The Top 10 Spots for Ice Cream in The Bay Area

When you think of the best ice cream in bay area, think about Swensen’s! A rich, creamy and delicious ice cream that has been tested and perfected throughout the years, this retro-style parlor offers the top ice creams in bay area that will leave you with a happy stomach and a happy heart. Located in Russian Hill since 1948, don’t forget to dwell into their sticky chewy chocolate, black marble raspberry, and their thin mint ice cream. Dive into the taste of history in their first-ever store in San Francisco. Your experience in Swensen’s will surely be one to remember! Wander down Lombard Street just a few blocks away, with the best Turkish Coffee ice cream and Swiss Orange Chip ice cream you’ll come across. Don’t the names already make your mouth water? 1999 Hyde St. is the answer to all your problems, beholding your humble getaway. However, make sure you carry cash because this place is old fashioned that way, they only accept cash! Parking may be tricky, but at the end of the day, the ice cream is worth any hassle!

A Portland favorite that sneaked its way down to the Bay Area, Salt & Straw is well aware of how to pair the candied essence of flavors into an eccentric dessert. Always keeping your taste buds in awe, they offer mind-blowing combinations that will always leave you wondering. From brown butter rice gelato drizzled with a bit of olive oil and lemon custard for the health freaks to their sea salt caramel ribbon and toasted strawberry tres leches for the sweethearts, you’ll be speechless by just its aroma. Whipping up new flavors every month, don’t forget to try their monthly specials that fit right into the setting! Salt & Straw is anything but a regular ice cream parlor. Reigning the title of churning one of the best ice cream in bay area, this creamery continues to impress people with their classics at 2201 Fillmore St. and 586 Hayes St. in San Francisco. A charm so unforgettable, you’ll always come back for more.

Smitten offers you decadent ice creams along with a show! Watch the machine developed and patented by Robyn Sue Fisher churn fresh ice cream just for you. You can watch your ice cream fall into shape as the liquid nitrogen does its misty magic. Science rules doesn't it? Their Brrr Bar is where the magic happens. It will compel you to 'brrr'ing yourself and everyone you know to 432 Octavia St, 2404 California St, 2268 Chestnut St, or 904 Valencia St. for a scoop of their most creamy, smooth, fresh and obviously, the best ice cream in bay area! Have a lick of their daily flavors like Blue Bottle espresso and TCHO Chocolate, and a few of their seasonal delights such as sweet corn accompanied with berries and rhubarb crisps for a flight of flavors. Taking you back in time, try their Mint Chip, a people’s favorite that can never get old! Their daily flavors may range from your common ice cream flavors to fancy flavors like Peaches & Bourbon, try them all! With their daily offers and services, send your loved ones some Smitten Ice cream as a surprise! Smitten

Just a few meters away from Dolores Park, Bi-Rite Creamery and Bakehouse whip up several kid favorites like malted vanilla with a crunch from peanut brittle and chocolate pieces. The local scoop shop is hinted to serve the best ice cream in bay area, and this can be seen by the long line out the door, with customers eagerly waiting to taste their salted caramel and balsamic strawberry ice cream, some of the most popular and demanded flavors of all time. Their must-try flavors also include balsamic-tinged strawberry ice cream and cinnamon-cookie Ricanelas. Can’t wait in line? Then hop onto their soft-serve line which is usually shorter. You can grab their regular yet popular flavors in a matter of seconds, and of course, do not forget to sneak a bite of their ice cream sandwiches and irresistible Popsicle! Bi-Rite serves all, so you won’t be leaving empty-handed. Serving unusual but undeniably tasty options made from their fresh and organic ingredients, don’t forget to taste their basil and honey lavender ice cream, for a whole experience. Visit 3692 18th St. and 550 Divisadero St. in San Francisco for the taste of a frosty wonderland.

With immense experience in the art of making ice cream, Polly Ann’s has been delivering a huge variety of flavors for over 60 years. Its top ice creams in bay area is blended to perfection with a hint of Asian flavor. Have a taste of their most famous black sesame, jasmine tea, and even durian flavored treats. Can’t decide which ice cream to indulge in? Choose your ice cream of the day by spinning the flavor wheel with over 500 varieties and leave the choice to fate! Grab a scoop and head to Ocean Beach to enjoy the chilled delight with a view of the sea and heat of the sun, an experience so perfect you wouldn’t want to miss! The best ice cream in bay area can certainly be found here. Whether you are looking for an Asian twist or your old-school flavors like rocky road and mint chocolate chip, Polly Ann has it all! Hop onto 3138 Noriega St. in San Francisco, CA for an unforgettable taste and experience.

Inspired from the owner’s love for British comedy, Humphry Slocombe is named after the two lead characters from the 1970’s “Are you being served” sitcom. A creamery that opened in December 2008 has already made its way onto the list of the best ice cream in bay area! As they say, “Welcome to our bizarre, delicious and frozen universe”. With several unusual flavors mounting up, dive into the unknown and try something new! Their signatures such as secret breakfast, Tahitian Vanilla, and malted milk chocolate will make you want to replace your average morning breakfast with a scoop of their ice cream! Drool all over the place with their blue bottle Vietnamese coffee, a complex blend of rich coffee, chicory root, and pure condensed milk. Offering Sundae’s that’ll make you Sunday, try spiced pumpkin, secret s ’mores and their duck yeah sundae for a game-changing experience. First-timers will surely be compelled and turn into regulars after a taste of their first scoop! If you are looking for something new, something fresh and the best ice cream in bay area, Humphry Slocombe is your getaway! Not only will you get to taste the best dessert in town, but you’ll also get a chance to learn about the famous sitcom after which the store has been named. What an interesting concept!

Known for serving the creamiest and most mouthwatering ice cream, sorbet, and sundaes, Mitchell’s Ice Cream parlor has been doing so for over 50 years now! The retro - classic store is famous for its authentic Mexican flavors such as horchata and Mexican chocolate, Peruvian flavors such as yucuma and Filipino flavors with distinct traces of coconut. They also offer pre-packed half gallons of ice cream for you to take home and enjoy with your kids! Mitchell’s offer the best ice cream in bay area, and not just tropical flavors but also the American-style favorites such as butterscotch marble with a heavy drizzle of caramel sauces. Their silky, creamy and delicious ice cream is to die for and you certainly won’t regret the trip to 688 San Jose Ave. just for this ice cream kingdom! Their diverse flavors call for a diverse clientele, some of whom even plan visits around Mitchell’s seasonal flavors such as their famous Eggnog ice cream for the holidays and irresistible cantaloupe! So, what’s stopping you?

Claimed to be the birthplace of Rocky Road ice cream, this ice cream parlor, and restaurant is located in Piedmont Avenue in Oakland, California. It is also famous because of its feature in the animated movie Up! Employees and the director of this Pixar hit were regular customers at the Fenton's Creamery. The diner that mirrors those from classic movies offers you some of the best burgers in town and is also known for their massive sundaes and banana splits. If you want to do justice to the best ice cream in bay area don’t forget to have a bite of their butter pecan, raspberry swirl, and chocolate marble ICE CREAM! Mastering over 30 classic flavors and mixing it up by hand, Fenton's Creamery offers you the old school experience. You can mix and match several flavors to make your very own sundae. The old school creamery prefers to offer simple and classic ice cream flavors. One bite into a scoop of ice cream and you’ll taste the simplicity and elegance in every bite.

If you ask the people of Oakland about the top ice creams in bay area or the best ice cream in bay area, you’ll hear only one name and that’s Little Giant. With robot-themed decorations and a hidden vintage vibe, children are known to love the experience in Little Giant. While their ICE CREAM is being churned to perfection, toddlers can be seen peeking into the kitchen, while their mouths water and curiosity grows! Not just toddlers, but even grown men and women love peeping into the kitchen! Little Giant’s best sellers include Dirty south - caramel pecan and a whiskey caramel swirl drizzled with caramel, and their Mexican rocky road. Little in size but Giant in its charm, the ice cream parlor offers throwback flavors such as Nana’s Nana Puddin’ and Huckleberry Pucker as well! Choose the best sundae and pick any three flavored scoops of their creamy silky delights, topped with every topping you can ever think of. Is this not heaven? With a tiny scoop shop just around the corner on Claude Lane, have a taste of their signatures such as Fernet and Coke and Cardamon Raspberry. For the booze lovers, don't forget to try the drunken Fig (white rum and mission figs) and their most famous Ugly sweater, made from Jameson whiskey, pineapple, cranberries and pops of M&M's. Don’t wait any longer and drive down to 1951 Telegraph Ave. Oakland, CA for the time of your life! Get your little one a Giant Ice cream!

A Japanese inspired ice cream parlor that will leave you begging for more, Uji Time is one of the newest additions to the list of the best ice cream in bay area. A fish-shaped cone molded from an airy and plush pancake batter, known as taiyaki, it is one of their best sellers! Their cones come filled in 4 flavors: tofu, matcha, black sesame, and rose lychee. They also offer additional flavors for their taiyaki such as the classic red bean paste, Pocky sticks, and kinoko, also known as soybean powder. Offering you affordable and Japanese fusion style desserts, Uji Time is truly one of its kind in San Francisco. You can find the dessert parlor on 22 Peace Plaza Suite 440 (inside the Japantown East Mall) or 2575 Telegraph Ave. Berkeley, CA. Serving soft-serve in utmost style, taiyaki calls for the most Instagram worthy pictures of the best ice cream in bay area! The cutest trend of eating ice cream like this is found nowhere else in town. Apart from their world-famous treat, they also offer 3 types of mochi ice cream: traditional, exotic and Americana. Keeping you on the edge of your seat with a mix of flavors, this time, it’s Uji time!

No matter what time of your life it is, ice cream is everyone’s comfort food. Are you happy? Here’s a scoop of ice cream to celebrate with. Are you sad? Here are two scoops of ice cream for you to drown your sorrows in! The town of San Francisco blends their tradition and modern culture with their love for food and offers flavors that cater to the taste buds of anyone and everyone. The best ice cream in bay area isn’t just found in a single store. Every ice cream parlor will stun you with unique ideas and flavors, leaving you speechless. A happy heart starts with a happy stomach, so ensure you do justice to your sweet tooth and explore the endless charm that these dessert stores have to offer. It’s not just a taste of history but also a peep into its evolution! Every ice cream idea and flavor have a story behind it, and these parlors are giving you a chance to experience it, so don’t miss out on it!

Whether it is summer, winter, spring or fall, San Francisco has anything and everything to offer. From different flavors for the festivals and holidays, to different for every month, you’ll never get bored! Apart from endless ice cream stores, the Bay Area also has several tourist attractions, restaurants, and activities that will keep you busy and joyous throughout your trip! Enjoy the taste of the finest and most lush ice cream while you walk the streets of San Francisco. You have certainly not toured enough if you have not been to one of these creameries! With just a few dollars in your pocket, you're good to go!