The Penny Ice Creamery | State Street Market

10.04.25 Icy ice cream, Praline too sweet, Fresh Mint was good but has a bitter aftertaste, Tahitian Vanilla Bean was the winner of the 3. Ice cream melts very fast.

I heard that the ice cream is good so I gave it a try. It was a bit of disappointment as there was an ice cube in my ice cream! They didn’t make it well. I had the dark chocolate flavor. I tried their mint chip flavor and it tasted a bit weird. I am a mint chocolate person so I was surprised with their mint chip flavor. So I went with dark chocolate but it was a bit too sweet after finishing the scoop.

Only time in my life I have had ice cream that was gros, i should have tried it before i ordered it buti love all things caramel. I had the bitter caramel. I gave it two stars because my friend had a different flavor and it was decent, otherwise it would be a one star as my friend also was disgustedat the bitter caramel.

10.04.25 2:20pm Service was very good but the ice cream isn't really all that great, it's still tasty and fairly good but not something I'd want to eat again if there are other choices (gelato or Haagen Dazs). *Fresh Mint Chocolate Chip (I think they actually blend fresh mint into the mix, which Mom loved, but made the flavor have a bitter taste to it). *Tahitian Vanilla Bean (the best tasting one). *Praline (cloyingly sweet). Also this ice cream melts too fast.

It's in a little food court in downtown Los Altos. Decent selection, price is on the higher side. It is a creamery so the flavors are very rich. I couldn't afford to cone everyday but it was a well deserved treat.

Ice Cream is usually not my thing but when there’s a twist on it I gotta try it out. Toasted Marshmallows on top of your ice cream is definitely something different. The ice cream isn’t bad. The flavor I chose was butter toffee I believe with the toasted marshmallow on top. The combination of the ice cream with toasted marshmallow is top tier.

The penny ice creamery is part of a food court called State Street Market. It has a wide space with tables indoor & outdoor and a variety of food. options. They have a great selection of interesting new flavors. The store was tiny & there was a huge line. It took us almost 20 minutes to reach the counter. The staff were friendly. The ice cream itself was soft & buttery. We loved the unique new flavors.

serve fast. Look for today’s specials as most of em are good Tried cone of dark chocolate which was good Tofee was mvp and tasted amazingly Vanilla bean was good too Strawberry pop was ok We tried toasted marshmallow topping and was delicious Definitely recommend this place

Not bad when you have a craving that needs to be fulfilled, but it wasn't anything special for the price. The hazelnut flavor was strangely muted and salty, so I went with the coffee flavor in a sundae. For about $10, the sundae actually only comes with a single scoop, so it reeeally didn't feel worth it. My friend got the mint flavor and didn't love it either. The waffle cone was solid though; crisp and not a hint of staleness.

This place is on the outside of a large food hall. It is small but cute! The workers and service was good. The workers working there when I went were very nice. The ice cream was good, but not the best. They had 2 vegan ice cream flavors, and I got the chocolate one.

I tried the marshmallow on top of the ice cream and it wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great. The ice cream flavors were unique, but nothing to write home about. I wasn't super excited about any of them personally, but it's worth trying!

Yesterday we visited the Los Altos location for the first time. While the ice cream is outstanding, the service we received was not!! Sunday, February 23, 2025 at 3:15 PM: The employee was standing behind the counter when we arrived, reading a book or iphone, and immediately put it down and walked over to us. No "hello", "welcome", "can I help you?" No smile. Nothing. I said "I saw the list of your ice creams outside. Are those all of the flavors?" She said "they are written on the glass." I could not read the flavors in the red marker on the glass, so I just said "ok, thank you," and ordered a dark chocolate in a cup. I asked what size cups she had and she picked up a little one and showed me. I said "oh, I would like more than that, what is the next size?" She picked up the next size and said "but these are only for two flavors." I asked "what?" She said you have to order two flavors to get the next size cup. I said "really? I can't get two scoops of one flavor in that cup?" First she said "no," then, after some back-and-forth with me, she said "well, if you really want me to use this cup I guess I can." Meanwhile, no expression or pleasantry from her. Her hospitality stinks!! I just read some reviews of past visitors to your establishment ad see that they had the same remarks about the staff, one in particular said "they could be replaced by robots.". Another "lacksidasical.". My sentiments exactly. When it was time to pay, she simply pointed at the credit card machine. No "thank you," "have a nice day," nothing. She actually made it so uncomfortable we hesitate to return. Sent from my iPad

We love their original store located in Santa Cruz so what a great surprise for us to see this ice cream shop popped up in this shopping plaza. I ordered a mini double scoop of the Fresh Mint Chip and Verve Coffee with Chocolate, and added their famous toasted marshmallow as a topping. The Fresh Mint Chip flavor had a refreshing taste of mint with every bite, very yummy! The Verve Coffee flavor was a bit too strong for me. The big glob of toasted marshmallow topping always enhance any cup of their ice cream and made the overall experience even more enjoyable.

Don't skip out on the toasted marshmallow fluff y'all. It's truly the *perfect* topping. After trying this Penny Ice Creamery for the first time during a Yelp event, I knew I had to return when I was in the area again. The shop is located in the state street market so there's plenty of parking and it's very walkable if you're in downtown Los Altos. The shop is small but there's plenty of seating on the patio or on in the market itself. You'll know where it is - just follow the waffle cone smell. Service has always been excellent as well - no complaints. Love the patience of the staff as we tried many different flavors in order to decide our scoop. I LOVE the bitter caramel flavor - talk about the perfect balance! It's not your ordinary caramel and the bitterness really gives the flavor that extra "umph" to take it to the next level. A part of me is like "why doesn't everyone have a flavor like this?" But tbh, flavors like that are what make an ice cream shop stand out and I'll make the trip back to penny ice creamery just for that. Now, you will be looking at paying ~$6+ for your ice cream, add more for cones and toppings. But it's a nice reason to splurge (on $$ and calories lol) every once in awhile. Can't wait to try more on the menu. Plus they have rotating flavors so there's always something new!

After Mother's Day early dinner I randomly chose this location based on Yelp reviews that sound unique. Nice small outdoor area with some expensive restaurants scattered outside of the State Street Market Hall. First time in this quiet neighborhood in Los Altos. The ice cream is from Santa Cruz and is homemade organic from scratch with ingredients from local farmers. Yes it is from the highest quality. The ice cream texture is very light like skim fat free milk. I prefer my ice cream to have a heavier texture. The prices are a little steep for this higher quality ice cream $6.50 for one scoop and I got the full double scoop $9.50. Luckily they allowed me to have tasting samples with their unique flavors. The Verve coffee with almond praline did have the nice medium flavor of ice cream and the texture was on the lighter side. My second sample was the one I liked better as it had a stronger flavor and heavier texture was the chocolate Carmel flavor. So I decided to take 2 normal double scoops of Tahitian Vanilla and Chocolate Carmel. My mom had the Verve Coffee with almond praline flavor one scoop. The ice cream was good, just not my personal preference liking. There was an annoy kid screaming about ice cream where his parents were trying to find a flavor he wanted. This place is connected to the food court in this building. It was a nice palace to try out but I personally won't make my way out here just for this place. Nice small little city and pretty much a safe area.

8 dollars! Great tasting but not 8 dollars for this size, I understand this is high end ice cream but more bang for my buck

This ice cream shop is adjacent to the State Street market in Los Altos. They carry very interesting flavors. The coffee one is amazing. Since it's in the corner, we never noticed it until Kevin Lu's event. Have dinner there then head for the ice cream, how perfect!

Okay been to this place a few times and honestly the ice cream is so good. I usually don't like ice cream too much, except for one flavor that is hard to find, so when I come here I just get vanilla. I realize that it sounds boring but it is the freshest, creamiest, and most flavorful vanilla. The workers are always friendly and fast! It's not very large but there are some tables inside and outside. Pro tip: get a draft root beer from State of the Mind and a vanilla from here for the BEST root beer float.

Love this location! Free samples and friendly customer service. I appreciate the variety in flavors. Their ice cream tends to be on the sweet side, but you can definitely tell their ingredients are legit. Though their menu is always changing, my favorites include the Pecan Pie, Matcha, and Chai. The Toasted Marshmallow Fluff is a must!!! During the autumn season, they have ice cream pies! Sounds like it'd be a hit at the next Thanksgiving potluck.

While it is a bit expensive for the amount you get, the flavors are great and it was a lovely experience with the kids. At first the staff did not seem as friendly as what I heard from reviews, it the guy warmed up to the kids after a little while. Love this location because the kids liked to sit outside at the little bike barstool

Went for Dessert Food - 5/5. Ice cream was smooth, creamy and had a good level of sweetness. Vanilla flavor was strong with visible beans and the coffee flavor was balanced out by the cream. Service - 4/5. They allow sampling and the lines move fast. Value - 3/5. The ice cream is good but their prices are definitely on the higher side. A double scoop is $9.50 which is way higher than their competitors. The higher price would make most people hesitant for a return visit. Parking - Street/Municipal Garage (Free)

Umm...first off, I thought I was dreaming. This whole time, I really thought that the only Penny Ice Creamery was in Downtown Santa Cruz. However, the helpful and nice worker there today let me know that the Los Altos location is just one of many. YES. I have been on this strange ice cream spree during which I hunt out the best places nearby (and it can't be a place with too many locations like Baskin Robbins, you know what I mean). Stepping in, I noticed the mini double scoop, which is basically two golf ball-sized scoops of different flavors. I opted for the Gonzo Grape (which was unique because obv the grapes but not the tangy or fruity flavor I was exactly wanting). The other option was the sorbet, but it was kinda watery. Therefore, I went with the Verve Coffee option. OMG. One of the best coffee ice creams that I've had...and that's not just cause it's made with Verve coffee...or maybe that's why.

Located inside State Street Market, The Penny offers classic and unique ice cream flavors. They use fresh, local, and organic ingredients and is based in Santa Cruz. I got the bourbon persimmon and it was very unique. I didn't think they would mesh well together, but I was wrong. Definitely get the toasted marshmallow fluff on top of your ice cream. Game changer for sure. It just ties everything together. Reminds me of a Baked Alaska.

Just stopped by during the Yelp event here at State Street Market, and got this little cone of heaven! Awee waffle cone with a mini scoop of ice cream ( I chose fresh mint chip) and then this marshmallow fluff that goes on top and gets brûléed!!?!?? It was worth the wait in line, and I'll definitely be back under normal conditions to have another, you know, for research purposes.

Small little joint serving small little Unique fav of ice cream at a very nice area. We arrived 15 mins before closing and their server was very welcoming. Ordered two Single scope with marshmallow top. Sat under their toasty well lit porch on a rainy night while enjoying desserts on a weekend. I was debating whether a Single scoop at $8 only getting you a kid size at your regular ice cream joints could meant a healthier choice after all, but kids weren't satisfied so minus 1

Average ice cream but good service. The ice cream scoops were small and I tried the coffee and mint chip which were both underwhelming. Salt n straw is much better in my opinion. The solid marshmallow was a nice touch but I was expecting more!

A great treat after a long day! Everyone at this location is soo sweet and understanding for my indecisive self. There are chairs outside for the vibes. My order: Tahitian Vanilla and Bitter Caramel with the marshmallow fluff is actually the BEST!! They all compliment each other soo well with the perfect balance.

There's finally a location closer to home!! I love the various flavors they have and changes. They're located inside the State Street Market in downtown Los Altos. Whatever ice cream flavor you get, just make sure to add the marshmallow fluff on top!

The service so far has been ok not great here. The young staff can be replaced with robots in the future that would do a better job at being warm and friendly. They're not rude, just lackadaisical. It's a cute little shop but the main seating for the shop is the main food hall. I love the ice cream here. Their mint is a bit more minty than most places but I didn't find it resembling toothpaste. That's insulting to the shop and highly exaggerated. The best place for mint imho is Campbell Creamery but follows a close 2nd and Baskin Robbins trailing at ~3rd place. But I digress. The vegan chocolate floored me. There was some sort of Tahitian something something special I tried which was really yummy. The one drawback of this place is that the scoops are relatively small. Why so stingy at this price point? I'm baffled that this place hasn't bothered trying to course-correct bc I'd imagine the small scoop size is a directive from management as opposed to decisions by the staff. Bigger scoops could go a long way to building happier returns.

, Summer is finally here! Although it's always a good time for ice cream, now it's an extra good time. And what's even better, Penny opened up their Los Altos location so we don't have to drive all the way to Santa Cruz anymore to get their ice cream, which are all made from scratch and with fresh local ingredients. We're usually mint chip ice cream flavor fans, but this was definitely more mint forward that kind of slaps you in the face haha The strawberry sorbet though made us wish we both got our own scoop. They also don't hold back on the toasted marshmallow fluff which we appreciate! The service and everyone was very nice and we like how it has outdoor seating so we can enjoy with a nice breeze. Inside was small but still cute and get your ice cream and go. Excited to now be able to get their ice cream more often when we crave it and try their other rotating flavors. - -- -- - Strawberry Sorbet and Fresh Mint Chip with Toasted Marshmallow Fluff

Must try place!!! They have variety of flavors, organic and lactose intolerant people friendly. The service is fast, unique and different approach to service.. This location is cute, very homie and amazing for family with kids.

Yummy! I saw so many people Downtown holding this delicious ice cream that I had to try it out. I don't even really like ice cream like that, but it just sounded so good for a sunny summer day. Seems like they have rotating flavors every day, and their flavors are pretty unique! They offer a Verve Coffee which was surprising because I love Verve and this collab! You're able to sample flavors before committing to one. The mini double and single are the same price, so if you like two flavors, just get the mini double! I didn't end up getting the Vervre Coffee flavor since it came with chocolate praline, and I am neither a chocolate or nut fan. I really liked the black tea peach which honestly didn't have a distinct taste of black tea or peach, but I love the fruity profile compared to a milky dairy taste. It wasn't too sweet in the best way possible. There were peach(?) chunks spread out which was fun. I noticed the workers carefully craft each scoop to make sure you get all the components of the flavor. I had to get the waffle cone because it looked so amazing, and it was! The cone was a bit too sweet since I didn't have water on me, but I would get it again and again. The Penny is definitely a new great staple for Downtown Los Altos.

Craving The Penny Ice Creamery but not in the mood to driver to Santa Cruz? Rejoice friends, cuz they now have 2 locations (Palo Alto and Los Altos) in the Peninsula! So you can now get your Toasted Marshmallow Fluff fix at your leisure! And of course, try out their unique ice cream flavors. Both locations have ample parking in the vicinity and options for dining ahead of having the ice cream for dessert.

This place is on the end of a Los Altos food court and very convenient after getting dinner in Los Alros downtown. I ordered the mint chip and the dark chocolate in a mini double which is the same size as a single but you get two scoops. It's a deal! The min chip was called fresh mint chip and was very minty. My friend described it as toothpaste while I thought of it more as eating a mint leaf. It was a bit much but ultimately refreshing. The dark chocolate was very rich. The cone was okay. I saw they made the waffle cones in house which was nice, but didn't taste like anything special to me. I was thrown off a bit with my flavor choices so I may have to come back and check out their other selections.

Discerning ice cream flavors ... but not for discerning ice cream lovers. Tin pot or Scoop creamery this is not. Flavors are awkwardly imbalanced, and it lacks the smooth and creamy consistency of fresh made premium ice cream, (At least one flavor tastes of corn syrup and lower fat milk).. A second star for the fresh cones. But overall the invitation to a truly exceptional high-end ice cream experience (which the setting and flavors evoke) falls woefully short ... strangely bitter bitter caramel, overly minty mint chip, super sweet coffee, rose water laden raspberry gelato, etc. I haven't tried all of the flavors but none made me scream for more of their ice cream.

The first time I had Penny ice cream was in Santa Cruz and was blown away. I was thrilled to see that they had a location in the bay and had to make a stop here. Surprisingly it was empty and I left with a smile and a happy tummy.

I couldn't be happier that I no longer need to make the drive to Santa Cruz to get my ice cream with marshmallow fluff. Having it closer to home is a major convenience that I greatly appreciate. This area is very nice and clean, there is a bunch of street parking, It was so easy to find parking. I always get either the Verve Coffee or the Sea Salt Chocolate depending on which one they have for the day. You MUST add the toasted marshmallow fluff to your ice cream. The creamy ice cream perfectly complements the sweet and fluffy marshmallow fluff. It's a match made in dessert heaven, bringing an indulgent twist to the ice cream.

One of the best ice cream place I have ever been to. They have lots of special flavors throughout the entire week. They also have special toppings such as marshmallow, and they can torch it to make it more toasty like a s'mores. I would definitely come back to this place and ordered it one more time. It is located downtown Mountain View. There is only street parking and it is located right next to food court

Cute ice cream shop with interesting flavors. I got the orange cranberry ginger which was very good. The cranberry is very tart but goes well with the rich and sweet ice cream. The ginger added a refreshing element. Kinda pricey - $7.50 for a single scoop.

This was a sweet little joint adjacent to the new food hall in Los Altos! Staff were friendly and let me try samples of their wide flavor assortment. I ended up going for the burnt caramel, which had a bitter caramel flavor. The mini scoop was the perfect size for a post-dinner snack, and the price was fairly reasonable. The room also smelled like fresh waffle cones since there were staff making them to the side. The interior had cute decor and felt very homey. Will be coming back to try their other flavors!

Had the vegan dark chocolate. It was good but really expensive. ~$6 for a mini cup which they didn't even fill up fully Service was quick

SO GOOD! Located in downtown Los Altos hills. There's a ton of street parking and some small lots around with parking. The story is cute and quaint, located inside of a market place with other food options. The employee was super nice allowing me to sample all the flavors before settling with the choice. He was also super patient with me. I opted for Chamomile dried apricots with toasted marshmallow fluff and my boyfriend got the Verve Coffee with Chocolate Praline. We loved both so much! My chamomile with apricot was so sublet but super nice and floral. There was no lack of dried apricots in my ice cream. The waffle cone was also super yummy! I will definitely be back for more again!

Came back and still love their flavors. I love how it changes around and the flavors blend well together. The service continues to amaze me. They're just nice and friendly. Glad we have a place like this here.

i like downtown los altos and i like ice cream, what a time to be alive if you're considering ordering the cone or the marshmallow fluff: get both lol delicious combo

Such a cute little ice cream shop! They only had one guy working, but he was very patient with us as we asked questions and he offered us samples as well. I decided to go with the Cookies and Cream, which was seasonal apparently. I loved the taste of the ice cream as it wasn't too sweet and there was a perfect balance between the milk and oreo cookies. My girlfriend got the bitter caramel with a toasted marshmallow on top, which was also delicious. The marshmallow was a bit too sweet for us, but the ice cream was really good and definitely had a bitter sweet flavor to it. This ice cream shop has very unique flavors that I've never seen before and is definitely worth going to when in the Los Altos area.

Assumed I would like this, given that I really liked tin pot (did they just rebrand??) Got a small scoop of vanilla w/ caramel drizzle. The caramel was more burned than Big Basin state park. The burned caramel left the ice cream almost inedible, but thankfully most of it had crept to the bottom. I was able to salvage the edible portion. The ice cream came out to $8.50, which is absolutely insane when considering you get ONE SCOOP. Given that the other food locations within this food hall are sub par for what you pay for, the experience wasn't very surprising.

Based in Santa Cruz, Penny's Ice Creamery creates handmade, lovingly prepared treats from scratch. It has two entrances and is located in a tiny area separate from the restaurants, bakeries, and drinks in State Street Market Food Hall. Sun-Thu 12-9 p.m. and Fri.-Sat. 12-10 p.m. The worker is amiable, prompt, and focused. starting on May 3, 2024. The ice cream comes in the following flavors: Bitter Caramel, Lime Sorbet, Salted Butter Toffee, Penny / Fruit Pops, Dark Chocolate (vegan), Chocolate Almond Praline, Hazelnut Praline, Lime Shortbread, and Fresh Mint Chip (Sea to Sky Form?).

Hooray! The Penny Ice Creamery makes it to the Peninsula. This stall alone enticed me to finally check out the State Street Market. I've only had this ice cream once over 6 years ago at their Santa Cruz location, and now, I don't have to make the trek down. Prices are on the higher side, but given inflation and my desire for an occasional indulgent treat, I don't mind. Their selling point is the toasted marshmallow fluff, so you have to get it. With ten flavors to choose from, I sampled the rose petals and (white chocolate) kisses, which had a nice sweet floral (but not perfumey) flavor, but I decided on the bitter caramel. That bitter caramel + marshmallow fluff combination was incredible! The ice cream's bitterness (more like a burnt sugar flavor like in flan or browned butter cookies) balanced the fluff's sweetness perfectly. The freshly made waffle cones were also no additional cost. It was a bit messy but not as bad as I expected, so I'd definitely recommend asking for spoons and extra napkins. When we walked around downtown, multiple people eyed our cones and asked us where we got them - that's when you know you got the good stuff. It's a bummer that my friend's marshmallow fluff was torched for a few seconds too long and slightly burnt though. Regardless, I'll be back for more summer scoops!

Definitely my favorite ice cream place. Everything is so high quality and delicious -- you can't go wrong with any of their flavors. Despite the long line, the service is remarkably fast. Located inside the State Street Market it is always so lively and a fun location to visit.

Great micro batch ice cream with innovate and delicious flavors. Great location in a downtown food hall. The shop itself is pretty small but there is plenty of seating outside and inside the food hall

Love love Penny Ice Cream. I'm so happy they opened one in Los Altos don't have to go back to Santa Cruz my more. The marshmallows fluff topping is always my go to. You can try all flavors before purchasing and they make gluten free waffle cones. Price is generous and service is always nice.

Parking can get tricky on a busy day Place can be busy so plan for that and they serve fast. Look for today's specials as most of em are good Tried cone of dark chocolate which was good Tofee was mvp and tasted amazingly Vanilla bean was good too Strawberry pop was ok We tried toasted marshmallow topping and was delicious Definitely recommend this place

*First time review* Stumbled upon this ice cream place when I was walking back to my car from dinner. Almost didn't see it at first but then I saw folks sitting outside eating ice cream! There was a long line outside and I decided to see what was going on. I wanted to try two flavors, so I got the mint chip and the coffee. The mint chip: 1/5 frankly was not good... it was spearmint! I don't like spearmint at all. The good news is my second flavor was coffee.. Coffee scoop: 10/5 amazing!!! As others mentioned Verve is the coffee they used for their ice cream. I love verve! This ice cream is insanely good. Wish I had 2 scoops of this vs the mint chip. The coffee ice cream is so good it's redeeming enough for the mint chip to give this place 4 stars. Knocked 1 star off for the tiny scoops and pricing but overall, tasty and I would come back for the coffee flavor!

Been meaning to go to the ones in Santa Cruz forever and have never made it. However they have come a bit closer to me. The State Street Market got revamped and slowly filling with nee vendors. Penny just moved into the fray and replaced my beloved Tin Pot. Always happy for a good ice cream option. Hopefully the market 2.0 and hood vendors like this survive

kids and i love ice cream so we were excited to find a new spot we haven't tried after having dinner. my kids asked to try a flavor each and was given half a dime size to try which they said, "can't really taste the flavor" so they both opted for the safe option- chocolate. the portion size is laughable. and the taste- nothing to write home about. the service wasn't there to make up for the lack of the ice cream itself. the gentleman working there looked all types of annoyed and was not a bit friendly. to top it off, i was annoyed that when i ordered burnt marshmallow topping, he torched it and blew the small flame on the marshmallow which didn't sit well with me so i ended up scrapping of the top layer of the marshmallow.

I visited this location early evening on a Saturday. There are parking lots behind this street, but considering it was dinner time, the lots were pretty much all full. This location is inside a food hall so it's more like a little ice cream counter compared to the full store in Santa Cruz. I think there might be fewer flavors here? Given the time I visited, there was a line. The line doesn't take too long and is mainly held up with sampling and indecisiveness, as per usual at a ice cream store lol. The service itself is really quick. The staff was friendly and patient with the whole flavor selection process. Penny Ice Creamery does offer seasonal flavors. I tried the pear coffee cake that day and just happen to not get much pear coffee cake in my scoop. Of note, the waffle cone is free (unlike most other ice cream shops)! The pear coffee cake was just ok and was basically expensive vanilla ice cream. I think some other berry flavors I've had in the past were better . Overall, the scoops are pretty small for the price, even relative to other ice cream stores. I personally haven't encountered flavors I love yet, so will leave it at 3 stars. I wouldn't go out of my way to visit like I did this time, but if I were to visit Santa Cruz, I would probably drop by.

Good ice cream. Polite staff. Lots of seats outdoors. A bit overpriced. --- --- ---