Growing up, there was no greater treat than a trip with my grandparents to Tip Top Dairy Bar in Osakis, Minnesota. It usually came as a reward for behaving while errands were ran in nearby Alexandria, and what a sweet reward it was.
Nothing beats a Tip Top Dairy twist cone on a hot day. Taking that first cool bite of the swirl of the top. The ice cream melting down your hand as it overflowed from a waffle cone, the pleasant stickiness that it left you with afterwards. Memories are delicious.
Originally started by Norman Hansen in 1955, the ownership may have changed a time or two, but the name has remained the same. And more importantly, so has the vibe. They are still serving up classics with a smile.
Ice cream classics like floats, cones, malts and splits are all intertwined in the menu with newer items like slushes and “cyclones” (imagine if Dairy Queen Blizzards were homemade).
Have a hunger that ice cream can’t quite fill? They serve up short order food too! Burgers, chili dogs, cheese curds, even butterfly shrimp grace the food side of the menu. Make your own creation with a list of toppings by request.
If you are traveling through the Osakis area, be sure to stop and time travel back to the 50’s with a treat at Tip Top Dairy Bar with friends and family. You just might make treasured memories.
The Small Town Tourist 
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