San Francisco, California: Ice Cream Shop in Shipping Container

Not only is the building odd, but the shop uses liquid nitrogen to freeze your ice cream in 60 seconds.

Smitten Ice Cream

Address:: 432 Octavia St., San Francisco, CA
Directions:: Smitten Ice Cream. North side of downtown. From US Hwy 101/Van Ness Ave. turn onto Fell St. and drive west three blocks. Turn right (north) onto Octavia St. and drive a half-block. You'll see the shipping container on the right.
Hours:: Daily, usually from around noon to 10 pm (Call to verify) Local health policies may affect hours and access.
Phone:: 415-863-1518
Admission:: Free

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Smitten Ice Cream.

Smitten Ice Cream

We have seen the future, and it is... ICE CREAM! It is in a most unlikely place, a recycled shipping container in downtown San Francisco. This tiny ice cream shop makes each individual ice cream order on the spot in 60 seconds! How is this possible, you ask? Does it involve some sort of back-from-the-future time-shifting device?

Not quite, but the device is just about as cool -- it is a special mixer (called a "Kelvin") that uses liquid nitrogen to instantly freeze all the ingredients as it mixes them into instant ice cream! How cool is that?! It's so cool it's freezing! The flavors they offer change regularly depending on what fresh, local ingredients are in season and available. We shared their "Strawberry White Balsamic" ice cream. It was excellent! Now we have a new ice cream destination to add to our list!

[Wayne and Karen Brown, 05/15/2013]