Cape Cod-style, dairy-free ice cream shop opening in Denver next year

Elizabeth Doucette missed eating ice cream with her family during summers in her Cape Cod hometown ever since she stopped eating dairy and gluten in 2012.

So, in July 2020 Doucette and her husband Mike opened Sweet Izzy, a dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan ice cream shop, in Harwich Port, Mass., where they both grew up.

“We tried messing around with some recipes in our kitchen and seeing if we could come up with anything good, and fast-forward to 2020, we decided to take a chance and open Sweet Izzy on the Cape,” Elizabeth said. “Selfishly, so I could enjoy ice cream again when we were there.”

The Doucettes have actually been Denver residents since 2012, but they wanted to test out their first shop in the Cape, what they call the “ice cream mecca.” Now, they’re opening a second location in their Cherry Creek neighborhood, at 3003 E. 3rd Ave., early next year.

Sweet Izzy, named after the couple’s daughter Isabelle, uses an oat milk and coconut milk base. It serves hard-pack and soft-serve ice cream, sundaes, banana splits, milkshakes, toppings and cones – all of which are vegan, soy-free and gluten-free. Flavors include mint chocolate chip, raspberry chip, cookie dough and cookies n’ cream.

Sweet Izzy’s 1,300-square-foot location will bring a bit of the Cape to Denver. They want to create the same ice parlor ambiance with pink gooseneck lights, marble countertops and gold and pink accents

“Our store is a lot more than just ice cream,” Mark said. “It’s brought such joy to so many people and continues to do so. A mom brought three children, and one had a very severe dairy allergy, and she came up to the window, ordered and then she started to cry because she was able to give her child an experience that finally felt normal.”

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