The sunny yellow shop on Broadway is a frequent fixture on the San Francisco Chronicle’s list—and for good reason. The milk comes from Marin's own Straus Family Creamery, and the waffle cones are made so fresh they're often still warm when handed to you. If there's a line (and there usually is), the chalkboard sign hanging from a tree outside helps make the wait a little easier.
Don’t miss: Vanilla Honey Lavender, Vegan Coconut Fudge or Early Grey.
The Sonoma-based chain, with locations in Petaluma, Healdsburg, and Forestville, arrived in downtown Mill Valley last year and has been drawing lines ever since.
A full cooler of vegan flavors—including Irish Coffee, Caramel Crack, Chocolate Almond Bliss, and Cookies 'n' Cream—shares space with crowd-pleasers like Italian Pistachio, Birthday Cake, and Peanut Butter Crunch. Grab a cone, then stroll over to Depot Plaza and savor it from a shaded picnic bench.
Though the original is in Seattle, Marinites are all-in on the plant-based, vegan treats at Frankie & Jo's at Larkspur’s Marin Country Mart.
The tiny shop typically offers eight Every Day flavors like Brown Sugar Vanilla, Chocolate and California Cabin, a flavor inspired by California’s Sierra Nevada, as well as seasonal flavors like September’s Concord Grape Swirl and Peaches & Cream. Ice cream sandwiches, dough bites and pints are also available.
Tucked under the redwoods (next to Boichick Bagels) on the edge of downtown Larkspur, this ice cream parlor serves traditional scoops, shakes and floats. There are 12 flavors to choose from, including vanilla and chocolate, blue moon and birthday cake, oat milk vanilla and raspberry lemon Italian ice (both vegan).
Waffle cones are hand-rolled on a press and there are plentiful toppings like rainbow sprinkles, Fruit Loops, and peanut butter swirl. Many are gluten-free.
Place your order in-person or at one of the digital kiosks, then await the aroma of caramelizing sugar to tickle your nose before reaching over the counter to claim your confection.
The jars of candy on the counter are just part of the retro charm of a tiny storefront near the Safeway at San Rafael expansive Northgate Shopping Center. Take a seat at one of the marble tables and indulge in a traditional banana split or a tall Chocolate Malt. Or a mocha shake. The business, established in 1966, makes all its own ice creams and specialty flavors like Licorice,
Pumpkin and Egg Nog shift with the seasons.
If you have a sweet tooth, Bliss certainly lives up to its name!
Japanese soft serve in six flavors like Taro, Ube and Matcha as well as Vanilla, are the easy part at this shop in Novato’s San Marin Shopping Plaza. The hard part is deciding to swirl or not and choosing from toppings like Pocky sticks, crushed Oreos and fresh strawberries.
Once you’ve decided, ask for a Bliss cone. It’s shaped like a gawping fish (Koi, perhaps?) and makes eating your frozen treat just that much more fun!
When Chef-Owner Fabrizio Cercatore opened Hot Italian in downtown San Rafael in late 2024, his menu consisted of his sister, Eleonore Cercatore’s, gelato and coffee made in Oakland by a Napoli native. So, even before the Cuppone pizza oven was ready to turn out pinsa and pizza, there were pulls of piping hot espresso and gelato (one scoop: $4) made in traditional Italian style, the flavors an immediate reminder of the Cercatores’ native Liguria.
House made stracciatella, gianduja with hazelnut and chocolate, and 10 other seasonal flavors (you’ve gotta try the Pineapple Jalapeño) can be scooped into cones or cups. Cercatore puts gelato into bomboloni, too, a treat at any time of day but even better with a perfect Macchiato ($4.50).
Owner and Kentfield resident Brian Bowen opened his handmade gelato pop-up in Northgate Mall's food court last year. A full-time software engineer who works from home, Bowen spent years in the food-service industry and was looking for a way to reconnect with his community.
With help from pastry chef Kristi Gauslow, artisan gelato and vegan sorbets emerge daily from Carpigiani machines in a rotating lineup of classic and inventive flavors. This month's offerings include Raspberry Buttermilk, Malted Milk Chocolate & Nibs, Strawberries & Cream, Mint Stracciatella, Blueberry Cheesecake, Cherry Almond Fudge, Coconut Espresso Caramel Swirl, Summer Peach & Verbena (vegan), and Dark Chocolate & Sea Salt (vegan). Needless to say, there's always a new reason to treat yourself.
The runaway bestseller so far? "Vanilla," Bowen says with a laugh.
That may be because his recipe features fragrant vanilla beans and house-made vanilla extract. Like all of the shop's flavors, it's stored in traditional pozzetti-style containers that help maintain the ideal texture.
Need another reason to stop by? The waffle cones are made in-house, and free tastes on adorable little spoons are always encouraged.
