The weather in San Diego is always perfect for ice cream, and with summer on its way, it’s time to figure out where to find some tasty, frosty treats. If you own real estate in Little Italy San Diego or another part of downtown, finding great places for ice cream is a simple matter of walking a few blocks. Quite a few restaurants and cafés include ice cream and other frozen desserts as part of their menu, but you are better off visiting the following specialty shops.
1. Chocolat Cremerie
If you live near the Gaslamp Quarter, you don’t have to travel all the way to Italy to enjoy gelato and other delicious confectionery treats. All you need to do is head over to Fifth Avenue and find Chocolat Cremerie, an Italian bistro that offers some of the best ice cream in Southern California. The basil lemon gelato is very tasty and refreshing, and you can also request special menu items with liquor flavors since there is a full bar on premises. This place is open until late at night in case you get sudden cravings.
2. Ben & Jerry’s
Located in Seaport Village, Ben & Jerry’s boasts a great waterfront view to enjoy along with your ice cream. If you are already familiar with Ben & Jerry’s shops in other parts of the country, this one may strike you as being a bit pricier due to its choice location, but the diversity of flavors and the excellent customer service make up for it.
3. Ghirardelli Ice Cream and Chocolate Shop
This renowned Italian-American brand has a lot more to offer than just chocolate. Founder Domenico Ghirardelli was born into a family of exotic food distributors, and he was interested in coffee and cacao beans from a young age. He found early success in Uruguay and Peru before settling in San Francisco. In San Diego, the Fifth Avenue Ghirardelli shop offers floats, sundaes, frozen yogurt, and many variations on chocolate ice cream. Your best bet is to order vanilla-based ice cream topped with melted chocolate, the darker the better.
4. Extraordinary Desserts
This ice cream and confectionery shop is located on Union Street in Little Italy. As its name suggests, you will find extraordinarily sweet treats such as strawberry shortcake topped with handmade vanilla almond ice cream. The desserts are like full meals that can be shared by the entire family. This place tends to get very busy in the evenings.
5. CrunchTime Popcorn and Kim’s Creamery
Located on K Street, this place is a beloved destination for children whose parents own Gaslamp Quarter real estate. Aside from its extensive menu of fancy popcorn recipes and gourmet hot dogs, CrunchTime has a lot to offer in terms of ice cream at reasonable prices. The outdoor seating area is very spacious and comfortable.
6. Gelato Paradiso
San Diego could easily compete with New York’s Little Italy in terms of places where you can enjoy gelati and sorbetto. Gelato Paradiso is located within Seaport Village, but the interior is very classy and reminiscent of gelato shops in Rome or Milan.
If you’re a food connoisseur, ice cream isn’t the only reason you’ll want to spend a lot of time in downtown San Diego. The many great restaurants in the area may even convince you to move here. Whether you’re interested in penthouses in Marina or condos in Columbia District, San Diego is a wonderful place to live. Get in touch with the trusted agents at 92101 Urban Living to see the latest listings. Call 619-649-0368 today. ')}