Tennessee summers are no joke, which is why the owners of Tío Fun went and got themselves a soft-serve machine and started making cups of margarita-inspired concoctions. But if the thought of lime, Tajín and milk gives you pause, don’t fear: There’s no dairy in the margarita soft-serve, which is based on a pineapple whip, though the lime offering does contain alcohol.
Co-owner Mikey Corona says the soft-serve margarita will be offered year-round (or for “as long as the machine works”), and lime will be the mainstay flavor. The nonalcoholic margarita soft-serve flavor will rotate. When the Scene sampled the nonalcoholic option in June, it was mango, but strawberry and pineapple have also filled the slot. Customers can also order a swirl of the two flavors — Corona’s favorite order.
The lime certainly feels like a simple margarita, and while it’s not too boozy, the ample serving size means you might want to grab a plate of tacos or a torta before digging in. (Which you should do anyway.) The combo of lime and mango tasted great (sweet and citrus can’t miss), but as a fan of tart flavors, I’d call stand-alone lime the winner.
Whatever flavor you choose, the cup looks great: The bright, mountainous swirl is inviting, garnished with a slice of fruit to add the touch of flair you’d expect from a traditional cocktail. There were a few impressed gasps at the Scene’s table when taste-testing the boozy and non-boozy treats.
The soft-serve feels more like a dessert than something to pair with a hearty meal — you might want to stick with Tío Fun’s frozen margarita for that — but I do think it works well when sharing nachos with the table. Plus the size is part of the appeal. The colorful restaurant plays host to happy hours and thematic brunches, so show up, grab a cup and stay awhile.
Plus, quenching our thirst for limoncello, issuing our first Malört Repört and sampling Tío Fun’s soft-serve margaritas
