Dole Whip-Inspired Drinks and Desserts to Try Around Boston

When soggy, chilly days hit Boston, some dream of escaping to a tropical island. Others dream of a tropical-ish theme park retreat instead, running around Disney World in the Florida sun with a pineapple float in hand.

Disney’s Dole Whip — a dairy-free, gluten-free pineapple soft serve-like treat, served on its own in a cup or as a float with pineapple juice — has had a bit of a cult following in the decades since it was introduced. Who doesn’t love a refreshing pineapple dessert?

Several Boston-area restaurants serve their own takes on the treat (including a couple spiked with booze), and some local ice cream shops carry Dole’s vegan soft serve in pineapple and other flavors. Here are a few places to find Dole Whip-inspired drinks and desserts, with or without booze, as well as the official Dole soft serve on its own.

Blossom Bar
295 Washington St., Brookline

Blossom Bar

This Brookline Village cocktail bar and Sichuan restaurant enjoys much acclaim for its meticulously made drinks; they lean tropical, but this isn’t the type of place where you’ll find the boozy blue punches of your college years. Try Duan’s Whip, named for owner Ran Duan, which floats pineapple soft serve in El Dorado 12-year rum with Aperol and lime. It’s the perfect cooling accompaniment to one of Blossom Bar’s fiery dishes, like the Chengdu dry hot chicken.

Citrus & Salt
142 Berkeley St., Back Bay, Boston

Citrus & Salt/Instagram

Chef Jason Santos’s coastal Mexican restaurant offers its version of a Dole whip for dessert, featuring fresh pineapple. (Optionally, add rum.) Along similar lines, there’s the mimosa float — a swirl of soft serve sorbet with a cava or rosé split. Flavors are always changing; past options have included pink lemonade, watermelon, mango, and more. Pair with Nashville hot chicken tacos and grilled street corn.

Reign Drink Lab
1370 Dorchester Ave., Dorchester, Boston

Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater

This Fields Corner cafe, nestled inside Vietnamese restaurant Pho Hoa, is the place to go for creative Vietnamese coffee-based drinks, as well as teas and a few blended options. Among the blended drinks is the pineapple whip. It’s not made with soft serve, but it still hits those Dole whip notes thanks to its creamy coconut whip finish. Tip: Visit Reign Drink Lab on a summer 2021 weekend morning for a chance to catch the Lionheart Confections doughnut pop-up onsite.

Local Ice Cream Shops That Carry Dole Soft Serve

Kell’s Kreme/Facebook

Keeping in mind that ice cream shops regularly change up their rotation of flavors, you’ll probably find at least a flavor or two of Dole’s vegan fruit-flavored soft serves at the following spots (but be sure to call ahead if you’ve got your heart set on it). The company sells lemon, lime, strawberry, cherry, mango, and more in addition to pineapple.

• Kell’s Kreme (437 Revere Beach Blvd., Revere, and 168 Humphrey St., Swampscott)
• Wyoma Ice Creme (237 Broadway, Lynn)
• Soc’s Ice Cream (67 Lynn Fells Parkway, Saugus)
• Sweetfrog (650 Adams St., Quincy, and 1899 Ocean St., Marshfield)
• Menchie’s (268 Patriot Pl., Foxborough, 15 Shipyard Dr., Hingham, and 504 Constitution Rd., Littleton)