As I scrolled through my camera roll trying to decide what to post on Instagram for National Ice Cream Day (July 17, 2022) I realized that I’ve enjoyed a lot of amazing ice cream over the years. Inventive ice cream made with top-quality ingredients is one of the best parts about living in the San Francisco Bay Area. But no matter where I‘ve travelled, whether the climate is hot or cold, everybody loves ice cream.
Here’s a roundup of some (but not all) of my favorites, and where to try these flavors for yourself this summer and beyond.
Blueberry Muffin and Peach Pie ice creams from Sweet Rose
Sweet Rose Creamery is this Santa Monica ice cream institution. It’s in a chic little shopping mall called the Brentwood Country Mart, where there’s also a Gwyneth Paltrow goop store. They have a range of flavors, but their claim to fame is ice cream mixed with chunks of cake and pie. The first time I visited, I was blown away by the summery combo of Blueberry Muffin ice cream with Peach Pie ice cream in a waffle cone. The flavors were intense with the right balance of sweetness and acidity.
Double Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwich from Miette
Miette is a super-cute chain of French-inspired bakeries here in the San Francisco Bay Area. I started going to the Ferry Plaza location when I worked in the city. The macarons are lovely, and so are is the hazelnut shortbread, but the most stunning thing I discovered at Miette was this Double Chocolate ice cream sandwich. Creamy chocolate ice cream is sandwiched between two bittersweet chocolate wafers that taste like what Oreo cookies aspire to be. It’s the best $5 treat in San Francisco.
Salted Caramel Vegan Nice Cream from Kubé
I had pretty much given up on plant-based ice cream, because it never got the texture quite right, or it was too sweet, or the flavors didn’t deliver. But Kubé, a coconut-based (n)ice cream made by a Black woman entrepreneur Kai B. Nortey in Oakland, changed my mind about this category. Her Salted Caramel with Toasted Pecan ice cream was full-flavored, creamy and I loved the hint of coconut flavor in the background. After I sampled Kubé at the Black Wine + Food Expo, I promptly went out and bought some. It’s pricey, but it’s worth the dairy-free indulgence.
Salted Caramel Ice Cream from Bi-Rite Creamery
I really don’t like standing in line for food. I guess no one really loves it, but San Francisco was the first place that long lines to get a loaf of bread, fried chicken sandwich or ice cream were commonplace. But one treat that’s worth the wait is the Salted Caramel ice cream from Bi-Rite Creamery. This salted caramel is perfect, with the rich flavor with the right hint of salt and burnt caramel on the finish. It’s a benchmark flavor for me that never disappoints. Be prepared to eat it quickly, since the high-sugar content means it’s always on the soft side.
Sweet Corn Ice Cream from Tara’s Organic
Artist Tara Esperanza founded her eponymous brand Tara’s Organic Ice Cream in 2005. While it’s been named the top East Bay ice cream, I think it’s one of the best ice creams in the entire Bay Area. Every ingredient is organic, the flavors are inventive (yerba mate anyone?) and they make really tasty waffle cones studded with black sesame seeds. I wish it were easier to know what flavors are on offer: they only post new flavors on Instagram every few days or you can call for a lightening fast rundown. Tara’s Black Sesame and Banoffee Pie, but my all-time favorite is Sweet Corn. The corn milk and kernels somehow amplify the cream and sugar for an unforgettable flavor experience.
Hawaiian Shave Ice With Haupia Ice Cream from Waiola
Since discovering Hawaiian shave ice with ice cream on a trip to Maui (thanks Ulilani!) no trip to the islands is complete without one of these creations. In Oahu, the place to go is Waiola Shave Ice, a little convenience store painted with a rainbow. They have snacks like li hing mui and nuts, but the real draw is the shave ice. My favorite is the scoop of haupia, a frozen coconut custard, mounded over with shave ice and drizzled with mango, lilikoi and melon syrups. After this sugar-bomb, the only thing to do is take a walk along the beach.
Rose With Cinnamon Roasted Almond Ice Cream from Malai
Even among all the edible wonders at Smorgasburg, the food truck meetup at that started at Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, Malai Ice Cream stands out. Malai is a clotted cream in Hindi that also means cream of the crop according to founder Pooja Bavishi. She wanted to bring South Asian flavors like saffron, chai, and minty tulsi to a wider audience. It’s easy to see why Rose With Cinnamon Roasted Almonds is the top-selling flavor. The sweet floral flavor gets a fun crunch from the cinnamon almonds.
Malted Milkshake Chip from Tin Pot Creamery
I first discovered Tin Pot Creamery while I was building the e-commerce content program at Houzz. The company would buy us any dessert we wanted for our birthday, and one of my coworkers had the good taste to order Tin Pot. They do their best work with traditional flavors of the malt-shop milleau, like Banana, Coconut and Salted Butterscotch. My perennial favorite is the Malted Milkshake, which is basically old-school Chocolate Chip ice cream kicked up with malt powder, which adds some depth and a hint of salty savoriness.
