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San Francisco's Best Ice Cream


  1. jsaraco
  2. related topics
Ok, this seems to always come up in office conversations. Who has the best <fill in the blank> in the city? We were discussing ice cream. The first, most obvious and really only answer to this question is Michell's. We all know Mitchell's is the best. Period. Is it worth the wait and fighting through throngs of people outside? Yes. Is it worth driving and looking for a parking spot and avoiding the double parked cars on the street? Yes.Are there other worthy contenders? Of course. Bi-Rite Creamery is pretty darn tasty...but not as good as Mitchell's. Where do you stand on the Mitchell's debate?
jsaraco

22 responses // San Francisco's Best Ice Cream

  • Mitchell's FTW!

    however, fenton's in oakland is pretty amazing, too.

    http://www.fentonscreamery.com/
    aschapm
  • I was a big Mitchell's fan.
    But the lemon ice cream at Bi-Rite is the best I've ever had.
    Sorry.
    I didn't really want to support the hipster corridor over the old guard San Francisco establishment.
    But that lemon.
    mshen
  • Mitchell's ice cream all tastes the same!

    There's this really yummy shop in Berkeley called, "Ici" if you're willing to make the trek.

    http://www.yelp.com/biz/DKi47wcAffMySUVb0an3cA

    Ever have Basil ice cream? YUM.
    dnguyen
  • I haven't tried Bi-Rite Creamery yet, so it's probably not fair for me to judge. But to me, Mitchell's RULZ cuz they've got those kick-ass Filipino flavors. Unless Bi-Rite sells Ube with Macapuno, or Halo Halo, or Avocado ice cream, they'll always be second best.
    ptorno
  • it depends what you're in the mood for
    bi rite for the coffee toffee or burnt caramel.

    Mitchell's for everything else!
  • Cheap
    Cheap
    and Tasty.
  • Well...I will expose my not-very-well-hidden-in-the-first-place suburban roots and say that I grew up on Baskin Robbins...and that I still love it. Jamoca Almond Fudge is sooo good. I like ice cream that's kind of chewy, with lots of stuff in it. And their cakes are to-die.

    But I second Fenton's in Oakland. I had a stellar ice cream cake from there once with blackberry ice cream. So good.
    hollyg
  • Spin the Wheel at Polly Ann's
    I was recently introduced to Mitchell's and it's pretty darn delish. However, I went to high school right by Polly Ann's in the Sunset. Great ice cream, good memories, a wheel of fortune, and a doggy cone for the pups can come in. My vote for the best ice cream in SF.
    tching
  • GELATO!!
    My husband would agree with Roberto. He luuuuuvs some Thrifty ice cream. But I love gelato and I love Naia on Columbus. Try the pistachio; it's so yummy you'll think you died and went to pistachio heaven. (btw I know that the pic is lychee and not pistachio)
    sajh
  • Your local liqour store
    IT'S IT BAYBEE!!!!!
  • I'm a big Mitchell's fan, and have heard Bi-Rite's ice cream can actually cure cancer, but I also have to say that Tuckers in Alameda is pretty damn good. I have to agree that Fenton's, while fun (and incredibly convemient to my house) is a step below.
    jmeil
  • Mitchell's all the way. There is nothing better than a ball of ice cream dunked in the chocolate shell topping.

    And anyone whose been through Texas knows that Blue Bell is possibly the country's best vanilla. But we're talking about SF here....
  • On Angel Island there's a little ice cream shop. They have mint chocolate chip soft-serve. Mmmmmmmm-MM! After a really hot day spent lying on the beach and frolicking in the bay, it totally hits the spot. Every other time I go to Mitchell's. The only thing I've had that compared to Mitchell's was the pear from Sketch on 4th St in Berkeley.

    Oh yeah, and back in Rochester there is Abbott's Frozen Custard. AMAZING! Check it out the next time you're in Rochester, NY.
    cwhite
  • Stop all debate here...
    At Bombay Creamery. Where else can you get pistachio saffron, lychee or fig ice cream? Simply amazing.
    khsing
  • @kshing - you know that Mitchell's owns patent on lychee, etc.. right? And that Bombay et al are just infringing?
    jsaraco
  • I have to agree Mitchell's is wonderful, but Swensen's is up there too. It's almost fall and their pumpkin ice cream dipped in chocolate is ohhhh so yummy!!! Their pineapple sherbet is good too! http://www.yelp.com/biz/cf6el4kGXe686x4Kb6F18Q
    jlow
  • Sketch-y? Nah
    Also in Berkeley, there is Sketch. Yelpers seem to have issues with the service, but I've never experienced the things they bring up in the reviews. All I know is that the ice cream is so freaking smooth and creamy that it should be a SIN. I scream, you scream, indeed.
  • Boo Mitchells - too creamy. It's all about SWENSENS! Oh, and my really guilty pleasure, which is part of the cheesy chain Cold Stone: "Cake Batter" flavored ice cream....yum!
    shirin88
  • PS Roberto - you're awesome. Let's take a trip down to Thrifty's for some Rainbow Sherbert.
    shirin88
  • Mitchell's mint chocolate chip pie is the best (and cheapest!) birthday cake I've found in the city.
  • I have enjoyed Mitchell's on occasion, and think it's an all-around gem. That said, I have to give the nod to Bi-Rite. My first Bi-Rite of passage literally changed the way I think about and eat ice cream. I found the Salted Caramel ice cream so good that I slowed my normal, "brain-freeze" eating pace to a snail's crawl to savor the flavor. My only regret: the ice cream's high salt content actually lowers its freezing point, and as a result my beautifully crafted confection melted all over the place before I could finish. Lucky for me, I have scheduled an ambitious set of taste tests and will require multiple "reps" to refine my technique.
    asweeny
  • the mint choc cake at bi-rite is the bomb.com. and in case you were wondering i do say the bomb.com.also the balsamic strawberry is delicious.mitchells' is too milky and they try to show off with yam flavored ice cream but never change up their menu.snoozefest.
    edonelan

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