Summer is upon us here in SF and while the best sunny days may still be months ahead, it's never bad weather for ice cream, amiright?! With that, we present a challenge: the Mission Summer Ice Cream Crawl. You get a high-five if you complete the cycle, or just a smiley emoticon if you opt for two or three.
Bi-Rite Creamery
Also known as that place across from Dolores Park with a line around the block, it's totally worth the wait. Flavors like balsamic strawberry and honey butterscotch with pecans are perfection, but the simply-stated salted caramel is smooth as silk. Feeling ambitious? Sam's Sundae (chocolate ice cream, bergamot olive oil, Maldon sea salt, and whipped cream) is divine. And there's no shame in starting the crawl with a cone from the soft serve window to hold you through. 3692 18th St., 415-626-5600 or biritecreamery.com.
CREAM, Inc.
Consider CREAM (Cookies Rule Everything Around Me) your "lunch" on our crawl as this is as legit as sandwiches — er, ice cream sandwiches — get. The best part is, you can mix and match any cookie-and-ice-cream combo. We highly recommend white chocolate macadamia nut cookies with chocolate chip cookie dough, or double chocolate chip cookies with cookies & cream ice cream for that cookie overload! Extra shouts for the Wu-Tang reference baked into their name. 3106 16th St., 415-400-4551 or creamnation.com
Humphry Slocombe
You know you have a problem if you can spell Humphry Slocombe on the first try without making any mistakes. Humphry's changed the game with Secret Breakfast, an ice cream made with bourbon and cornflakes. (It's amazing. Trust.) Brown Butter is downright incredible, Blue Bottle Vietnamese Coffee is a favorite, and the ambitious Jesus Juice sorbet with red wine and Coke totally works. And the Hot Toddy sundae (Glenlivet 12-year-old single malt Scotch ice cream with candied lemon and hot clove-honey caramel sauce?) Yes, please. 2790 Harrison St., 415-550-6971 or humphryslocombe.com.
Mitchell's Ice Cream
If you're still able to walk after Humphry Slocombe, the ultimate treat awaits. Mitchell's is the type of place for ordering traditional flavors that evoke the nostalgia of old San Francisco. The chocolate chip ice cream made with Madagascar vanilla is the perfect chocolate chip rendition we've ever had, and rocky road with English walnuts is all smiles. But espresso toffee crunch is the true seasonal summer favorite! 688 San Jose Ave., 415-648-2300 or mitchellsicecream.com.
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