Yard Milkshake Bar bringing decadent milkshakes to St. Johns Town Center area

Gary T. Mills, Florida Times-Union
·3 min read
The Yard's Unicorn milkshake features cotton candy ice cream with a marshmallow cream-coated jar dipped in sprinkles and topped with whipped cream, a unicorn cone made in-house, a rainbow candy stripe and cotton candy.
The Yard's Unicorn milkshake features cotton candy ice cream with a marshmallow cream-coated jar dipped in sprinkles and topped with whipped cream, a unicorn cone made in-house, a rainbow candy stripe and cotton candy.

There are decadent milkshakes – and then there are The Yard Milkshake Bar milkshakes, like the Peanut Butter Finger Waffle: honey-roasted peanut butter ice cream in a peanut butter-dipped mason jar rolled in crushed Butterfinger and topped with whipped cream, peanut butter drizzle, Butterfinger and a waffle.

That’s a mouthful to say and a mouthful to eat.

It’s just one of more than 18 specialty shakes served in souvenir mason jars that will be offered at The Yard Milkshake Bar when it opens its first Northeast Florida restaurant later this year at The Strand at Town Center.

With a building permit recently issued, construction is set to begin on the restaurant at 4906 Town Center Parkway in the former Yogurt Mountain spot next door to Grub Burger Bar.

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According to the restaurant’s website, The Yard also offers more than two dozen ice cream flavors, including some that are gluten-free and vegan friendly, that can be topped with dozens of options ranging from tried-and-true sprinkles to rainbow whipped cream, cotton candy cloud and more.

Or for something different, choose from several flavors of edible cookie dough, including Nutella Brownie, M&M Sugar Cookie, Peanut Butter Monster and more.

Founded in 2017 in Gulf Shores, Ala., the concept has grown to at least 20 locations helped, in part, by a 2019 appearance on Shark Tank by founders Logan and Chelsea Green. In Florida, The Yark Milkshake Bar operates restaurants in Panama City, Destin and Tampa.

In Jacksonville, The Yard will join Bon Chon, Grub Burger Bar, Keke’s Breakfast Café, Mission BBQ, Planet Smoothie, Domu, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, Chuy’s, Firebird’s Wood Fired Grill, Fogo de Chao and Moe’s Southwest Grill at The Strand.

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But The Yard isn’t the only decadent dessert shop on tap for the Town Center.

Sugar Factory American Brasserie, the upscale confectionery and restaurant made popular by celebrities and social media influencers, plans to take over the former Brio Tuscan Grille spot at nearby Markets at Town Center later this year.

Known for its $25, celebrity-endorsed couture pops, Las Vegas-based Sugar Factory offers its own decadent desserts, including $20 milkshakes, $17 sundaes and its $99 “World Famous Sugar Factory King Kong Sundae” featuring 24 scoops of ice cream topped with dark chocolate, caramel and strawberry sauces, banana, marshmallows and even a glazed doughnut, red velvet cupcake and more.

Sugar Factory also offers a menu of signature burgers, soups, salads and sandwiches as well as steaks, seafood and pasta entrees.

The restaurant has nearly 20 locations open in the United States, including four in Florida, in Miami, Tampa and Orlando, according to its website.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Yard Milkshake Bar coming to Jacksonville's St. Johns Town Center area