Ice Cream Goodness; SF’s Culinary History: Part 11 of 12

Those who lived in San Francisco up until the early 70s, and visited Playland amusement park in Ocean Beach (by the Cliff House), would probably remember the “It's It” ice cream sandwich. George Whitney invented this scrumptious dessert in 1928, and started by selling them at a concession stand at Playland. The “It's It” is comprised of vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two large oatmeal cookies, and dipped in rich dark chocolate. You can still find these individually packaged desserts at grocery stores in all the western states and Hawaii. 

Bud's Ice Cream of San Francisco opened in Noe Valley, in 1946. What made Bud's special was their commitment to loading chunky pieces of ingredients such as fruit and chocolate into every bite of their ice cream. Time Magazine recognized Bud's for their quality product and called them "One of the world's best ice creams." Though the Noe Valley location is no longer, the Bud's Ice Cream legacy lives on through various ice cream parlor outlets and supermarkets around the country and parts of Asia. 

In 1948, Swensen's ice cream opened on the corner of Union and Hyde in Russian Hill. Swensen's is positioned as the nation’s first parlor to sell all natural ice cream and is also credited for inspiring the Ben & Jerry's franchise. Today, Swensen's ice cream store on Union and Hyde remains a neighborhood tradition. Ice cream lovers around the world can also enjoy Swensen's, as this popular brand is available in grocery stores everywhere.

San Francisco's Culinary History: Part 1 of 12

The Iconic Foods of San Francisco; San Francisco’s Culinary History: Part 2 of 12

Culinary Institutions; San Francisco’s Culinary History: Part 3 of 12

Fisherman's Wharf; San Francisco’s Culinary History: Part 4 of 12

North Beach; San Francisco’s Culinary History: Part 5 of 12

The Mission; San Francisco’s Culinary History: Part 6 of 12

Nostalgia; San Francisco’s Culinary History: Part 7 of 12

The Creme de la Crème; San Francisco’s Culinary History: Part 8 of 12

Asian Influence; San Francisco’s Culinary History: Part 9 of 12

The Veggie Scene; San Francisco’s Culinary History: Part 10 of 12

Ice Cream Goodness; San Francisco’s Culinary History: Part 11 of 12

Food Forward; San Francisco’s Culinary History: Part 12 of 12