There are very few ways I could possibly imagine to appropriately follow up on the gourmet baked and hot-pressed goodness that we experienced for lunch at Tartine. Well, just one, in fact. And it’s all in the neighbourhood. One might say this little pocket in the Mission District is San Francisco’s foodie nirvana.

Just around the corner from Tartine sits Bi-Rite Creamery. Bi-Rite is definitely a must-eat experience for any sweet tooth traveling to San Fran. Thanks so much to the lovely Lesley for scooping us on them {pun intended}!

Hand made in small batches on 18th St {just north of Mission}, the ice-cream at Bi-Rite is truly for the purists at heart. All the baked goods that go into the ice cream {like the gorgeous brownies, cookies, peanut brittle, marshmallows and snickerdoodles} are made in-house at the bakery next door. My favourite little fact is that all the organic milk, cream and eggs used to make the ice cream is delivered by local Strauss Family Creamery {just 45 miles away}.

With my professional sweet tooth {aka my sweet son} along to do the taste-testing, we trotted up the short block to finish what we had started: a gourmet mother-son lunch date. Our timing was impeccable as the line-up was not its characteristic two blocks around the corner. With the deft acumen of a professional, my little guy ordered one scoop of cookies-and-cream topped with one scoop of salted caramel, please and thanks. With options including basil, olive oil and balsamic strawberry, their line-up of flavours is anything but ordinary.

With his two-scoop tower in hand and my photos complete {payment for the ice cream}, he dove into his creamy confection with aplomb. He even made me “smell” the salted caramel scoop in his eagerness to share the experience with me. The verdict? Utter delight. In fact, my little foodie said {brace yourselves} that Bi-Rite’s salted caramel ice cream is better than Berthillon. Berthillon. In Paris. Iconic French purveyor of luxury ice creams and commonly known as the best ice cream in the world. So ya. Safe to say he loved it.

In case this play-by-play description of my son’s ice cream dream isn’t enough to convince you to take a trip to San Fran just for the ice cream, I’m pretty sure this video will seal the deal.

Bi-Rite Creamery Sweet Cream and Sugar Cones Cookbook Trailer Video from Todd Porter & Diane Cu on Vimeo.

Sweet ice cream dreams!

xo
s.