After seven years of serving small-batch, housemade ice cream in the Heights, Fat Cat Creamery is now opening a spin-off at the Stomping Grounds center at 1225 West 34th in Garden Oaks. The official grand opening is Saturday, November 14, but the shop is already quietly serving scoops of Milk Chocolate Stout, Waterloo Strawberry, Meow Mexican Vanilla and several other flavors. 

“Opening our first location in the Heights was a dream come true, and our Garden Oaks location in the Stomping Grounds is such an exciting next step,” said owner Sarah Johnston via press release. “We love our community so much and are grateful to bring more sweetness into the world with our expansion.”

The new Fat Cat shop will also offer an expanded selection of ice creams. Five new flavors are available: Pumpkinator Ice Cream (named for Saint Arnold Brewing Company’s pumpkin stout), Pumpkin Cheesecake, Coconut Pandan and Bourbon Pecan Pie — all seasonal offerings for autumn — and a new permanent flavor Whiskey Butter Pecan featuring Yellow Rose Distilling whiskey.

Expect new ice cream flavors to appear more frequently in the future, as Fat Cat Creamery is building a production area on the second floor that’s triple the space of the prep area of the Heights shop. As has always been the case, the creamery is still using ingredients made in Texas, including milk, cream, produce, pecans, dried fruit and eggs from Ole Dad Farms in Weimar.

Stomping Grounds is a 17,831-square-foot retail and dining facility surrounding an 8,000-square-foot green space. Revive Development started the project in late 2017. The facility is comprised of a repurposed former HISD bus barn, three newly constructed buildings, a community stage and a large parking lot. Fat Cat Creamery can be found on the first floor and has its own designated patio area. Guests are also welcome to enjoy the common-use green space. Stomping Grounds is already planning community events for the green space, including a socially distanced turkey trot, outdoor yoga and a movie night on the lawn.

Houston architect Tim Cisneros of Cisneros Design Studio Architects collaborated on the design. Field of Study, another Houston agency, worked with Johnston on incorporating the Fat Cat Creamery brand into the space, which resulted in cat-themed design accents and a “winding, glittering floor path” that customers can follow from the door to the order counter.

Grown-up visitors over age 21 can also enjoy complimentary canned craft cocktails from Daiquiri Time Out, which is based in Galveston, while supplies last. 

In addition to scoops of ice cream in cones or cups, Fat Cat also serves milkshakes, malts, floats, sundaes, frozen pre-wrapped treats, pints of ice cream to go and more. In addition to traditional hot fudge sundaes, some of the variations appropriate for the cooler weather are the Harvest Sundae, featuring a bottom layer of apple crumb cake, and the Pumpkinator Sundae. 

Just like the original Shepherd Drive location, Fat Cat Creamery in Garden Oaks is open daily. The hours are Monday through Thursday from noon to 10 p.m., Friday from noon to 11 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Phaedra Cook

Phaedra Cook has written about Houston’s restaurant and bar scene since 2010. She was a regular contributor to My Table magazine (now closed) and was the lead restaurant critic for the Houston Press for two years, eventually being promoted to food editor. Cook founded Houston Food Finder in November 2016 and has been its editor and publisher ever since.