Smitten Ice Cream

Walking into Smitten Ice Cream feels like stepping into a science lab. “Brrristas” (yes, that’s what they’re called here), pour cups of pastel liquids into stainless steel bowls before huge machines whir to life, pumping liquid nitrogen and spinning your ice cream into existence. The whole process takes about two fog-filled minutes to create ice cream so smooth, you could spread it on toast. This Mission location (and its other location in San Jose) offer a small menu with Smitten constants (vanilla, chocolate, and cookie dough) and a few seasonal flavors. No matter what you order, get a waffle cone or bowl (they’re made throughout the day) and enjoy your scoops while people-watching from their Valencia St. parklet.