Mitchell’s scoops up seven decades of serving SF
May 16, 2023
Mitchell’s Ice Cream, a well- known ice cream shop in San Francisco, is one of the most popular, classic, ice cream parlors in the Bay Area. The family-owned business was first opened on June 6, 1953 with only a dozen flavors. Today, Mitchell’s has over 40 flavors.
Achilles Woodson ’23 said, “Mitchell’s is one of my top favorite ice cream spots to go to because it has a lot of different flavors for me to choose from.”
What makes Mitchell’s so different from other ice cream parlors is the unique flavors, and the way the ice cream is made. They have distinctive flavors such as mango, grasshopper pie, ube, and more. Of course they also have the classic flavors such as vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, etc.
Their ice cream is made with 16 percent butterfat, while normal ice cream is 10 percent butterfat by dairy law. On top of that, their ice cream is made fresh every day.
Mitchell’s is one of my top favorite ice cream spots to go to because it has a lot of different flavors for me to choose from.
— Achilles Woodson ’23
Scott Chiesa, a staff member at Archbishop Riordan, said, “I was intrigued by the Mexican chocolate flavor, and it definitely brought out a kick I never had before in ice cream.”
Mitchell’s also offers dairy-free and vegan products, making their menu options accessible to all.
All the dedication and hard work the family has put into Mitchell’s is what has made it so popular, 70 years later.
“Mitchell’s has become one of my go to places for ice cream ever since the first time I tried it. My favorite flavor definitely has to be their mango. I like their milkshakes too,” said Mele Vaihola ’23.
Though you’ll probably always see a line coming out of the store, it tends to move pretty quickly. Their friendly and fast staff along with their delicious ice cream is something you can’t beat.
Manager Marlon Payumo said, “We are special in a lot of different ways. We serve freshly made ice cream, using super premium ingredients.”
We are special in a lot of different ways. We serve freshly made ice cream, using super premium ingredients.
— Manager Marlon Payumo
“Also, the way we make the ice cream is still old fashioned, just like the way we made it back in 1953.”
In addition, “Some customers say we are special because we have an extensive selection of flavors.”
Owner Linda Mitchell, daughter and niece of the original owners, agrees.
“When my father Larry and my Uncle Jack opened the doors of Mitchell’s Ice Cream on June 6, 1953, they made 12 flavors of ice cream—all traditional American flavors.”
“As time went by, more and more San Franciscans found our shop and loved our ice cream. We are now a very busy shop and we have 40 flavors available for our customers daily.”
As the population of San Francisco became more diverse, our customers also became more diverse because of our tropical flavors.
— Linda Mitchell, owner
She continued, “In the early 1960s, Larry and Jack began importing mango fruit from the Philippines. This was one of the biggest evolutions for our company.”
The most popular flavors are mango and grasshopper pie.
“This change also caused an evolution in our customer base,” Mitchell said. “As the population of San Francisco became more diverse, our customers also became more diverse because of our tropical flavors.”
“To this day, many people buy our ice cream because our rich, creamy tropical flavors remind them of home,” she added.
Payumo said, “The culture and the community defined Mitchell’s Ice Cream. The diversity in the Bay Area helped small businesses like us. Since we are offering different flavors and using imported ingredients from different countries, this invites in customers of different cultures and different nationalities.”
