Business Spotlight: Top Hat Creamery
[September 19, 2026] If
you are looking for a place that serves ice cream all year round, head
downtown to Top Hat Creamery located at 513 Pulaski Street in Lincoln.
Since it opened in May 2019, the shop has been owned by Lisa Mestinsek
with her husband Jon and their three children Lillian, Burke and Reilly.
Lisa said they chose to open Top Hat because other places do not have
ice cream year round.
The family chose the location because Guzzardos, which is in the same
area, does not offer dessert. Dessert is the only item missing from the
Guzzardos and Spirited Republic experience. Together, the three
businesses are known as The Trifecta and they are all often busy places
on the weekends.
Lisa said their most popular items are milkshakes, nana’s banana pudding
ice cream with wafers, the lemon cheesecake bar ice cream and the
Michigan pothole. The Michigan pothole is triple chocolate with fudge,
chocolate chunks and chocolate ice cream.
The fruit flavored dole whips are another popular item. For those who
want more than one ice cream flavor, they have cups that hold two
scoops. In addition, there are flights that hold four scoops. A freezer
case near the back has pints of several ice cream flavors.
Recently, Lisa created a guide for all the flavors she carries in
rotation. A popular fall treat is the apple crisp, which is made with
cinnamon-apple ice cream, oatmeal crisp pieces and a brown sugar style
swirl.
Coffee lovers may enjoy the coffee espresso flavored ice cream.
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For chocolate lovers, there is the chocoholic, a chocolate ice cream
loaded with chocolate flakes, chunks of fudge for an extra-rich scoop.
Not all flavors are available every day, so be sure to check the Top Hat
Creamery Facebook page for the flavors of the day.
Shelves across from the ice cream case hold various types of candy like
candy bars, sweet tarts, hard candy and suckers. One unique item is
candy with a cricket inside.
Besides sweet treats, the shop has one case full of hard cheeses, cheese
curds and cheese spreads. A nearby shelf has crackers to go with the
cheeses.
To Lisa, the most rewarding part of owning a business in a small
community is being a bigger part of the community plus getting to know
people she would not know otherwise.
The advice Lisa would give to someone starting out and hoping to
accomplish the same thing is to “surround yourself with people who will
help you and know more than you do.” She said, “Don’t be afraid to ask
for advice and help.”
Top Hat Creamery is open Tuesday through Thursday from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.,
Friday from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. and
Sunday from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. They are closed on Mondays.
Head on over to Top Hat Creamery if you want a tasty treat.
[Angela Reiners]
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