Any time The Pizitz Food Hall adds a new restaurant, all of Birmingham knows something special is about to happen to their taste buds. This fact came true once again with last week’s opening of The Spun Cow. The ice cream, milkshake, and cotton candy bar is a dessert lover’s paradise, and offers some pretty unique eating options. The innovative shop is the first milkshake-centered sister company of the popular Cotton & Snow in Nashville, and they are happy to be making history in the Magic City.
“Here in Birmingham we saw a large community that our company enjoyed interacting with,” shares Store Manager and longtime fan of the sweet-centered company Chase Grijalva. “I was originally a nurse and I thought the project and the idea were fantastic,” he recalls-and Chase isn’t the only one who was impressed by the sweet concept. Cotton & Snow has built a loyal following since they first opened up shop six years ago, and stays true to their dedication to quality, creativity, and customer service that first won hearts over. Their original location near the Opryland Hotel “put a big twist on shaved ice overall” by essentially turning the treat into a full-blown dessert. The shop was even used as the filming location for superstar Dierks Bentley’s “Living”, and soon drew the attention of developers on Fifth + Broadway who asked them to open a location at one of the biggest food halls in the nation at Assembly Food Hall. They accepted the offer and opened a fun Cotton & Snow bar/eatery that offers a little something for everyone (including alcoholic options).
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Two big focuses with The Spun Cow are milkshakes and floats, hence the fun name. “We’ve been doing milkshakes for a while, and we wanted to expand that concept solely to a milkshake bar that included a lot of our hand-scooped options and also our popular floats,” Grijalva shares, “The butterbeer snow float is a really popular one which uses their in-house soda mix. The cotton candy milkshake is super popular because you get a little bit of everything with it.” Their signature drink, which I tried for article-writing purposes, has the cotton candy milkshake topped with actual cotton candy which is a level of cotton candy inception that I thought I would only be able to read about or watch on TV in my lifetime. Yet there I was, feeling the sensation firsthand. Other milkshake options include banana pudding, strawberry cheesecake, Superman, espresso, and many more.
Speaking of cotton candy, there are over 50 rotating flavors offered which means there is a constantly changing roster of top-notch options. My first visit featured heavyweights such as strawberry, watermelon, blue raspberry, green apple, and pink vanilla. It’s safe to say I’m excited to see what round two holds. Their location in The Pizitz is highlighted by a bright pink neon logo that draws you in like a moth, and is sure to be featured in many photographs over the upcoming years. Classy pink bar stools offer the perfect seating to complete the vibe for an ideal dessert outing
“Birmingham has been super welcoming,” Chris shares, “Ever since we began the process of getting this location ready for opening, The Pizitz Food Hall has been super supportive.” Everyone from UAB and Samford students to everyday foot traffic and buses coming from McWayne and elsewhere are enjoying this latest addition to Birmingham’s food scene. We’re glad The Spun Cow enjoys the city as much as we like their unique creations.
Cover image from The Spun Cow
