Our favorite was Ici but now is closed. We were looking at similar gourmet Ice Cream places.

I love Fentons but I can those flavors anywhere. Same goes with Cream.

Any ideas?

Curbside Creamery is great - the 2 weekly rotating soft serve flavors are especially fantastic.

You got me. Most are bad. Fentons is the only place I would go except Ben and Jerrys on center st.

I was looking for a place in Albany. Tried that cashew ic place and did not like it. Tried Solano Ice Cream fir a hot fudge Subdae. Gluing, terrible fudge, crystal ice cream and not much english spoken. I think there used to be a really good place on Solano(McCallums?). Anyway help would be aporeciated

Just went to a Rite Aid formerly known as Thrifty's in Carlsbad. It's a good deal and they give you a lot.

Since I'm in the area alot I enjoy this place in Oakland Chinatown cookiebar creamery. It satisfy my sweet tooth.

http://cookiebar-creamery.com

The 10 Best Ice Cream Spots In The East Bay, San Francisco


https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/usa/california/articles/the-10-best-ice-cream-spots-in-the-east-bay/

oskidunker said:

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You got me. Most are bad. Fentons is the only place I would go except Ben and Jerrys on center st.

I was looking for a place in Albany. Tried that cashew ic place and did not like it. Tried Solano Ice Cream fir a hot fudge Subdae. Gluing, terrible fudge, crystal ice cream and not much english spoken. I think there used to be a really good place on Solano(McCallums?). Anyway help would be aporeciated

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McCallums was THE best ('60's). Can't imagine it's still there.

MiZery said:

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Our favorite was Ici but now is closed. We were looking at similar gourmet Ice Cream places.

I love Fentons but I can those flavors anywhere. Same goes with Cream.

Any ideas?

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Humphrey Slocombe and Salt and Straw are examples of similarly gourmet ice creams that have adventurous flavors. And if you go to Humphrey Slocombe now they have a special Banana Mochi flavor which uses Third Culture Bakery's mochi muffin. A mochi muffin created by friend and fellow Cal grad.

So if you check that out now, you'll have the side benefit of supporting a Cal alum!

Tara's is really great, their Berkeley location is better as it is bigger and has more flavors. Lots of unique and interesting choices. Also their sesame waffle cone is amazing.

Try Tuckers Ice Cream on Park Street in Alameda

Any ice cream place that isn't so gourmet that you get stuck in line behind pretentious people who take forever to sample. "We'll try 6 flavors, please." "Oh, the flavor profile is amazing, you can really taste the kale." "Oh honey, I'm just not in a salted caramel mood tonight."

As for actual places, I like Smitten on College Ave. And I agree Tara's (in the same neighborhood) is good too.

Love what 510bear wrote re: idiots sampling ice cream and gelato who just slow everything down but other than Fenton's isn't the Bay Area standby Double Rainbow? Neither are gourmet but that's ok!

Also want to say I saw Humphrey Slocombe sold here in LA and it was crazy expensive even by gourmet ice cream standards and the flavors seemed blah.

Rushinbear said:

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oskidunker said:

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You got me. Most are bad. Fentons is the only place I would go except Ben and Jerrys on center st.

I was looking for a place in Albany. Tried that cashew ic place and did not like it. Tried Solano Ice Cream fir a hot fudge Subdae. Gluing, terrible fudge, crystal ice cream and not much english spoken. I think there used to be a really good place on Solano(McCallums?). Anyway help would be aporeciated

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McCallums was THE best ('60's). Can't imagine it's still there.

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Bott's on College Ave was great as well.

Chabbear said:

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Try Tuckers Ice Cream on Park Street in Alameda

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A hidden gem in the bay area

McCallums has been gone for 30+ years. Fenton's is a very good tradition.
Tara's on College is most excellent.
Pick up a half gallon of Tillamook at your grocery market. . . or when in Tillamook (or Boardman), OR visit Tillamook Creamery.

I'm good with a Drumstick from any local, corner market.

Rick's Rather Rich in Palo Alto (practically Mountain View) - a neighborhood legend since the '50s.

Marianne's in Santa Cruz- no trip to the Boardwalk is complete without a stop here before you get on 17 and back over the hill.

Little Giant ice cream in Oakland fits the bill. Also, just looking at ice cream quality rather than flavor choice, Smitten wins.

How is I scream?

This one's easy: Humphry Slocombe in the SF Ferry Building and also in Elmwood. Trust me.

BiRite (new school) and Mitchell's (old school but unique favors).

joe amos yaks said:

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Pick up a half gallon of Tillamook at your grocery market. . . or when in Tillamook (or Boardman), OR visit Tillamook Creamery.

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I would second the vote for Tillamook which I prefer over Dreyers.

I can't comment on Marianne's in Santa Cruz but did recently try The Penny Ice Creamery and it was outstanding!

https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-penny-ice-creamery-santa-cruz?osq=ice+cream

I have a bit of a SF bias so I won't speak to the bay area at large but I really like Smitten - the process is like nothing else (they use liquid nitrogen to make individual batches). There is one in berkeley now too.

I like Humphrey Slocombe and Bi-Rite but I won't wait in line so those are pretty much out. Mitchell's is a hidden gem and when I lived closer I used to go more frequently but haven't been in a number of years.

Finally - Ice Cream Bar is a really great little shop with really phenomenal soda drinks (and floats) that is unlike anything I've seen anywhere else.

also a big fan of Smitten

Homemade with all the fixings!!

John's on Shattuck downtown. Used to be $1 a scoop. Now $1.75. Homemade ice cream at a great price with good variety. Big fan of the ube.

Lottie's is really solid - the perfect blend of old school meets new school ice cream.

One trend I also like is that lots of food places in general that have attracted huge followings in SF are opening up branches in Berkeley and Oakland, which didn't happen as much 10 years ago. Such as....

* Humphrey Slocombe (ice cream)
* Smitten (ice cream)
* CREAM (ice cream)
* The Bird (my favorite chicken sandwich in the bay area)
* Super Duper (burgers)
* Ike's (sandwiches)

In no particular order:

Salt and Straw
Mitchell's
Tin Pot
Humphrey Slocombe

How many remember this place? It was magical as a kid!

IdahoBear said:

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How many remember this place? It was magical as a kid!

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RIP Farrell's (1963 - 2019). The last one in Brea, CA closed earlier this year.

510 Bear said:

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IdahoBear said:

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How many remember this place? It was magical as a kid!

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RIP Farrell's (1963 - 2019). The last one in Brea, CA closed earlier this year.

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What? Oh man, that's rough

dimitrig said:

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Love what 510bear wrote re: idiots sampling ice cream and gelato who just slow everything down but other than Fenton's isn't the Bay Area standby Double Rainbow? Neither are gourmet but that's ok!

Also want to say I saw Humphrey Slocombe sold here in LA and it was crazy expensive even by gourmet ice cream standards and the flavors seemed blah.

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That was "Ici", right there: Idiots in front of me in line: "I'd like to taste the organic cardamom flavor!"

Not trying to hijack the thread, but I'm SUPER disappointed in the ice cream selection at Safeway and other supermarkets these days: 10+ different BRANDS of ice cream (perhaps 10+++), all offering similar, limited flavor selections. Do we really need Vanilla, French Vanilla, Vanilla Bean, Creamy Vanilla, etc? And who needs the cross-marketing, ice cream with with Oreos, Reese's Pieces, Butterfingers, Cheez-Its, etc?

I YEARN for a good coconut-pineapple and a good peach ice cream (Breyers used to have a good peach, but I don't see it anymore).

Lastly, many will surely disagree, but I've never seen a Ben and Jerry's flavor that appealed to me.