Ici

There's some great dessert places in the Bay Area that whips up some amazing artisan ice creams. In the Elmwood area, Ici's long line reigns supreme. Everywhere you go you can find people enjoying a cone of the stuff and many store specifically let folks know to leave it outside.

My lady and I waited about 30 minutes in line before earning admittance, and sampled some of their famous flavors including Meyer lemon sorbet, lemon creme brûlée, curried banana, and wildflower honey. We got a cone each of the creme brûlée and one of the honey, and slowly made our way back to the car as we lapped up the delicious treat. The creme brûlée had some intense sour lemon flavors that could only cone from fresh juice and zest, while the honey was super subtle in sweetness, while being totally palette-cleansing and refreshing. The cone is the unsung hero here and was freshly rolled. There's a sweet chocolate surprise at the bottom of the cone that really pulls it all together in the end. At $3.60 for a small scoop, it's not exactly a cheap treat, but totally affordable when you consider the quality you get.

In the super hip Elmwood neighborhood, Ici is easily the king of ice creams. People come from miles around to sample their flavors, as evidenced with our visit and the fight over parking out front. They've got a bench out front for the many pet parents who want to share their experience with their dogs, and there are definitely lots of those to be found. Service was amazing and they have no problem if you want to sample all kinds of stuff. In a nutshell, I loved it and can't wait to come back.

Food: 9/10

Service: 10/10

Price: $

Atmosphere: 9/10

Homemade ice cream and cones...what could be better? Their flavors change daily and include everything from traditional chocolate or cookies and cream, to imaginative gourmet flavors like honey sage walnut (delish, don't miss this one), spiced apple cider sherbet, and candied meyer lemon. They have rougly 10 flavors to choose from at any given time, plus ice cream sandwiches and other confections.

I recommend getting a scoop in a cone. It's really a special treat. Their ice creams are pretty mellow, so you can taste and almost smell the ingredients that go in. The best part, however, is the hand rolled cone. The shop smells amazing because of these sweet, buttery, home-baked cones with a bit of chocolate in the bottom. Guarantees your last bite is always at least as good as the first.

It is a small place, so most people grab and go. There is a bench inside and one outside for those who'd like to take a little extra time to enjoy a cone with their friends, special someone and/or dog. I love Ici because it reminds me how enjoyable the simple pleasures of an ice cream cone and afternoon walk can be.