Coffee + Cone blends coffee and ice cream in Upper Arlington

Siena Kessler
Thu, 09 Apr 2026 01:39:10 +0000
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A new Upper Arlington shop is drawing in Ohio State students and local families alike by combining two everyday staples — coffee and ice cream — under one roof.

Coffee + Cone at the Mallway, just three miles from campus, opened in January and was created by owner Alyssa Litzinger after she said she saw a gap in her neighborhood.

“My family and I live in the neighborhood, and we have five kids that go to the local schools,” Litzinger said. “We just saw a need for something not only for the kids but also for adults. The idea came to me in February of 2025 … so it was a full year from start to finish.”

The decision to serve both coffee and ice cream was intentional, Litzinger said, allowing the shop to appeal to a wide range of customers.

“Ice cream just is something that everyone can enjoy — kids, adults, everyone in between,” Litzinger said. “Coffee for the adults especially, but a lot of junior high and high school kids locally get coffee drinks a lot too.”

The shop partners with One Line Coffee and offers a rotating menu of specialty drinks and other seasonal items, according to Litzinger. Since opening, she said several options have quickly become customer favorites, particularly among Ohio State students.

“Our strawberry matcha has been really popular, along with our pistachio latte and pistachio matcha,” Litzinger said. “We also do a house-made honey whip topping that goes really well on cold drinks.”

The menu recently expanded to include ice cream sundaes with a variety of toppings, from cookie dough to a housemade turtle sundae with pecans, sea salt and chocolate sauce.

Litzinger said she designed the space to be small and efficient, prioritizing quick visits over long stays.

“It’s a very small space so it is more of a grab-and-go style, but we wanted it to be something unique that people can build into their routine,” Litzinger said.

Still, she said Coffee + Cone has become a regular stop for many students and community members, especially as the weather warms.

“In the mornings, it’s a lot of Ohio State students and young professionals coming for the coffee,” Litzinger said. “After school, it’s a lot of students, and then the weekend is a totally different demographic.”

Despite its small size, Angelina McGinty, a fourth-year in architecture who started working at Coffee + Cone shortly after it opened, said students still find ways to spend time in the space.

“Inside space is limited, but during the day it is a good time for students to come in,” McGinty said. “I do see people bringing their laptops and hanging out for a while.”

As business picked up, Litzinger said the team quickly learned how to manage the shifting crowds.

“At first, we were just learning all of the audiences,” Litzinger said. “We figured out quickly how to prepare for all of the rushes and which audiences to be prepared for.”

McGinty said the variety on the menu is what sets it apart from other shops.

“I think the variety we have with the coffee, matcha, chai and also having ice cream, you definitely see people coming in for both,” McGinty said.

McGinty said the shop has maintained a steady flow of customers, with especially busy periods in the afternoons.

“Typically, I feel like we are always steady, it’s a nice vibe,” McGinty said. “After school, it gets a bit crazy with the kids, but it’s always exciting.”

Social media has also played a major role in the shop’s early success, bringing in new customers and building a base of loyal visitors, Litzinger said.

“When we first opened, we had some food influencers and some of their posts went kind of viral in Columbus,” Litzinger said. “We’ve had a lot of repeat customers from that.”

Looking ahead, Litzinger said the shop plans to continue expanding its menu with new options.

“We are going to start doing a dairy-free option for soft serve soon, and we are going to start with strawberry,” Litzinger said. “We’ve had a lot of requests for that … and then we’re going to start a blueberry lemon muffin latte soon for spring.”

For Litzinger, she said the response so far has exceeded expectations.

“We’ve been overwhelmed,” Litzinger said. “Not only Upper Arlington, but just such support in central Ohio and beyond.”