The Best Ice Cream Spots In The East Bay San Francisco

No matter what kind of frozen treat you’re looking for, you’ll find it in San Francisco’s East Bay. Oakland and Berkeley are home to many ice cream parlors, gelaterias, and more, each offering their unique twist on the quintessential warm weather dessert. Check out our favorite spots for ice cream in the East Bay. Did you know – Culture Trip now does bookable, small-group trips? Pick from authentic, immersive Epic Trips, compact and action-packed Mini Trips and sparkling, expansive Sailing Trips.

CREAM

Located just blocks away from the Berkeley University campus, CREAM is a favorite among college students and anyone else on a budget. It’s cash only, so bring a few dollars and you can get a huge scoop of ice cream sandwiched between two warm, gooey cookies for only two dollars. At peak hours, the line can stretch around the block, but the people at CREAM are experts at serving a hungry crowd with lightning speed. While you wait, you can decide how you’ll customize your sandwich — and with 10 kinds of cookies and dozens of ice cream flavors available, there’s plenty to choose from!

Tara’s Organic Ice Cream

Tara’s Organic Ice Cream, 3173 College Avenue, Berkeley, CA USA

Fenton’s Creamery

Fenton’s Creamery has a distinct 1920s ice cream parlor feel and is famous for its over the top sundaes – think massive scoops of ice cream swimming in sauces and toppings. If you think you can handle it, chow down on the Fenton’s Special, a tall glass filled with alternating layers of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry ice cream, along with generous helpings of hot fudge, caramel sauce, and strawberries. If you’re not quite that hungry, try a simple sundae with one or two scoops of ice cream and your favorite topping.

Gelato Firenze

If you want to feel decadent without shelling out a lot of money, head to Gelato Firenze, located just a short walk from the Oakland’s popular Grand Lake neighborhood. With flavors like pomegranate, lavender, hazelnut, and amaretto, this place represents a perfect mix between classic Italian flavors and new inventive ones. If you’d rather enjoy Firenze’s gelato in the comfort of your own home, you can even buy a pint.

Nieves Cinco de Mayo

A traditional mangonada Mexican frozen drink, consisting of mango sorbet, mango chunks, chamoy, lime, tajin powder, and tamarind candy, is shown in a clear plastic cup.

Nieves Cinco de Mayo, a family owned ice cream spot located in Oakland’s Fruitvale district, offers mouth-watering treats with a Mexican twist. If you’re in the mood for a traditional Mexican dessert, try the Mangonada, with fresh mango, chili, and lime with mango sorbet, shaved ice, and a straw coated with mango-chili paste. If spice isn’t really your thing, you can’t go wrong with a snow cone or milkshake, both of which come in common varieties like vanilla and strawberry as well as Mexican flavors like hibiscus, tamarind, and sweetened milk.

Nieves Cinco de Mayo, 3340 East 12th Street, Oakland CA USA

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.