In charming downtown Sweetwater, Tennessee, where time slows down and southern hospitality is a way of life, you’ll find a creamery that feels like stepping into a simpler, sweeter era. Sweetwater Creamery isn’t just an ice cream parlor. It’s a step back in time, a breath of fresh air, and a place where memories are made one scoop at a time.
Walk through the doors and you’re greeted by the comforting hum of nostalgia. An antique cash register with its own tale to tell, swivel bar stools from yesteryear, and smiling staff in bow ties, this is what it means to do dessert the old-fashioned way. Here, you trade the buzz of a screen for the buzz of conversation. You sip on root beer floats in glass dishes while laughing with friends. It’s not just a spot for one-of-a-kind icecream, it’s a special moment in time.
At the center of it all is Emily Phillips, a Sweetwater native with a heart for her hometown and a taste for culinary excellence. A graduate of Lipscomb University with a degree in business, and a trained pastry chef with global inspiration, Emily has transformed Sweetwater Creamery into a southern gem that’s as refined as it is welcoming. After buying the shop three and a half years ago, she’s been on a mission to marry elegance with authenticity, and her motto says it all: “Happily Homemade.”
Everything served at Sweetwater Creamery is made from scratch. Cookies, brownies, mac- arons, crème brûlée, and every swirl of ice cream is handcrafted using the highest quality ingredients. The cookie dough chunks in your cone? Hand-mixed. The pecans in that butter pecan? Toasted and rolled in brown sugar, just the way Emily likes it.
With 50 rotating flavors on the menu, designed to complement the seasons, there’s always something new to discover. Fan favorites include the mocha espresso, with Ghirardelli chocolate and espresso bark, and a bold black licorice that makes a grand appearance every Christmas. Whether you’re dairy-free, gluten-free, or somewhere in between, the creamery has a homemade option just for you.
But what truly sets Sweetwater Creamery apart is the way it makes people feel. It’s a place to gather and stay awhile. It’s a place to sit at the bar top with your kids or grandparents, sharing stories instead of scrolling. It’s a break from the hustle, where conversations matter more than calendars, and family time is the only thing on the agenda. Just like the good ol’ days.
Emily’s vision extends far beyond the walls of the shop. Inspired by a trip to Paris where she was served ice cream from a boat, she dreamed up a lakeside experience like no other.
For land-based events, the creamery also features an old-fashioned pushcart for weddings and a stylish trailer for festivals and community gatherings, turning any occasion into a creamy moment to remember.
Emily is not only a master in the kitchen but also a remarkable leader. She’s built a team rooted in kindness and purpose, offering a work-based program for local high school students and opportunities for those with special needs or learning differences. Her heart for men- torship is just one more ingredient that makes the creamery’s culture so rare, and so sweet.
From “Pasture to Parlor”, Sweetwater Creamery is cultivating more than just ice cream. It’s celebrating a slower pace. It’s inviting you
to be present, to laugh, to linger. So pull up a stool. Put down your phone. And treat yourself to something happily homemade. BecauseatSweetwaterCreamery,it’salways the perfect time for a sweet escape.
