Mitchell's Ice Cream, San Francisco

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For fifty years, Mitchell's has been a San Francisco staple, serving ice cream and sorbets in a myriad of flavors from it's unprepossessing little storefront (there are a few benches outside, but no tables). It has been dishing up San Francisco's best, creamiest, and most imaginative ice cream since 1953.For exotic cravings, you can try the likes of avocado, lychee, Thai tea and philippine mango, ube (purple yam), ube macapuno (purple yam with coconut sport-see my manila local customs page), grasshopper, etc.

This family-run Mitchell's produces premium ice creams predicated on a 16% butterfat base (hence the extra creaminess!). Tropical fruits are shipped in fresh, and the resultant goods have people lining up for a taste (or more).

Favorite Dish: Exotic flavors include avocado, buko (baby coconut), langka (jackfruit), macapuno (sweet coconut), mango, pineapple, and ube (purple yam), all made from fruit specially imported from the Philippines. There are always 40 or more flavors on offer, including the expected (chocolate, coffee, rum raisin) and the un- (Thai tea, chocolate caramel crackle). It also sells ice cream cakes and pies.

Costs: $ 2.10 a scoop, $ 3.45 double scoop and $5.10 a pint.

Hours: Open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

If you want to try ice cream flavors that are out of the ordinary, check out this neighborhood ice cream place in the Mission District. They are known for their tropical flavors such as mango, langka (jackfruit), ube (purple yam), macapuno (young coconut) and many more. If you prefer vanilla and chocolate, they have that too, :))>. People from all over the Bay Area make this as a destination, so get ready to wait in line even on rainy days (but it's worth it!). Check out the dude in the picture. It looks like he just came from his daily jog and decided that he burned enough calories to reward himself with a scoop or two of deeelicious ice cream, :))>. Way to go bud! You share my view on exercise, we do it so we can eat what we want, can I hear an Amen?

Favorite Dish: The cantaloupe ice cream is out of sight, but it's seasonal so for most of the year, it's literary out of sight, :))>.

I have always been partial to the Mom & Pop, non-commercial places, like Mitchell's Ice Cream. It's the uniqueness of the ice cream that a place like Baskin Robbin's or even Cold Stone can't offer. They have exotic flavors like Avocado, Guava and Ube. Even Mexican Chocolate. It taste just like the Mexican Hot Chocolate. Yummy!!!! They have been around for 50 years, making delicious, creamy ice cream. Service is excellent, with very friendly, welcoming staff. I can be so indecisive, when there is 40+ flavors to pick from and they didn't mind giving out samples of the ice cream, till I found my perfect combination.

Favorite Dish: I love the Ube ice cream (taro root). It's so different than any other ice cream. It's especially great with the Halo-Halo, a Filipino dessert. You would never think that a combination of sweet beans, gelatin and ice cream would be so good. It's a must try at least once!

Have you ever had avocado ice cream? How about ube? buko? maize? Well, this place has them! It also has the standard vanilla, strawberry and chocolate. This place has been around since the 1950's. It is still a single store located where the Mission, Noe Valley and Bernal Heights districts meet. Even on the coldest days, you will see a crowd of people eating ice cream in front of the store. If you're in town, you shouldn't miss this place.

Favorite Dish: My ultimate favorite flavor is cantaloupe. Unfortunately, they only make it when it's in season during the summer months. The cantaloupe root beer float is worth the extra calories.

Mitchell's is a little storefront ice cream shop in the Outer Mission. Their ice cream is delicious, creamy, and the best I've tasted. Try the fruit flavors-mango and coconut are both great. I especially liked the Halo-Halo (Filipino dessert) flavor!

watch out though, during the summertime (heck, any time) there's a line forming out the door.........