I can eat this every day!
My oldest dispenses hers a little, flattens it, dispenses more, flattens it more, so that by the time she’s finished with dispensing all her fro yo, it looks like a half gallon all packed in. THEN she gets about 65 lbs of toppings. Needless to say, I have to cash out some savings bonds when we go for fro yo!
Great review Phil. Wish we had that around here. We have Sweet Frog.
Hey Teri!
Glad you liked. I think next time I should go over there with you and your kids to take lessons!
You have a knack – making me hungry! Love cold sweet frozen treats. I’ll just consume with my eyes! Have a great weekend. Go JETS!
Hey Clay!
Go Jets! They actually showed up and played a decent game Sunday. I’ll have some froyo to celebrate.
Just waddled home from eating my way across Italy, one artisan gelato after another. We’re talking cantaloupe, or tiramisu, or salt caramel fudge, or mixed berry flavors. I want to go back.
Hey Barb!
Oh, I’ll take that gelato any day over our froyo here! That’s good stuff.
Looks amazing. My greatest regret about living in suburbia may be lack of access to awesome food experiences.
Hey Cassandra!
Don’t they have these kind 0f spots out in the burbs? It’s fast food and chain restaurant land out there!
We only get the Orange Leaf sort out here. Of course, we do have about 6 homemade ice cream stands within 10 miles. That doesn’t suck.
I love places like this, we have a couple here in Longmont. I tend to go for the same things every time though, chocolate and peanut butter with peanut butter cups and then more chocolate on top! I can’t be allowed to go very often… it’s dangerous!
Hey Emily!
Mmmm….peanut butter. You gotta try some different toppings. I’ll admit it can be dangerous!
Q: Do you know what the looks like?
A: More.
Hey Mary!
Oh. I’ll take more of this anytime! I love ice cream and froyo.
–this is exactly what my heaven will look like: Lots of chocolate, ice-cream, and all the toppings! xxx
Hey Kim!
Mine would also include Marshmallow Fluff, bacon, and steak.
All in the same bowl!
Must say that when it comes to froyo, I’m a Pinkberry girl. I like the clean (some might say sour) taste and the fresh and healthy fruit toppings. If I want different flavors, chocolate sauce and sugar sprinkles, I’d rather go all-in for a full-calorie treat from Ben & Jerry’s:)
Hey Mitzie!
It’s just too sour tasting to me. I love ice cream and froyo, but Pinkberry doesn’t do it for me. Now Ben & Jerry’s that’s a different story! So many different concoctions to devour.
Well, since I don’t have a 16 Handles near me, I’ll just have to stick to the local mom and pops Sweetberries next door to my current work place. (Besides, they had bogo coupons during the summertime.)
Hey Kitt!
Sounds like a good deal to me. Bogo works just fine for a tasty cold treat!
I have to try 16 handles the next time I am in NYC!
Hey Sandhya!
It’s worth a shot. There are so many froyo spots here now!
If I lived near a 16 Handles, I’d have 16 inches added to my waistline in 16 weeks.
Hey Cowboys!
LOL! I added those 16 inches to my waist a long time ago!
Sounds a lot like a Sweet Frog as well. There’s one of those near me, which is nice. I’ve learned that the frozen wonder is good almost by itself, so I usually avoid too many topping. Plus, I don’t get a killer sugar spike from it! I’d definitely try this place though!
Hey PJ!
Seem like so many of these froyo chains opening up everywhere nowadays. Some are better than others. Yes, with the diabetic thing you need to monitor the toppings and sugar content. Sometimes I just add on some of the chopped fruit and blueberries. Yum!