First Look: Boardwalk Waffles & Ice Cream opens new location in Maplewood

A Maplewood staple has moved to much larger digs down the street. The newest incarnation of Boardwalk Waffles & Ice Cream opened Saturday, Aug. 15, at 7376 Manchester Road. 

The new 2,200-square-foot space is significantly more spacious than the original 350-square-foot spot located just a stone’s throw away at 7326B Manchester Road, which was open about three years. 

“I always wanted to get into a larger space, but still wanted to stay on the strip,” said owner Eric Moore. 

Customers can still get the waffle-and-ice-cream sandwiches they’ve come to love, but the new location makes way for new items too, including house-made waffle bowls and cones and milkshakes. New flavors of waffles like chocolate and rotating waffle specials like red velvet and orange will also be available.  

Boardwalk has also upped its ice cream flavor options from 16 to 24, including gooey butter cake, strawberry cheesecake, caramel apple, and a range of CBD-infused ice cream; all are made by the Ice Cream Factory in Eldon, Missouri. 

“The CBD ice cream is a huge seller, especially at the festivals we vend, [where it] outsells the regular two to one,” Moore said. “In the store, it makes up about 25% of sales.” 

Moore expects his liquor license to be approved within a few weeks, at which time they’ll begin offering boozy shakes, classic cocktails, local beers and a few wine options. Brunch will soon be offered on the weekends, featuring an array of bottomless mimosas like classic orange, as well as grapefruit and apple. 

The bright, retro space offers an upbeat and casual vibe similar to the New Jersey boardwalks that Moore grew up near. Plexiglass dividers have been installed between booths to aid social distancing safety. There are a few pinball machines, and there will be live music on the weekends. 

Carryout has become a large part of the business thanks to the pandemic, so Boardwalk now offers frozen waffles and ice cream pints to go, with delivery available via Grubhub, Postmates and Doordash. 

In addition to the current venture, Moore plans to open two more locations in South County in the coming months: a pared-down satellite spot on Telegraph Road slated to open this fall and another full-service space on Union Road that should open early next year. There’s also a Boardwalk food truck that he hopes to get out on the town more frequently now that the new Maplewood shop is up and running. 

Check out the slideshow below for a First Look at Maplewood’s newest eatery.