Deep Barrel Roaster & Creamery

I cannot think of a better duo than coffee and ice cream. I adore each one on their own, but together, they create a myriad of counterbalances: sweet and bitter, hot and cold, laid-back and energetic. They are opposites in many ways, but that makes them perfect complements to each other. I stopped by Deep Barrel Roaster & Creamery in Norco, California with high hopes that were quickly surpassed by the adorable décor, friendly and knowledgeable staff, and fantastic coffee bar set up.

There are some small tables inside and larger picnic tables outside to enjoy your treats, along with water bowls for your dog…or horse. Norco is known as Horsetown, USA, having nearly all their sidewalks double as horse-walks. It is not uncommon to see people tying up their horses in front of stores while they run errands or grab a quick bite. The picnic tables have a great view of the street, so keep an eye out for those horses.

What to eat at Deep Barrel Roaster & Creamery in Norco, CA

Deep Barrel’s specialty dish is a fried ice cream. For those uninitiated, fried ice cream is a ball of frozen-hard ice cream coated in corn flakes or a batter and then deep fried, creating a crunchy shell without melting the ice cream inside. Deep Barrel’s Signature is made with their salted caramel ice cream that is briefly tossed in a bowl of liquid nitrogen, to ensure it stays frozen, before being coated in a mixture of graham cracker and Cinnamon Toast Crunch crumbs. After a brief fry, it’s served up with whipped cream and stripes of chocolate sauce. This thing is a powerhouse of a signature dish. 

I cannot understate how spectacular their salted caramel ice cream is. I had it two ways: in the fried ice cream and on a waffle cone along with a scoop of strawberry that had lovely fresh berries. I normally find salted caramels to lack in either salt or caramel flavor, but neither were missing here. The caramel was deep and rich and the salt was present without being overwhelming. Seriously, you have to try this.

I also sampled a couple of their pastries, though I missed out on their signature baklava and moon pies, as they had already run out for the day. First, a coffee cake that was more of a springy, spiced, bundt cake than the traditional ones coated in crumbs and powdered sugar. Second, a cinnamon roll from a local mobile bakery that offers a rotating specialty flavor each month and I was lucky enough to catch the cherry cheesecake cinnamon roll. It was soft and sweet and the tart cherry went surprisingly well with the cinnamon.

Deep Barrel has only been open for several months under owner and coffee lover, JR. His passion for coffee is clear as I watched him make a beautiful siphoned coffee. We discussed the bean roasts and country of origin and the various methods of coffee preparation they had available at the coffee bar. I went with a Columbian blend that was honey processed and it was a lovely smooth cup. Though they also have other staple methods like cold brew and espresso, I really suggest giving one of the slower pour methods a go here to really taste how well the beans have been roasted.