32 Best Ice Cream Shops near San Carlos

“I love me some custard from Rita's. Now that my son is two years old, we took him to Rita's for a treat after dinner, and it was so cute watching his face light up as he got a Rita's sugar rush! I'm someone who sticks to her regular stuff, so I haven't ventured outside of custard. However, my husband has purchased and enjoyed the Italian ice and one of their shakes. He enjoyed both. The only thing Rita's needs is mor seating. It can get pretty cramped on summer nights. We love you and your custard, Rita girl!“

“Looks like this location closed recently :( (as of 8/28)It didn't seem that long that we were just there and sitting on the nearby swing (across from Fieldworks) to enjoy our scoops. Before they took the earl grey away, it was ALWAYS my go-to. But this did give me the opp to try some other flavors and I ended up liking the Blue Jasmine. Sad to see this location gone, since now the closest one will be Palo Alto. I may have to rely on picking it up from Whole Foods now.“

“Very good gelato for an after dinner treat in San Carlos! I love how they give you a little dipped cookie and the flavors are fun! Kid friendly and they have some tables if you want to eat inside. They also have fun looking dipped ice creams, but I haven't tried them yet!“

“"Sounds fishy" tastes wayyy better than it sounds haha. The menu has interesting options and funny names. They've got a crepe for your sweet tooth or if you like savory. Fresh ingredients. Mine was stuffed with spinach - love it. Maybe would be better with some sauce? The "want smore" Nutella one is nice and creamy as well. The indoor seating is very limited and there were kids all over the place lol... outdoor seats are a bit better but chilly.Dietary restrictions: Vegetarian availableKid-friendliness: Kids menu“

“A San Carlos tradition. Regulars flock here to enjoy warm conversation over freshly brewed coffees from around the world and an assortment of fresh pastries. The owner is warm, hard-working and trusting as customers go behind the counter to refill their cups while pondering their next reply to the friendly debate amongst friends. I encourage you to gather friends and begin your own tradition. Or come alone, as I, and take in the warm and inviting atmosphere and top notch coffee and fare.“

“I've been a patron of Romolo’s for quite some time now. Their cannolis are some of the best in the entire Bay Area, even surpassing some I've tried in Italy. The key aspect is that they prepare your order in front of you, which sets their establishment apart as one of the best. Unlike most places that have their cannolis pre-filled and waiting for customers, at Romolo’s, the shell never gets soggy. On your first bite, you experience a satisfying crunch, which is crucial. The ricotta filling, if you opt for the classic, is light, airy, and creamy, just as it should be.“

“It was our first time ordering from Simple Delights and we are very happy we chose you. My daughter's birthday cake was perfect in all ways, the cake and frosting was very delicious and the right amount of sweetness. We had chosen the Vanilla Chiffon cake with Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream and everyone had very good opinion about the cake. Thank you Jessica for your timely responses to all my email communications and taking into account all my suggestions and making us the perfect birthday cake.“

“Super yummy flavors and very kind staff! I learned so much about gelato vs. ice cream from the staff and owner, super interesting stuff! The owner learned how to make gelato in Italy, and has come up with some really interesting and yummy flavors. They rotate, so come check often. Their sorbetos are super delicious as well, we love the Fruit Cocktail and Passionfruit Guava. As for the gelato the Amarena Cherry is one of my faves so far, and my older son loves the tiramisu, my younger son, the cookies and cream. You can also buy pints and seasonal desserts! They are doing Yule log gelato cakes for the winter. We will definitely be back soon!“

“Chill, local-style deli with extremely good sandwiches. I ordered a toasted Italiano. Hella tasty, and the veggies were still perfectly crisp after the drive home. Think I demolished it in under 10 minutes. 10/10 will come again when I'm in the area.“

“Back in high school, I tried a sandwich from here and felt underwhelmed so I never came back. Returned for the first time recently because I was uncharacteristically craving a sandwich...and I am NOT a sandwich person, especially when it comes to meat-stuffed ones. I picked up a Customer's Favorite sans bacon to eat at home in front of the computer and woah...it totally hit the g-spot. Gastronomical spot! It was so warm and flavorful with melted cheese, turkey and pastrami, complemented by juicy tomatoes, creamy avo and zesty chipotle mayo, all smushed inside pillowy-soft Dutch Crunch. I had only planned to finish half as the sammy was enormous. However, once I started eating I just couldn't stop! Before I knew it, the gargantuan Suanwich disappeared and left crumbs all over my keyboard. Writing this review made me hungry.“

“I LOVE these cookies. I’ve never liked cookies because they are always “fake” tasting, too hard, no flavor etc. However, when I stumbled upon Sara’s a year ago, I’ve been hooked! To whoever said they were “crunchy” and “lacked flavor” you’re completely wrong. The reason I like her cookies is because they are soft and chewy and melt in your mouth. It’s the only cookie I’ve ever enjoyed and all of them are amazing. They last days after you get them too, without getting hard or stale. 10/10“

“Love the pumpkin it’s-it!! Made a special trip for that, since it’s not really sold in stores and it’s pretty hard to find which stores sell it. Totally worth the trip. They also offer a styrofoam with dry ice if you forget your own freezer bag or ice chest for $10“

“There are few foods I enjoy more than a fresh deli sandwich, and I was quite pleased with the sandwiches at Cafe Stellato! Cafe Stellato is a very cute cafe that greets you with a display of fantastic looking gelato (which I will be trying next time I come in!). But there are also a plethora of sandwich options available to those who make their way in toward the back of the cafe. I ordered the Stellato Special with the works, and my partner ordered the Alpino. The combination of turkey, artichoke, and sun dried tomatoes were delicious, and the ingredients all tasted very fresh. When asked, I opted for the spicy calabrese spread, though I was slightly disappointed that there was no real spice to it. My partner thoroughly enjoyed the Alpino as well, and commented multiple times on how tasty the pancetta (Italian bacon) was!Our order was taken very quickly, and the sandwiches were prepared nice and quickly. Everyone working there was friendly and efficient.I will definitely be coming back to eat my way through more of their sandwich menu. And next time, I think I'll be topping it off with some of that great looking gelato!“

“To put it simply…You need to go here! This place is nothing short of amazing. The atmosphere and food was every bit what you would hope to experience and more.My wife and Son were back at our hotel room quarantining for my son’s heart surgery he was going to have the next day. I had a request to get Ice cream. At first I was overwhelmed with all the crazy options and of course My wife and son couldn’t make things simple on me and get a generic ice cream. I had to sample nearly every type and provide feedback over the phone. And yes I mean every type, such as the Turkey and Stuffing as well as the Blue Cheese and Pear. The employee felt my discomfort with asking for more and more samples and he went out of his way to constantly assure me that he would love to get me as many as I needed. One would say its because he had a sensitive heart to my situation, however I did not bring my situation up until after all the samples so he would have perspective to why I needed to try so many.I am not one to go to the same place twice when traveling, however I can tell you that I am going back before we head back home.“

“Crumbl Gourmet Cookies is a true indulgence for cookie lovers! The variety of flavors they offer is impressive, and each cookie is a little piece of heaven. The texture is consistently perfect--soft on the inside and delightfully crunchy on the outside. Every visit is a delightful surprise with their rotating weekly menu, ensuring there's always something new to try. The packaging is not only charming but keeps the cookies fresh. Crumbl has mastered the art of making cookies an experience, and I can't get enough of their delectable treats!“

“Came here after reading on Next-door that they have fantastic peanut brittle, one of my favorites. Said it was better than See's. $24/lb, not cheap, and See's still better! We bought a few other things, really enjoyed their chocolate covered toffee.“

“Taste 5/5 (love the red bean), Health 2/5, Location 5/5 (downtown Palo Alto retail), Interior 4/5 (fine, but no place to sit), Cleanliness 5/5, Overall Value 4/5 (actually prices are quite reasonable for the unique product and good location for a stroll). Please ? this review if helpful, or accurate. ?Thx!“

“First time here. Got a Rusa and a strawberry crepe. The Rusa is delicious. There is so much packed into one thing (pineapple, mango, orange, tamarindo straw, chammoy, tajin and squirt, and it is so delicious. Tart, sweet, sour, and most importantly, refreshing. The crepe was soft and warm. Freshly made, too. Next time i go, I'll definitely try the ice cream. They have so many flavors to choose from. The staff were very polite and attentive. I'm coming back for sure and you should go too.Bonus points: 2 pictures of Sonic the Hedgehog on the wall.“

“The fresh made waffles are amazing. Yes there is always a line but for good reason. The seasonal flavors are always fantastic. I enjoy how eccentric they can get (sample the pear and blue cheese I swear it's delicious) when it is not packed with a million people the place is pretty cute and inviting. Thank you Thank you Thank you for offering vegan flavors that are ACTUALLY enjoyable and exciting instead of just vanilla or sorbet.“

“It’s really goodI love the root beer floats along with the candy bags. We’re really happy to have your shop inside the neighborhood!Kid-friendliness: There are kind to kids and help them out very well. They also let many kids in whose parents aren’t with them.“

“This is one of those cute little local town staples. I've been recommended this place a lot and finally got to come by today(Friday 2PM).It wasn't too busy, some locals eating and reading newspapers. I ordered a:- Reuben Sandwich $10 + $1 tax4/5 sandwich and I thought it was delicious but definitely not like a high quality sandwich. More like a super buttery, oily and generally unhealthy for you sandwich that you scarf down because there's so much delicious butter on it. Nonetheless, it's great for a quick meal.I then got a ice cream scoop of their caramel coffee, and I wished the coffee tasted was stronger. It was $5 + no tax?Anyways, this place it super retro and cute. The food is pretty basic, but not bad. Would I come here often, probably not. But watching a bunch of locals come and go with their Ice creamAnd milk shakes. I think it's a great ambience and place.“

“Craving something sweet at 8pm and we found this place on Yelp. Lots of parking. Self serve frozen yogurt with good selection of flavors, my favorite is sugar free strawberry. Toppings also is self serve which is a plus. Very friendly staff. Cute decor. You can download the app to collect reward points. We like this place, will definitely return.“

“We tried their signature purple rice yogurt dessert and were pleasantly surprised by its delicious taste! The rice, seemingly cooked in coconut milk and brown sugar (our unconfirmed guess), adds a delicate flavor that pairs well with the plain vanilla yogurt. We loved it and will definitely return to explore more flavors!“

“These 5 stars go directly to Trang, would have been 2 if it wasn't for her! My family and I decided to pop in for a snack after dinner and it was packed. I noticed it was only Trang holding it down, and I mean she was killin it! Unfazed and poised, she was taking whatever was thrown at her and kept customers happy. I'm not sure exactly what happened here but this definitely shouldn't have happened. It was an extremely stressful situation, even for us customers. I along with other customers were talking about it and was hoping we could have helped somehow. Not sure if the manager or owner knew about this but if I was in their shoes, I would've stepped in to help, Valentine's Day or not! Trang crushed it. Give her a darn raise or promotion!“

“Stopped by Penny Ice Creamery tonight after a dinner nearby. This is such a cute place! The location is prime- in Town and Country Shopping Center, across the street from Palo Alto HS and Stanford University. The shop was clean and our "scooper" was very nice. You absolutely must get the TOASTED MARSHMALLOW FLUFF. So good!! There is also a very cute seating area in the front corner of the shop- great for pictures.“

“I can't believe I haven't yet left a review for Icicles! My favorite here is their Bravocado that is made with fresh avocado; I think about it from time to time! If they're out of avocado, my next goto is the Mai Thai / Thai tea flavor. Given each order comes with many rolls, my hubby and I always share an order between the two of us. The staff is delightful here. It's a local business I gladly support!“

“We came upon this really cute food truck for ice cream when we were down at the bay and the ice cream was really good! A little pricey, but so worth it. The lavender tea is strong and bold but still really good. and the rose pistachio is amazing! The ice creams are rich and creamy. The mini scoop is a little small compared to American standard.The great thing about it is that it wasn’t too sweet. The service was good. Definitely will return.“

“We went to this place on Friday evening and there were a few people. The service was quick. We ordered Vanilla Custard and Blackberry Guava Swirl..The blackberry guava soft serve was very good. Guava flavour was subtle and refreshing. The vanilla Custard had kinda slimy texture but was not disappointing. We will surely go back to taste some of their other flavors.The soft serves are kinda pricey and portion size are huge..I wish they also had options for a smaller size soft serve.“

“My wife and I always come by-we get a Hotlink and a 1/4lb Hotdog to share!! Try the fixings on them!! The Froyo in a big cup with orange soda-Yes!! FRESH Mango smoothie- awesome!! My wife gets her Frappuccino!! High Quality Food- great price!! Just sit right there!!Great place to just chill on the Redwood City Square. Great place to be during the music season too!!Parking: It’s a very walkable community. You are in the center of town at the Redwood City court Square.Kid-friendliness: They like making the little ones happy!Wheelchair accessibility: If you are in a wheelchair there is a ramp available.“

“One of the best places ever to get Gelato. I have been going to this place and taking my daughter here for years. We just reminisced and had a bit of nostalgia a couple of weeks ago because we hadn't been since she was a teenager. She's in her early 30s now. Looks like they've made a few updates but, not a complete change. We saw this new logo and branding on the window but, still saw the original Gelato Classico labeling on our Italian ice cream cups... Sooo delicious I get the same thing every single time: Coconut Macadamia and/or Almond. It never fails. It's Stiil Thee Best Ever! We'd always stop here after eating Chinese food for lunch or dinner next door at Jing Jing's. I love the Bay Area favorites. ? ???Parking: parking is always busy downtown but, depends on when you go...Kid-friendliness: kids love this place“

“We have been coming here for many years and the quality of the frozen yogurts have been consistent and the kids have always enjoyed them. Recently we got the original tart with various toppings and were a big hit with the family. It's a small shop and the line tends to extend outside the main door but we waited for 10 minutes to get to order as it moves pretty quickly. Definitely recommend this place for your desert fix!“

“Been going here for a couple of years... This place is s00000 good! Everything from cakes to pastries to ice cream. You can tell lots of love goes into everything they sell. Do yourself a favor and indulge - try it on your own and I hope you enjoy this place as much as I do.“