The Most Flavorful Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt in Oakland

Tara's Organic Ice Cream

★★★★☆ 4.4 (996) • $$

"I really like this small shop! It's very simple on the inside with few seatings inside and outside. Once you get the ice cream, you could walk down the street while eating! I got the black sesame and pandan ice cream and it was really good. I really like how strong the flavor was for both flavors I got and that it wasn't just a slight hint of pandan or black sesame. It's a little pricier and smaller than your normal ice cream, but it definitely is worth the price and flavor you get! Service was fast and quick."

Almare Gelato Italiano

★★★★☆ 4.4 (683) • $

"Omg. The gelato here is absolutely delicious, but I especially love the interior, which is very cozy and warm, especially at night. Almare takes you to a different world from Downtown Berkeley & is perfect for a quick dessert. I really appreciate the variety of flavors here & I want to keep coming back to try all of them!Banana Caramel (5/5): Soooo good with a perfect balance of Banana and caramel without being too sweet. Highly recommend!!Pistachio (4/5): Solid pistachio ice cream with crunchy bits of pistachio folded in. I really liked the subtlety of the flavor and the unique texture.Apple Pie (5/5): Not sure if this flavor is only seasonal for the fall time but it was soo good with hints of apple and spices.Toasted Almond & Fig (4/5): Honestly just kind of tasted like vanilla ice cream but it had a slight nutty flavor from the almonds which was really goodCaramel (3/5): My boyfriend and I both thought the caramel flavor was too strong & a bit too sweet, overpowered the other flavors."

Knudsen's Restaurant-Ice Creamery

★★★★☆ 3.8 (873) • $$

"Knudsen's wasn't part of neither my teen nor childhood days. My childhood in the ghetto didn't have any ice cream shops. My teen years i liked BEER!Didn't seek nor know of Knudsen's @Southland mall. K's been here for years. Selling more than ice cream i.e cakes, burgers, chilis, hot dogs, sandwiches, salads, kid's meals, sides.Lenghty floor space with many tables, booths. Waitresses waiting to serve me. Looked at menu, passed. Went to ice cream counter.Licks: double scoop-cherry vanilla, rainbow sherbet (10)-generous scoops, cherry frozen stiff, tasteless. vanilla flavor faint. Sugarness overpowering.-sherbet colours(cream, orange, green, red) dazzling. Flavors nil, sugar plentiful.4 stars great value. Not my kind of ice cream. Kids will lick it to the last drip!Parking in the back."

iScream

★★★★☆ 4.3 (527) • $

"iScream for ice cream! As a child, it was always special when my family would take me here for a sweet treat. Fast forward, now that I'm dairy-free, I haven't been to iScream since I was a teen but I'm so glad that I've come back with my childhood best friend!My best friend and I came on a weekday afternoon. It was the perfect sunny day for dessert. The ice cream parlor is on the smaller end with a couple of tables, but it mainly operates as take-out. Plenty of happy families and customers come in, and service has always been inviting and kind.Operating as an artisan ice cream shop, you can taste the quality of their ingredients, plus free samples. They offer traditional and specialty flavors as well as different sizes and cups and cones. Their Burnt Caramel was my go-to as a child but this go around I had a baby scoop of the Pink Grapefruit Sorbet. The Pink Grapefruit Sorbet was sweet and the grapefruit flavor came at the end, though it melted quite fast. My only wish is that they offer more vegan flavors! My friend enjoyed the Marzipan.iScream is a special place ice cream lovers gravitate towards on Solano Ave. Find street parking in the area. There's always a group of happy customers coming in and out! I'm looking forward to coming back again soon."

Caravaggio Gelato Lab

★★★★★ 4.5 (453) • $$

"It's rare to find a gelato spot that makes everything from scratch but Caravaggio is one of them. You won't find anything like it on the east bay close to Caravaggio. As for the flavors, We tried the Oxacan custard which is made out of Avocado, lime & dates 4/5Indian Mango was our favorite out of the flavors we tried, think Mango Lassi in gelato form 5/5Black sesame was creamy, earthy, full of toasted black sesame flavor 5/5We can't wait to come back and try other flavors. They also only use lactose free milk and have about 4-5 vegan options."

Happiness Cafe

★★★★☆ 4.4 (470) • $$

"This spot has been here a long time, decade or so? I try to stop by more often to support this tiny vegan shop. The owner lady is this nice Taiwanese lady who drags her retired and reluctant husband to work every day. Poor guy, great health and food but so ready to die. LOL. Anyway, the food is enjoyable. I mainly order the noodle dishes as I can make everything else myself easily. It's nice to kick it here with my dog and a book in the post lunch quiet."

Gadani

★★★★☆ 4.2 (457) • $

"I absolutely loveddd this dessert place! My boyfriend and I stopped by a few days ago after spending time browsing for dessert places and were very pleased that we made the choice to come here. The service was pretty fast and the ice cream combo with the egg waffles were absolutely delicious. I also appreciated how clean and nice the inside looked, it was very aesthetic. We will definitely be back!"

Flavor Brigade

★★★★★ 4.5 (357) • $

"This place is not much to look at but often in the most unexpected places do you strike gold. They obviously focus on flavours here. I had the hankering for a milkshake and it led me here. They have a selection of ice creams as well as italian ices more akin to a sorbet style dessert. I really wanted a salted caramel shake which wasn't available as an ice cream but the gentleman at the back who had been dealing with some tasks piped up that he could make me a killer one and if I didn't like it he'd refund me or make me whatever I wanted.Cue the A-Team music, he set to work and combined what looked like house made caramel, soft serve and a little salt and produced a salted caramel milkshake that slayed. It wasn't horribly expensive either at $8 for a large.I'll be back for more for sure."

8-Twelve Oriental Market

★★★★☆ 4.2 (376) • $

"Very clean nice customer service one person very dry the other very upbeat Food was good and decent and a nice place for kids to hang out in the back ... seems like for teenagers..nice options for drinks and milkshakes and boba.. my son enjoyed it and I would definitely go back they are open a bit late than some"

Dream Fluff Donuts

★★★★☆ 4.4 (320) • $

"Good donuts, I got the Boston cream donut and my sister got the maple glaze donut, both were good typical donuts, I'd say the Boston cream tasted a bit artificial, definitely not a homemade cream as it tasted like it could have came from a box mix but most donut shops probably do this also. Overall friendly service, good donuts at the standard price"

Double Rainbow Cafe

★★★★☆ 4 (312) • $$

"I love this place! The ice cream is delicious, the decor is adorable, and the people who work there are really special. When you meet the owners you understand why. Brandon and Alicia are the kindest, most wonderful people. You really feel good supporting their business. They make a big impact on the down town vibe. It's one of the only really kid friendly businesses down town and that really matters to me. My daughter is autistic and we need places like this where we feel comfortable. Go check out double rainbow if you want to have a delicious treat while supporting awesome members of the community."

Tibear

★★★★☆ 4.3 (256) • $$

"TLDR pricey and limited menu offerings I hope fellow boba fans will understand when I say this: there is your afternoon pick-me-up boba and then there is your dessert treat yourself boba, and this is definitely the latter. (I know all boba is technically always a dessert and a treat but hear me out...)I wanted a plain Thai green tea or matcha latte, but didn't see this option on their menu? There's a mango matcha... strawberry matcha... and Thai green tea float which I ended up getting. I say this isn't a daily boba stop for me because their menu is lacking the basics. Since they don't have more simple drinks, their everything on their menu is well over $6 (I think I paid $8 after tax and tip). The service was good and fast. The drink itself was sweet and rich with the green tea flavor. Their boba was nice and sweet. The ice cream scoop was really tiny (maybe I'm just bitter because I didn't want it in the first place but couldn't order without), but the flavor was good. The interior was cute and well decorated with limited seating. Not really doing anything wrong, but Berkeley has so many boba shops that I don't see myself being a regular here."

Koolfi Creamery

★★★★★ 4.6 (211) • $

"Stars: 3.5I've been eyeing this place and finally got to try it today. You get two samples per person. The ice cream shop serves unique Indian inspired flavors. I ended up getting one single scoop of the guava with hint of chili. I enjoyed the flavor and texture but it was the tiniest scoop I've ever had. I feel like I finished it in less than two minutes. I was sad that it was gone so quickly!You need to spend a minimum of $10 to use credit, so good thing my husband always carries cash. The staff helping us were friendly. The shop itself is cute and clean."

Nieves Cinco de Mayo

★★★★★ 4.5 (219) • $

"At first I was a bit confused where they are located. It's inside the Fruitvale public market. On a Sunday afternoon the wait was about 10-15 minutes. The parking was a bit of a hassle since it's street parking but was able to find parking down the street. I ordered a small mangonada which by far has been the best I've tried. Also since it's mango season the fresh mango was perfect. I also decided to try the Tejuino it's a beverage but It wasn't what I was expecting."

Miharu Ice Cream

★★★★★ 4.8 (188) • $$

"Wow! Did not expect this place to be open/so good. It's in the same spot where Little Giant was in one of the apartment developments near Uptown. Cute interior and equipment is out for the public to see. Service is nice- mostly kids but no one was rude when we were there as they were closing. They have a very wide selection of ice cream, from Shrikhand (Indian saffron yogurt flavor) to Middle Eastern coffee/cardamom. I ended up with the cookies and cream flavor, which was delicious! Definitely worth trying if you're in the area!"

Humphry Slocombe - Oakland

★★★★☆ 4.1 (254) • $$

"It's on the lower end of five stars. It hits all the right notes for me. Good location both in terms of where I am when I want to go for icecream and being by just enough parking. The service is friendly enough. The selection is just large enough. They have seating. Their packaged take home ice cream is a notch above safeway (or wherever else you go to buy ice cream). They have a mix of choices for how your ice creams served. They have outdoor seating, which, if you're out at night in Oakland is usually what I want. It's not flashy but it hits the spot at a reasonable price. If you are regularly in the area and haven't tried Humphrys it's worth it. If you're visiting Oakland I wouldn't trek far for it over, say Fentons, but I wouldn't trek choose if if you're in the area over making the drive to somewhere else (which I can't say about some of the competition)."

Hundal Sahib Fish & Chips

★★★★☆ 4.2 (242) • $$

"Showed up around 1pm. No customers. Had the cod fish, chips, and zucchini meal. Tasted like heated up leftovers"

Cauldron Ice Cream

★★★★☆ 4.3 (217) • $$

"I initially thought this place would be a gimmick with their rose shaped ice cream but I was wrong. They have a variety of unique flavors and they all taste amazing. The ice cream is super smooth and creamy. The puffle is fresh and warm. The milkshake was smooth and not too thick. Would come back again to try more flavors."

Macs By Icky

★★★★☆ 4.4 (191) • $$

"I've been to Macs by Icky 3 times in the past 2 weeks. The drinks are good, and the pan de sals are perfect for the mornings. I tend to prefer sweet drinks, so the Honey Latte and any of the Ube drinks are up my alley. The Pan De Sal bread is always soft, and they're the perfect size for you to be satisfied.The staff is always friendly and pretty quick to get your order out. The place is clean, and there are lots of tables to enjoy your food. Sometimes I have trouble parking in the plaza, especially on the weekends, but there is a small lot in the back and Macs is on the end of the street"

La Michoacana Fruits & Ice Cream

★★★★★ 4.6 (168) • $

"My favorite spot to go to when I'm in the mood for the sweet and tangy mango bar. So much variety to choose from that sometimes it's difficult to choose because they melt fast so I can't get two. The folks working there are so patient. Thanks."

Pa'Latino

★★★★★ 4.7 (158) • $

"Fruit was ripe and perfect. Rompope paleta was a wonderful texture. Service was efficient and helpful! Sat outside and appreciated their clean little tables. Thank you!"

Vallejo Five Star Burger

★★★★☆ 3.7 (250) • $$

"Damn....I am so full! I ordered a #1 that burger had so much meat on it it was almost as big as my head.Damn...I am so full!"

Nirvanaah!

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (296) • $

"If you have sweet tooth this ice cream shop is a must visit. My wife and I went here after yummilicious dinner with tummy full almost exploding. I still wanted to satisfy my dessert cravings so decided to stop by nirvana. Awesome place and amazing ice cream flavours. Next time I will try their Falooda and other single scoop flavours like pan , chocolate and vanilla. Service is fast and place is clean and spacious with decent amount of parking lot. Definitely worth trying here for ice cream cravings"

Roll & Bowl

★★★★☆ 4.2 (155) • $$

"I ordered brownie with banana & chocolate syrup. It was absolutely delicious! So happy to know that there's an ice cream rolls shop that does not disappoint in the East Bay! They have a great variety of flavors. I'd advocate for more toppings such as gummy bears :) but not a deal breaker. Will certainly be having this again!"

Benicia Coffee Company

★★★★☆ 4 (165) • $

"Love this place!I work in the area twice a week and this spot has become a must stop before work. I usually arrive around little after 5AM, so there's not a lot of customers. I order a large sugar vanilla latte with oat milk, extra hot and they make it consistently the same, which is really good!FYI, they only take cash. There is an ATM inside the store. Highly recommend!"

Kabul Icy Treats Cafe

★★★★★ 4.5 (124) • $$

"Authentic Afghani ice cream. Good and quick service. Relaxed ambience with a lot of family people visiting as regular customers. I loved the serving portions and taste is simply too good."

Cakes and Bakes

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (184) • $

"Adding on another beautiful cake from Cakes & Bakes! This bakery has been my go-to for custom orders for years now & I recommend them to anyone with 100% confidence. Love their skill and delicious flavors. Thank you, Mohan and team, for consistently baking such wonderful cakes. Looking forward to more in the future!"

MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (164) • $$

"Not even exaggerating when I say these are the worst fries I've ever had. They were soggy, flavorless and dark like they were fried twice. My burger was a 2/10. It wasn't even hot. $30+ down the drain and food went in the trash. I'm home with a sick child and was really banking on a good cheat meal today."

Yo Bowl

★★★★☆ 4.2 (89) • $

"Very friendly staff. Quick service. I ordered the Strawberry Passion fruit Green Tea with Lychee jelly. It was so good! The menu has so many options. They also have a stamp loyalty card so make sure you don't lose it. I'll be back to try more!"

Humphry Slocombe - Berkeley

★★★★☆ 3.6 (119) • $$

"Even if it is cold, Good ice cream is a must. Ate at a restaurant down the street, but had to come here for dessert. We had: honey graham, Pretty Woman (champagne and strawberry)."

Paleteria El Plebe

★★★★☆ 4.3 (80) • $

"I was craving some ice cream after dinner, so I decided to pay Paleteria El Plebe a visit. One scoop of cookies and cream ice cream was $4, and the scoop was MASSIVE (hence the extra star). But the ice cream itself was not good at all. It tasted like a mix of freezer and Dreyer's ice cream, which I absolutely did not like. I'm pretty certain they don't make their ice cream in house unlike other palaterias. I also arrived at 8:40pm; they took me as their last customer and shut the door afterwards. Their Yelp and hours of operations on their door says they close at 9pm though. From what I'm reading in other reviews, I'm guessing they close and open whenever they want to?"

The Rolling House

★★★★★ 4.9 (43)

"So yummy & everything is so fresh! Parking is a bonus! Everything is very clean & neat in the store. I got a straw cheesecake roll with fresh fruit & oh boy it's so good!! The fruit is so crunchy & tart. The person helping me was nice & patient while I ordered & recommended the combo. Stop by & help support this amazing business. 10/10.Also got the mango habanero wings & garlic parm fries & f*ck they're good!! The fries are so crunchy & light with the perfect amount of seasoning! Wings were destroyed so I couldn't get a pic but it's crunchy, sweet with a nice kick to it. The Thai tea was not too sweet & the boba was nice and chewy!"

Tea Villa

★★★★☆ 3.6 (77) • $$

"First, I'd like to mention that there isn't a clear area to park near this establishment. I think general public parking is out in front in the main road (Mission).It is very spacious in this boba joint. The lighting is spectacular esp when I visited during the day. I came in on a day that was a bit before the actual opening celebration so the crowd was pretty thin. I ordered the Taro Potted Plant after being greeted almost instantly as I entered the door. I took the boba waiting time to explore the bathroom area. You need a key to get into the bathrooms and have to walk out towards the back of the shop, through a hallway of different doors. I think more signage can help here but I think the restrooms are not private to just Tea Villa customers. Seemed pretty clean to me.After I got back from the bathroom, my order was ready in just a few more minutes. The order in front of me was for a family and multiple drinks were made for them. I received my boba order and the cup was clean. It was very Instagramable so I did have to take time to take a good picture of my order. The mural was an amazing backdrop for it.I did the usual mixing/shaking of the boba before popping the plastic top with my straw. My first sip was okay and I felt like I needed to mix some more. Mind you, I asked and received an extra portion of taro chunks in my boba order. So it was a chunky boi but I was a big fan of the textures all around. The sweetness level for a taro-based drink was just right for me. The ingredients did not feel cheap and the flavors felt healthy/light to me. It was a pleasant drive home with my boba. I'd order this drink again.I'll be back at Tea Villa more often than I think. Will do my best to try other items on the menu. Maybe even the food!Mahalo,@gerosan_adv"

Baskin Robbins

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (84) • $

"Baskin Robbins brings me back to my childhood...waiting on that birthday coupon for a free scoop and tasting half the options before I could decide which flavor :) This year, I got one of their gorgeous ice cream cakes! My a unicorn cake was mint chocolate chip on top of a chocolate cake and OMG was it to die for !!! It was so good! But also, cost a little over $50, so not something we'll be getting again anytime soon. We also tried a fruit smoothie and got a double scoop recently, and I must say, I'll be getting a single scoop from now on, it was huge! And so good, of course."

Insomnia Cookies

★★★★☆ 3.8 (33)

"Insomnia Cookies here just across Bancroft Street from Sather Plaza of the UC Berkeley campus, is a fairly new business, less than 1 year old. It is clean and organized, but perhaps that is because we came during the summer break.I brought my friend's high school sophomore here after giving her a personalized tour of my Alma Mater, as she had visited Stanford a few days earlier, while preparing to enter an east coast boarding school she was transferring to for this fall, and planning her future educational options. ( This girl is bright, focused and ambitious! When I went to Cal years ago, I barely had the grades or scores to qualify entry. My essay of BS must have fooled them, or I was a charity acceptance case, lol). For you college grads of the past 5-10 years in Berkeley or Palo Alto, you remember the long lines for the Cream outlets. Their novel idea was for you to pick an Ice Cream flavor, (like BR 32 flavors for you OGs), then pick a cookie flavor ( like Mrs. Fields, which was started in Palo Alto, for you OGs, or Famous Amos from Hawaii), and they would make it into a sort of It's It ( which is based near SFO on the SF peninsula, also for you OGs). Insomnia puts a twist on that (I think, I am still confused, must be because I am an OG?!). And that is, you pick the Cookie first, then the Ice Cream, and they put it together into, well, er, a new Cream like It's It? Confused, and an Ice Cream purist. I just ordered a cup of 2 flavors, so did my teen companion, or maybe she was just following me to respect her OGs? I did get an Ube flavor, which is definitely a newer, on the rise flava flave (for you semi-OG MTV "D" celebrity trash show watchers) popular Asian based flavor. ( There are many Ube-Fests around California, btw). Service was good and friendly from our server, who took the time to try to explain Insomnia vs Cream to me, but I didn't get it because maybe I am an OG? BTW, the term OG actually works in Japan, too, because Ojiisan (pronounced like OG) in Japanese either means grandfather, or Old Guy. Check out Insomnia Cookies, you can't go wrong with Cookies and Ice Cream, and theirs was pretty good. The sugar rush will keep you up for a while (Insomnia?). But most everyone likes both Ice Cream and Cookies, unless you're trying to lose weight, or you're an OG trying to better manage your A1C. Maybe time to consider OGzembic?"