Aside from mastering the art of the perfect "scoop", becoming a professional at managing massive tanks of liquid nitrogen, and knowing the exact topping to scoop ratio according to both topping and flavor, working at an above average ice cream parlor for three years earned me the righteous title of "ice cream connoisseur."
Due to the fact that I have been surrounded by ice-cream constantly for about a little over a seventh of my life, I cannot say that it is my go-to dessert of choice (honestly, it is also probably the reason I have an intolerance to dairy). However, what I can say, is that I have been blessed with the gift of good taste buds. Taste buds that know what constitutes "quality" ice cream. Taste buds that can tell fresh from faux. Taste buds that are above to all.
Combining my taste buds with my superior knowledge on the creams of ices, I present to you ten of my favorite ice-cream shops found right here in the Bay Area.
1. Fenton's Creamery - Oakland
Although I cannot say I've tried out the "restaurant" side of Fenton's, I can say that the "creamery" side does not fail. The scoops are massive, the sauces are made in the house, and there are plenty of mouth-watering flavors to choose from. (Disclaimer: not all the flavors are mouth-watering, but a vast majority of them are).
2. Milkbomb - San Francisco
Milkbar, located in the Design District of San Francisco, is a tiny (but fantastic) ice-cream shop. Although the store itself is, in size, comparable to that of your college dorm room, the ice-cream itself is rich in flavor. They have a handful of Asian-inspired flavors to choose from, such as Ube and Matcha Green Tea, as well as unique cone flavors and toppings to top it all off.
3. Rita's Italian Ice - Castro Valley, Hayward, Pleasanton
If you aren't much of an ice-cream person, prefer sorbets to creamy flavors, or cannot have dairy, then Rita's is worth checking out. Rita's serves Italian ice in many different flavors, from coconut to chocolate, and offer the option to top it off with a frozen custard (which, unfortunately, has dairy). The sweet and creamy custard contrasting with the cold, flavored ice makes for a perfect combination on a hot summer day.
4. Pressed Juicery - Danville, Walnut Creek
Sometimes, when I want to feel like I am being healthy, I get the "freeze" from Pressed Juicery. Pressed is a great alternative to any frozen yogurt establishment because of the minimal and organic ingredients in their flavors. You can choose to top your freeze with toppings such as fresh fruit, coconut, chocolate chips, or a cocoa drizzle.
5. Salt & Straw - San Francisco
Salt & Straw is an artisan ice-cream shop known for their quirky, (yet amazingly good) flavors. Some of my personal favorites have been the dark-cherry chocolate, and rose (yes, like the flower) in a home-made waffle cone. Salt & Straw also offers a variety of vegan flavors - which only adds to its popularity. Honestly, out of all these places listed, I very much think that you check out Salt & Straw.
6. Gadani - Berkeley
Think waffles, but not waffles, and ice-cream, and toppings, but in a cone. Yes, you read that correctly, and yes, that's exactly what Gadani does. Gadani is a bubble tea + dessert place who's speciality lie in their egg puff ice-cream concoctions. After picking which flavor egg puff you would like your ice-cream to sit in, you choose from one of many asian-inspired flavors, and lastly, choose a topping. (I recommend the chocolate egg puffs and matcha ice-cream with the rose petal topping).
7. Screamin' Mimi's - Sebastopol
Screamin' Mimi's is a locally owned ice-cream shop in downtown Sebastopol. Located in an area where gardening and farming is prominent, their ice-cream consists of locally sourced, all natural ingredients making for a great experience. As an avid lavender lover, I can truly say that Screamin' Mimi's has the best lavender ice-cream I have ever tasted.
8. Beach Break By Marianne's - Capitola
My friends and I went to this shop shortly after sitting out in the sun for a little too long - and safe to say, it was the right move. Beach Break has a ton of flavors, each one entirely different from the other. For a very cheap price and conveniently located steps from the sand, this place does not disappoint.
9. Powder - San Francisco
"Powder" doesn't serve your typical, scooped ice-cream - they serve "snow", a taiwanese dessert consisting of shaved ice cream and toppings. In addition to being aesthetically pleasing, Powder offers eclectic flavors including Black Sesame, Horchata, and Matcha Green Tea. Each order is served with a homemade wafer. If you have yet to try snow, I highly recommend that you do.
10. McDonald's - Literally Everywhere
While McDonald's is not usually ever my go-to nourishment place, nor should it really be on this list - I felt that it was necessary. Given that my two closest guy friends, Graeme and Lucas, never want to travel further than a few miles for ice-cream (or any food for the matter), and never want to spend over a few bucks for edible substances, McDonald's $1 cones fit the circumstances perfectly. If you have no car, no money, and no desire to visit any of the places above, cruise through your local McDonald's.
