NEWMARKET — Main Street just got sweeter with the opening of Sprinkled on Main, a new ice cream parlor promising to “dish out the sprinkles.”
Owned by Sonny and Cassy Vasques, the culinary team behind Ginger and Clove and North of NOLA, the shop opened earlier this month at 80 Main Street, offering a variety of classic hand-scooped flavors and inventive milkshakes.
“We’re just glad to be a part of Newmarket,” said Sonny. “It’s a welcoming town. We have been shown a lot of support since we’ve been here.”
The idea for the shop emerged from their many visits to the now-closed Savannah Kitchen. After enjoying meals in Newmarket, the Vasqueses often traveled outside town for a perfect post-dinner ice cream. When the location at 80 Main Street became available, they seized the opportunity.
The Vasqueses transformed the venue with playful pink walls, decor mimicking melting ice cream, and countertop seating with a view of the bustling street. A neon sign greeting customers reads, “Life is Better with Sprinkles.”
“I like the idea of ‘You’ve been sprinkled!’” Cassy explained. “When people leave here, they’ve been sprinkled with happiness, ready to spread it to others.”
Sprinkled on Main offers 18 flavors from Gifford’s Ice Cream in Maine and Richardson’s Ice Cream in Massachusetts, including classics and unique options like toasted coconut, rocky road, and green monster, described by Sonny as “chocolate chip mint on steroids.” The shop also provides dairy-free options such as chocolate almond yogurt and mango sorbet, with plans to expand flavors for those with dietary restrictions.
The shop’s standout feature is its milkshakes, with six varieties including Sonny’s favorite, the Chocoholic—a chocolate milkshake loaded with brownie chunks, chocolate wafer, whipped cream, and chocolate sprinkles. Other popular choices include Sprinkle Me Pink, Cookie Monster, Mud Bath, Over The Rainbow, and Show Me The Dough.
Sprinkled on Main employs local students, including three juniors from Winnacunnet High School: Briana Tully, Aydin Welch, and Brooks Nabors. The teens enjoy a fun work environment and even contribute ideas for new milkshakes. Tully mentioned concepts like Shake That Cake, a birthday cake milkshake, and Want Some S’More, a s’mores milkshake.
Sonny emphasized his commitment to employing local teens, teaching them business skills. “We take kids, and we turn them into managers, we turn them into leaders,” he said. “Everybody who works for me – Ginger and Clove, and at NOLA – continued to move up the ladder.”
Looking ahead, Sonny envisions Sprinkled on Main as a beloved local staple. “I’m not looking to expand this,” he said. “My wife and I wanted an ice cream shop… I’ve had so many people enjoy a great scoop of ice cream right here and have great conversations. That’s what it’s about.”
