PTBOSpotlight: The Chill Desire

Welcome to PTBOSpotlight! Every Friday, this segment showcases a business or organization in Peterborough and the Kawarthas. You will have the opportunity to learn more about the people behind the organization and the work they do for our community.

This week, we are featuring The Chill Desire. The local business is owned by brothers Sarthak Juneja and Nitish.

Located on 366 George St. N., The Chill Desire started as an ice cream parlour but has since branched out, adding savoury food to their menu including burgers, wraps, fries, spring rolls and more.

“We serve everything from ice creams and waffles to specialty drinks, peri peri loaded fries, and our famous aalu patty burger, along with a variety of popular Indian snacks like momos (dumplings) and samosas, all made fresh in an open kitchen,” said Juneja. “Whether you're craving a sweet scoop or a savoury bite, we have something for everyone.”

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Prior to opening The Chill Desire, the brothers arrived in Peterborough as international students in 2019. The idea stemmed from Nitish visiting his home country of India, where his friends introduced him to waffles with ice cream during an outing. They eventually introduced authentic South Asian flavours that they could not find locally and often travelled to Toronto for the taste they loved.

As customer demand grew, they expanded to include chicken burgers, fries, wraps, momos, samosas and their unique aalu patty burger. Their involvement in local events and support from the community fueled further growth.

“The Chill Desire is more than just an ice cream shop — it’s a place to relax and enjoy good times with friends and family,” explained Juneja. “Our space is welcoming for students looking to study or do homework and it's lively enough for the bar crowd to indulge in sweet and savoury treats until 3 a.m., 365 days a year.”

The store is celebrating its second anniversary this month in Downtown Peterborough. Since then, the menu has broadened, extended their operating hours and is giving away a free scoop of ice cream with every order until July 15 to celebrate their milestone.

To continue the festivities, on July 16, the Chill Desire is giving away 100 free scoops of ice cream (no purchase necessary, one scoop per customer).

“We are proud of our community support and the variety we offer that keeps people coming back. Our goal is to create a fun, inclusive environment where everyone can enjoy a moment of happiness with quality food and treats.”

To learn more about The Chill Desire, find it online:

Website: www.thechilldesire.ca
Instagram: @thechilldesire
Facebook: The Chill Desire

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