On a less serious note, I really enjoy ice cream and when I was in college, I wrote a blog post dedicated to all the “artisanal” ice cream I had in the Bay Area. This jumpstarted the idea to write about some of my favorite ice cream places I’ve tried thus far. Due to age–honestly, mostly fear of developing diabetes and gaining weight–I don’t consume ice cream at the rate in which I used to (during my glory days - aka college), but I still enjoy a good ice cream from time to time.


PS: Due to the expansion of many of the below ice cream companies/stores, there are often multiple locations which are not comprehensively listed here. I chose the locations that I frequent the most.



Bay Area, CA


Sunday Social, formerly known as Mr. and Mrs. Miscellaneous

One of my favorite ice creameries of all time. Putting this at the top of my list for favorite ice cream places in the Bay Area may be controversial since there are many people who adamantly believe that Bi-Rite is the best creamery in San Francisco, but I think what seals the deal for me is the creaminess of the ice cream at Mr. and Mrs. Miscellaneous. I love the fact that every bite is so indulgent. Brownie points for packing the ice cream all the way down the cone.

Price: $3.50 for a single scoop (1 flavor)


Bi-Rite Creamery

I really enjoy teas and flower scents - aptly, one of my favorite flavors at Bi-Rite is Honey Lavender. Tea and flower scents are very divisive. Some of my friends dislike Honey Lavender as they say it tastes like soap, but to me, it is beautifully crafted - strong enough that it lingers on my tongue but light enough that it doesn’t overwhelm my taste buds. I’ve also had the Salted Caramel and Ricanelas and I thoroughly enjoyed every bite. The flavors served at Bi-Rite are very rich (but not too creamy in comparison to Mr. and Mrs. Miscellaneous).

Price: $4.75 for a small (1-2 flavors)

Suggestion: If the weather is nice, you should grab a sandwich at Ike’s, eat it at Dolores Park, and then visit Bi-Rite.


Humphry Slocombe Ice Cream

It took me a while to try Humphry’s - I had it junior year in college while hanging out with my high school best friend in the Ferry Building. I tried Candied Ginger, and I really enjoyed it! When I dug into my ice cream, I was pleasantly surprised to find chunks of actual ginger (since I had assumed the ginger would only be the flavoring). In terms of richness and creaminess, I would say it’s in the middle of both Bi-Rite and Mr. and Mrs. Miscellaneous.

Price: $4.75 for a single


Ici Ice Cream

NOW CLOSED What a tragedy
This is a Berkeley staple. I’ve been here too many times, ranging from when they first open in the morning to barely making the cut-off right before they close. Their homemade cone is a must-try! My favorite flavor at Ici is Rose Vanilla. One thing’s for sure - Ici does not shy away from eclectic flavors: banana curry, pink peppercorn, Anise Almond Grappa Raisin, etc. This is a little icier and less creamy/rich than the other ice cream shops listed above.

Price: $3.50 (cup) or $4.75 (cone) for one scoop

Pros: So close to my apartment (8 minute walking distance, 4 minutes if I run). They also have unique flavors (as mentioned above) which change somewhat daily, and you can try up to 4 of them! Also if you’re in between flavors but you only want one scoop, you can get “half-scoops” (but only in a cup - you can still ask for a cone and they’ll place the cone on top of your ice cream in a cup)! Brilliant, right?

Cons: Long lines, primarily because there are so many Berkeley students drowning their sorrows or celebrating their accomplishments at Ici - including me.

Side Note: The workers here have fantastic memories! I don’t understand how they remember all of the flavors.


Smitten Ice Cream

Okay, so I’m not a huge fan. I think the idea behind how they make their ice cream is absolutely cool - they use liquid nitrogen if you didn’t know (yay science). However, I don’t really like the texture of the ice cream. It feels like cold, too-smooth-almost-in-a-fake-way buttercream frosting.

Price: $5 for a small scoop


Fentons Creamery

Did you know that Fentons Creamery is featured in Up? It’s a cute ice creamery and diner (you can order food there). I’ve only tried their ice cream sundaes, which are as decadent and delicious as they look. You can also try the Fenton’s Challenge, in which you are given 15 minutes to finish a massive sundae, comprised of 1 lb of vanilla ice cream, 1 lb of strawberry ice cream, 1 lb of chocolate ice cream, and doused with every topping and syrup/sauce that comes with a normal sundae. I can proudly say that I finished the challenge slightly under 5 minutes. Would I ever do it again? I’d say hell no.

Price: $6.50 for a single scoop.


Almare Gelato Italiano

Small shop near the Berkeley BART entrance serving decent gelato. My go-to flavor here is Stracciatella - have yet to be disappointed. They also give you a good serving size. They also have a stamp card so take one and bring it with you if you will be frequenting this place.

Price: $3.25 for a single scoop (kids cup)

Pros: They let you try as many flavors as you want and will let you do half scoops.

Cons: Inconsistent service, limited seating.


Lush Gelato

NOW CLOSED (as reported on Yelp)


This shop is hidden, tucked away at the back of Epicurious Garden. I prefer this place over Almare. The gelato is good quality and there’s a cute outdoor space you can sit in.

Price: $4.50 for a single scoop



Los Angeles, CA

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams

I love Jeni’s. I know Jeni’s started in Columbus, Ohio BUT it’s a wonderful addition to LA. There are a bunch of locations in LA now, and they also sell pints at markets like Whole Foods which is great if you can’t stop by the store. My favorite flavors are the brambleberry crisp and brown butter almond. Ask to try flavors! Also if you order your ice cream in a cup, they give you a little piece of the waffle cone with your order.

Price: $6.25 for a single scoop (up to 2 flavors)


Salt & Straw Ice Cream

Okay, this is cheating a little since Salt & Straw originated in Portland, but since I’ve never been to Portland (and therefore haven’t had the original Salt & Straw), I will say this is a go-to in Los Angeles. It’s positioned in Larchmont Village with lots of cute stores and eateries, though there are so many stores scattered throughout LA. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams is also down the street! I find myself rotating between three flavors - Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons, Stumptown Coffee with Compartes Love Nuts, and Roasted Strawberry & Toasted White Chocolate. Lately, I’ve been feeling like Salt & Straw has been a little too sweet (I know - ice cream being too sweet?!?), but if you have a sweet tooth, this is the place for you!

Random anecdote: One time an employee at Salt & Straw overheard me telling my friend that Salt & Straw ice cream makes me so happy and she paid for my scoop out of the goodness of her heart. That experience cemented my love for Salt & Straw. Bless her soul.

Price: $5.95 for a single scoop


Saffron & Rose Ice Cream

Really solid Persian ice cream. Located in Westwood near UCLA.

Price: $5.50 for a small (2 scoops)

Cons: Can get pretty busy with a long line and parking can be difficult in Westwood. Saffron pistachio, rose, and jasmine are some of my go-to flavors.



New York, NY

Venchi

I honestly slept on Venchi for all 3 years while I was living in New York and I finally decided to try it on a whim while I was visiting this year (2022). What took me so long?! I will say it’s pretty pricey the way I like to order it (almost $10!!!), but honestly, ice cream/gelato has seemingly become a luxury. I like getting the gourmet cone (which is an add-on).

Price: $7.25 for a regular (up to 2 flavors)

Con: Have you seen the price…



Dublin, Ireland

Venice, Italy

Florence, Italy

Seoul, Korea

Baekmidang

I love this place so much. I don’t usually deviate from their soft milk ice cream, which is so milky, icy, yet pleasantly light. Something about Korean ice cream is different than ice cream in the US. They also service ice cream made with soy milk instead of regular cow’s milk.

Price: ₩4,200 (~$3 USD)