Hadley Fruit Orchard now serves date-flavored soft serve
Hadley Fruit Orchards is a tourist stop in the San Gorgonio Pass known for its date shakes. In recent months its snack bar added a logical variation on the dessert to its menu, date-flavored soft serve.
The soft serve has the same light tan color and a similar texture as the shakes, which Hadley’s makes with its own date paste.
A cone or cup costs $4.99. Vanilla soft serve costs $3.99.
Date shakes cost $4.99-$5.99 and are available in original and banana flavors.
Dates are a local crop, grown since the 1900s in orchards on the eastern side of the Coachella Valley.
Hadley’s opened in 1931 and began as a fruit stand on the road between Los Angeles and Palm Springs. It’s now owned by the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, which also owns the nearby Morongo Casino Resort & Spa and other nearby businesses.
In 2016, the tribe opened a new store next to the old one, which sits vacant. These days, it’s more like a souvenir shop with specialty snacks such as trail mix, preserves, post cards and a beer cave.
It also sells whole dates and confections such as stuffed dates, dates dipped in chocolate and coconut date rolls.
Hadley’s cafe serves burgers, hot dogs and panini in addition to shakes and soft serve.
Hadley’s is at 47993 Morongo Trail, No. 101, Cabazon, near the 10 Freeway. Hours are 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
If you want to make your own date shake, Hadley’s has a recipe on its website.
Information: hadleyfruitorchards.com