Site of the ice cream chain's original 1948 shop, serving simple & quirky flavors.
"A very old-school spot on a corner in Russian Hill, Swensen’s is an SF classic that has more than stood the test of time. Black raspberry marble, cookies ’n cream, and thin mint are the flavors we gravitate to, but no matter what you go with, get a cone. No one has ever regretted a house-made waffle cone from here." - julia chen 1, lani conway, ricky rodriguez
"It’s all old-school all the time at this charming Russian Hill ice cream parlor, which scoops standbys such as sticky chewy chocolate and Turkish coffee — with the option to turn them into massive classic sundaes, too." - Lauren Saria, Eater Staff
"Swensen’s has occupied its corner spot since 1948, with the old-school signage to match. The ice cream here is appropriately creamy, and you should 100% get a scoop of Turkish coffee and a scoop of sticky chewy chocolate. But no matter what you go with, make sure you request a cone. No one has ever regretted the house-made waffle cone." - will kamensky, julia chen 1, ricky rodriguez
"Among them is La Mejor Bakery on 24th Street; Cow Hollow bar Blue Light; coffee spot Caffe Greco in North Beach; wine shop Castro Village Wine Co.; butcher shop Guerra Quality Meats; Beijing duck purveyors Hing Lung Company; beloved dive bar Mr. Bing’s; North Beach’s Peña Pachamama; Piro Pizzeria in the Sunset; Simple Pleasures Café on Balboa; ice cream shop favorite, Swensen’s; and Tony Nik’s Café on Stockton Street." - Dianne de Guzman
"A very old-school spot on a corner in Russian Hill, Swensen’s is a San Francisco classic that has more than stood the test of time. Black raspberry marble, cookies ’n cream, and thin mint are the flavors we gravitate to, but no matter what you go with, make sure you request a cone. No one has ever regretted the house-made waffle cone." - Julia Chen