The Penny Ice Creamery | Downtown Santa Cruz

This ice creamery has a treasure chest of flavors. It is evident that each artisanal flavor has been crafted with creativity and love. The bitter caramel is bold and inventive, and the toasted marshmallows made the flavor an adventure. The staff were as sweet as the ice cream itself, always ready to help you navigate their menu. I wish there was an expanded menu.

A delightful ice cream shop that provides great seasonal flavors and a few non-dairy options as well. The highlight here is definitely their marshmallow fluff for $1 atop a waffle cone, but it is also incredible how they're the only creamery in-town that makes their ice cream from scratch!

Really enjoyed the chocolate ice cream with marshmallow topping! The staff let us sample a few different flavors and didn’t rush us at all. Cute vibe. Small on the inside but they have picnic tables outside to enjoy your handcrafted ice cream.

Worst ice cream ever experience ever. I was rushed through the line, not offered or given time to ask for a taste of “anything”?! When I ordered to go/cone separate she served me an eat it now cup with no lid, when I asked again she eye rolled and said well I can get you a new container. No spoon, zero smiles. The organic ice cream is not great for the price. $7.50 1 scoop and a hard time. Good luck reading the “daily” changing menu.

Total Score: 6.325 Ambiance: 2/5 Cramped. Also didn’t like how there wasn’t as much diversity of flavors Food: 4/5 Strawberry sorbet was sweet as I like it. Wow: 0.25/1 The fluffy marshmallow was yummy. Total Score = 3.5*AM + 6*FOOD + 0.5*WOW

It was interesting to try cardamom with pistachio. I don't know if I was able to taste the chocolate chip very well, but I still enjoyed my ice cream and waffle cone. I would return for another sweet treat. Sadly, I forgot to take a picture because I was too excited to taste my ice cream.

Small little shop in downtown Santa Cruz with interesting flavors !! Appreciated the sour cream flavored ice cream but the marshmallow on top that’s toasted just adds that extra flavor to the ice cream ! Worth the stop to try !!!

Penny creamery offers gluten free cones and ice cream choices make this my favorite place. Also the toasted marshmallow fluff topping can't be beat!

We ordered banana toffee, dark chocolate, and roasted marshmallows (their signature). Four of us shared a double scoop because we were so full from dinner, but still wanted dessert. Banana toffee was my favorite part of the trio. I love everything banana, so this was pretty spot on. The toffee gave the flavor profile a bit of a crunchy texture. The dark chocolate made the other flavor less sweet, which was nice. The roasted marshmallows was a request that my friends wanted and they all loved it. Samples are allowed now so it's nice to taste before we commit. They also have a Stout ice cream flavor and it tastes just like the beer, so I recommend it if you enjoy Stout. The front desk gal was super friendly and laid back. We never felt rushed! There are inside and outside seatings, and it's well lit indoors. Parkings are on the street as it's downtown SC.

We'll go with 5 stars cause my kids like it so much. I'm not a huge ice cream person, but I will say that they are awesome about having inventive flavors. I just got their stout Ice Cream which was made with local Santa Cruz Mountain Brewery stout, so also always good to see them representing local businesses. My children love the chocolate (which actually happens to be vegan, but they don't know this or seem to care). We could give them a knock for being expensive - but it's not any more than any other craft ice cream - it just would be nice if craft ice cream didn't cost quite so much.

Love the Penny Ice Creamery! We swung by for a sweet treat before heading back to the bay. Sizable line going out the door-- fortunately it moved quickly. Once entering, you're enveloped by the warm aroma of fresh waffle cones. No limit on samples, although we tried to keep it minimal to avoid stalling the folks behind us. So many flavors! I opted for the mini double to satiate my indecisiveness: toffee & vegan chocolate. Both flavors were delightfully creamy and not too sweet. The first time I visited was with friends in high school-- this time, it was still as delicious as I remember (although I sadly no longer have the sweet tooth to handle their famed toasted marshmallow topping T_T).

We finally brought our kid (an ice cream lover) to try my fave shop in Santa Cruz for the epic dark chocolate vegan sorbet topped with housemade marshmallow that's torched to perfection. All that is missing is some cinnamon somewhere, perhaps in the sorbet to give it a Mexican chocolate/smores feel. The service feels like family- patient and friendly. Inside there are a few tables but it is quite small. One cool feature is you can see the ice cream being made on the side, almost the way you see it at a brewery. Everything is made fresh with local ingredients so expect rotating flavors (about 12). Nothing says California farm to table like this place!

I've heard about The Penny for yeeaaars now, and finally had a chance to try it lol. I was so excited about the marshmallow fluff! We were doing a fun day trip to Santa Cruz, and decided to stop by after realizing it was close to where we were visiting. My BF and I got a cone with a double scoop (w/ Tahitian Vanilla Bean and Bitter Caramel as the flavors) and added their signature marshmallow fluff as a topping. All of the flavors paired together soo beautifully. The caramel flavor was a bit sweet, but the vanilla bean and marshmallow helped to balance it out. The person who was helping us was kind and prompt too. There's a good amount of indoor and outdoor seating inside, plus it's fairly close to Downtown!

Hands down , one of the best dark chocolate ice creams I ever had .. and they can give you the toasted marshmallow as topping which is so awesome ... there is sitting area outside and inside as well . You can park your car right outside on the street or there is a public parking garage as well right in front across the street .

We got a scoop each of Whiskey Custard and Lemon Verbana Blueberry with a Toasted Marshmallow Fluff on top. The ice cream is definitely different than usual, I found it slightly less creamy and thick than traditional ice creams - but it was also hot so maybe it was melting away quickly. The toasted marshmallow fluff on top paired really well with both flavors but especially with the Whiskey Custard. I had also tried the dark chocolate and in hindsight should have gotten it as well. I might head over to another location just for the dark chocolate.

Service was super friendly and helpful. There's some seating inside and outside. I appreciate the quality ingredients and fun flavors but I'm not sure why but I'm just not the biggest fan. I sampled a few flavors and ended up getting vanilla. I am not sure how to explain it. There's plenty of flavor and creaminess but something about it makes me only want a few bites and then I'm good. I am also not a van of the super popular Van Lewen's ice cream and maybe they are similar? Maybe it's the texture or thicker creaminess. I love their sturdy wooden spoons!

cousin and i came to this cute lil shop since we were at a thrifting soso market nearby. this place had had the sweetest workers who were very nice and fast! i recall that you're not able to get samples, but all the flavors looked so yummy and unique, similar to salt and straw flavors too. i really enjoyed my milk chocolate brownie scoop, and my cousin loved the blackberry sorbet. there's some seating and bathrooms and it would be a lovely place to get sweet treats if you're nearby!

I had heard so much hype about this place so decided as a must to try it out. When I got there, I was surprised to see only 9 flavors. There were no labels so asked the worker to name each one for me. I got 2 scoops, the flavor was there but it was not creamy enough for my expectations. Sorry I was disappointed.

Not a big fan Ice cream was not creamy or tasty They advertise organic and wholesome, but the quality was just not there Not sure what the hype is all about, but the location is great I was creating just a good serving of ice cream, and I was not very pleased. Flavors are very limited I am assuming for a better quality of the limited labor they currently have. Unfortunately the quality is just not there. Perhaps they shouldn't advertise ice cream the flavors are much more sorbet rather than an ice cream. The taste is very watery and ice combination rather than creamy and flavorful. Customer service is great Location is great Parking is great

The service here is really good and the staff is very friendly. This place is more of a grab and go type of place. Last time I came here I got the stout flavor with the marshmallow fluff. The toasted marshmallow fluff was sweet and went really well with the ice cream. It's a must order for sure whenever you come here. The stout flavor was very unique but I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Definitely come here if you are in the area.

Finally a long overdue review of one of my favorite ice cream places ever!!! Been coming to Penny ever since I went to UCSC and it was always a staple for any hangout in the area! We loved the hours and that they were open late, and that they had such unique and new flavors every time. I would always try a new flavor and my favorite one I've tried so far is the butterscotch. The marshmallow fluff is a must!! There's always a long line but it moves pretty fast, they have seating inside and outside. A must try when you're in Santa Cruz, and worth it even if it's out of the way!!

Super Ice Cream. Standouts were the Apple Fritter and Coffee. Not too sweet, and definitely not full of syrups and fake flavors. Be sure to get the toasted marshmallow topping. It's one of the best things on the planet. Flavors change often so check back. Wooden spoons, paper cups. Waffle cones too (also gluten free available).

I learned about The Penny Ice Creamery through an Instagram reel that happened to stumble onto my feed. After seeing the yummy ice cream they had to offer, I knew I had to make a stop if I found myself in Santa Cruz. Luckily, I found myself in Santa Cruz for the first time this week! Since I was unfamiliar with where to park my car I chose to do so in a metered parking spot. It was coin only unless you had a specific app so my friend and I scraped some coins together to buy us some time. Then we walked to the ice cream spot less than a block away. They had some very yummy ice cream choices along with lots of choices for toppings. I knew I wanted an ice cream cone with toasted marshmallow on top -- which is exactly what I got! For the ice cream I chose a coffee chocolate one that they had. My friend and I went outside and enjoyed our ice creams at one of the tables. It was so delicious! Everything paired really well and you could tell the waffle cone was made in house. With the nice weather outside, it was a perfect excursion. I enjoyed my experience and definitely think it's worth stopping for anyone with a sweet tooth! Highly recommend.

The Ice Cream is amazing! So creamy and so delicious, especially when you cover it with there roast (flame) marshmallow! Friendly staff. A MUST TRY!

Many moons later, the Penny Ice Creamery is still a must-visit every time I'm in Santa Cruz. I eat my words about what I said about hipsters. I love locally sourced ingredients, of which Penny Ice Creamery uses many. Flavors rotate according to what's in season. You can't really go wrong with any of the flavors. And if you do, shame on you for not sampling them first. As of this updated review, they've got killer blackberry shortbread and brown sugar oat walnut flavors. The bitter caramel is quite an unexpected delight too.

During our visit in Santa Cruz, Penny Ice Creamery was popular along this area and I had to see what was up. They are the only ice cream store that serves all of their flavors from scratch in house. Their flavors change within season and feature organic ingredients. It's relatively small when you walk inside and staff was friendly. I was able to try a couple of samples before choosing the final flavor. Their signature is the toasted marshmallow but I didn't get a chance to try that. Overall, it's good when you're craving a sweet treat! Tahitian Vanilla Bean - Great classic, you can't go wrong with this flavor, creamy, subtly sweet. Strawberry Sorbet - Fruity, refreshing, vibrant color that burst with natural sweetness of fresh strawberries. Smooth, icy texture. Bitter Caramel - It's actually bitter but filled with strong caramel aftertaste.

How cool is it that this relatively small town has two places for homemade ice cream?! So- after trying both Marianne's and Penny Ice Creamery, the bottom line is both are great. A good comparison would be: Best for sitting down following - Marianne's (more seating) Best for range of flavors- Marianne's Best for unique flavors - Penny Best for lactose-free options- Penny Flavor-wise, I think I enjoyed my flavors more at Penny Ice Creamery (honey yogurt walnut was great, and bitter caramel was amazing- mind-blowing even, among the best flavors ever) but it also could be that I didn't select the best for me at Marianne's.

When in Santa Cruz most people go for Marianne's but I think penny ice creamery is extremely underrated. The flavors are simple but the torched marshmallow topping is to die for! If you wanna change it up while visiting Santa Cruz come here and you won't be disappointed

Came here on a trip through Santa Cruz to Monterey; it was a great place to stop in and grab a snack. We appreciated the unique flavors, which included Meyer Lemon Ginger bread with ginger cookie bits inside, the vegan dark chocolate sorbet which was quite creamy, and the bees business which had a bit of honeycomb in it (though I wish there were more crunch and texture in this flavor.) The folks behind the counter were friendly and offered free samples. We got takeout but it looked clean inside and there were several people there on a Friday night.

My husband and I love this ice cream shop, we were lucky to get the last of the straight up strawberry ice cream flavor, we always get our ice cream with toasted marshmallow, they have a good amount of flavors to choose from and toppings! It is street parking, service is fairly quick especially if you know what you want but you can try flavors too! There is a few seating inside and outside as well. Staff is friendly too!

I recently visited Penny Ice Creamery and tried their coffee and vanilla ice cream with a marshmallow on top - it was absolutely delightful! The rich, smooth flavors paired perfectly, and the toasted marshmallow added a unique touch. The place itself is cozy and inviting, making it a perfect spot to relax and enjoy a sweet treat. Servers were friendly!

I kept hearing good things about this place so I had to stop in for a try and I was not disappointed! There was a line but i moves fast and the staff is helpful and friendly, you can also get samples which apparently nobody offers anymore so that was a nice touch. I got the birthday cake which has a strawberry base and I also added the toasted marshmallow on top (worth the extra money) really enjoyed it!

I committed a major ice cream lover sin: I did not finish my ice cream. Now, this wasn't because I did not appreciate the thick, creamy, and vanilla bean of the ice cream; the perfect crunch and sweetness of the waffle cone; or the sticky and toasted sweetness of the marshmallow...it was all too good, but I needed to control my sugar intake. The end:)

Love their ice cream and waffle cones! They have unique flavors that are also delicious. I am not someone who likes s'mores or marshmallow but I love their toasted marshmallow fluff topping. They have rotating flavors. I got the mandarin mascarpone and honey walnut jam.

I like that it is local , fresh and source locally The ambience is good , clean and good choices of flavor , the waffle cone is delish too Overall will deffo comeback when im at santa cruz

Good service, interesting flavors. Seemed like when I went several flavors had lacaly farmed dates. I think the one I tried was Crème fraiche and date which tasted like salted butter with a zing of sweetness, but in a good way. The ambiance was clean and the bathrooms were too. A mini (tiny scoop) was $5 which seemed a bit steep but I had to portion control for my poor blood sugar

The ice cream here is locally made. It's extremely popular because it is so damn good!! I'm not much of a sweet tooth but my wife is and she always comes here with her friends. She got two scoops with a waffle cone and I did the same but with one. I think I got the raspberry sherbet. It was definitely a sherbet as that's my favorite type of ice cream. She got mint chocolate and rocky road (my two worst flavors lol) but they were all good. It is a bit expensive though. It came out to $15 for the two and with tip it was $20. The line was long but moved very fast as you could imagine. They don't have to cook anything lol. There is always a huge line though. Especially on the weekend. Parking is a bit tough. Either a limited meter street parking or a paid parking garage that's less than a block away. Would I go back? Or take my friends? Yeah, you guessed it. I wouldn't. But it's definitely a place you would want to join with family or your special other.

My family and I stop by The Penny Ice Creamery every time we are in Santa Cruz. I love that have different flavors of ice cream every time I go. It's the marshmallow fluff topping is my favorite!

Teeny and adorable ice cream shop a block off the main shopping drive. Some inside and outside seating and bathroom available for patrons. There was about 10 different flavors which can rotate, I settled on whiskey custard of course! It had a good whiskey flavor and a nice creaminess. Get the house made waffle cone, it doesn't even cost extra!

Talk about fresh!!! The waffle cones were made the day we were there, and the ice cream flavor I had was made the day before with real organic ingredients (no pre-made mixes). My grandson, Finnigan,  kept saying, "it's the freshest cone I have ever had!" I decided on a scoop of Rocky Lane, and the ice cream server suggested that many people liked it with  Marshmellow Fluff on a waffle cone. So, I thought I would go with their suggestion. OMG, my mouth had a mouth orgasm-- with all of those wonderful flavors and contrasting textures in my mouth all at once!!! My older grandson enjoyed the layout of the ice cream shop and loved his scoop of Strawberry Sorbet. My 5 year grandson had a hard time keeping his scoop of ice cream off his face, but was able to eat it all without falling on the ground. He creatively used the holes in the table outside as an ice cream cone holder. Go here for scrumscious, freshly made organic ice cream--made right here in Santa Cruz, and for those crunchy waffle cones made on site. You can eat them in or out of the ice cream shop.  They have restrooms in the rear of the shop to clean the hands and faces of kids of all ages--if the  ice cream eating gets on more than inside the mouth.

I was first introduced to this place many many years ago by a Santa Cruz local. I remember my ice cream topped with a warm donut. Finally back here and brought some first timers. Street parking (cash / via Park app) or there's a parking structure for $2 an hour. Flavor selections are posted right outside their shop. All ice cream made from scratch in house. You can ask to sample their flavors. I love that they use a small metal spoon for samples. We got their Pecan Praline, Vegan Dark Chocolate, & Tahitian Vanilla. Some of us opted to get it on a cone and topped with their toasted marshmallow. Can't go wrong with their ice cream. Not the best space planning for flow of traffic. One entrance / exit. Gets pretty jammed at the door. But tons of picnic seating outside. Great service. A little on the pricier side for ice cream. But always good to support a local business.

Toasted marshmallow motherfucking fluff!!!!!!! I stumbled upon The Penny Ice Creamery while walking around downtown Santa Cruz (hard to miss, there was a line down the street). Naturally, I had to know what the hype was all about. I wouldn't say I waited any more than 20 - 25 minutes. And now that I've had my taste, I'd wait longer. It's seriously that good. I had my doggo with me, luckily, they had a little patio/seating area up front so my friend could sit and wait with her. Some of the flavors that day (5/27/2023) included honey yogurt walnut jam, lime cardamom cherry crisp, earl gray, creme fraiche rhuarb, Verve coffee! It was a hard choice. I love funky ice cream flavors. I opted for earl grey, toasted marshmallow fluff (duh), on a fresh waffle cone. Completely exceeded any expectation I had. Single scoop will run you about $6.50, toppings run from 50 cents to a dollar. So the fluff...best dollar you will ever spend. Skip the line down the street & order on their website. Damn, I am still dreaming about this freaking perfect scoop.

Good ice cream and a very good cone! I stopped by here after a day at the boardwalk, and there wasn't too long of a line when we arrived. Street parking is ample and the inside of this place is quite small. They do let you sample the flavors before you decide what you want which is nice, and I also really appreciate how they have the mini double option for people who like to have multiple flavors like myself :) I got the matcha and raspberry mint with an upside down mini cone, and they were both really good! The matcha flavor was strong, and this might've been my first time having a fruity mint flavor. My all time favorite is mint chocolate chip, and the mintiness of this one was really refreshing and paired well with the raspberry swirl bits. The waffle cone was also so yummy and tasted almost like a sweet biscuit -- it had the perfect crunch and toast and was so so good. I wouldn't say the texture of the ice cream was one of the best since I love really thick ice cream, but still delicious nonetheless!

Warning to reader: I'm not an ice cream person. So my review will be a bit biased haha The line was pretty insane as usually when I went at 8 pm on a Saturday night. Street parking was challenging, so you just gotta try and drive around. While waiting in line, you can head to the front door to take picture of the menu for the day. The menu can change within minutes depending on availability. For example, when we came, we saw Cookie Monster as a flavor. However, when we arrived at the main entrance, it was no longer there. It got replaced with another flavor...(don't recall) The service was excellent. The workers will allow you to try different samples as many as you like. I tried two or three and ended up choosing blueberry sweet corn. My sample mostly contained the sweet corn flavor, so I liked it. However, when I got the actual scoop, the ice cream mainly had blueberry... sadly barely any sweet corn flavor in general. I was a bit disappointed despite the store being generous on real fruits in the ice cream

I really like the ice cream and I love that they let you sample the flavors and I love the toasted marshmallow topping but the only reason I gave it 4 instead of 5 is because of the price. It's a bit expensive for a small serving. Also, the line is long and doesn't move the fastest. The store inside is small and the counter is small so there can only be so many people being served at a time. However, the ice cream is very good and I would come back. Parking in the area is all metered and they do have a small outdoor area to sit with your pup and eat.

Penny Ice Creamery is always our go to when visiting Santa Cruz. This is a review for all locations because I don't just stick with one.. Nonetheless, always a great experience. My go to is their Chocolate ice cream on a cone with sprinkles. Yum and best thing about it is it's vegan but doesnt taste like vegan ice cream - if that makes sense ;) Even though I am no longer vegan it is still my favorite. My kids enjoy trying all the different flavors that are offered and sprinkles. One thing I really do appreciate with this small Santa Cruz chain is the local ingredients and the waffle cones made in shop - the smell is divine! Service is always great. On busy days and weekends expect a longer line, depending on the people ahead it may go by quickly but not always. It's okay though, totally worth the wait. :)

This place was so cool! They make their ice cream flavors in house and they taste super fresh. I ordered the salty peanut one and got toasted marshmallow fluff on top which was such a fun touch. I noticed they also offered gluten free cones!

Seriously delicious ice cream! Amazing interesting flavors that change seasonally. I recently had the most delicious banana toffee flavor, but they had many other interesting flavors I was tempted by like quince sorbet, bourbon persimmon and chocolate orange, amongst others. They also have more classic flavors like cookies N cream and Tahitian vanilla bean. They are generous with allowing samples to find your perfect flavor. I recommend getting any flavor in their homemade waffle cone, topped with delicious roasted marshmallow fluff!

this is such a cute little ice cream chain around the Santa Cruz area! i got the pumpkin swirl flavor as a junior scoop, and it was the perfect size. i am not a huge ice cream fanatic because it can be too heavy at times, but the flavors here were not overwhelmingly sweet at all. they had the perfect balance between sweetness and creaminess, and the junior scoop was just the right size. the workers were also very nice and welcoming. they had a handful of flavors that i have never heard of and i needed to try them all. the employee who was taking care of our order was nice enough to let us try them all! i would definitely come back when i'm in the mood for a sweet treat :)

The ice cream was ok. I think I had really high expectations because I got lots of recommendations, but the ice cream really wasn't that good and didn't stand out to me. Also the price was extremely expensive and high for what you get. The service was nice and they were really kind. They were really generous about samples and stuff. The vibe was kinda ok nothing weird or special.

we tried the candy cap mushroom (with a toasted marshmallow top) and fresh mint chip for our first time visiting! the guy serving our ice cream was very nice and helpful and gave us a few samples! the single scoop was plenty of ice cream and the home made waffle cones were delicious (and bonus points because they are included in the price!!!). we do tend to prefer ice cream a bit creamier though, but would return next time in town to try another unique flavors!

Everything right for an icecream! Super sweet and I really like the addition of the marshmallow. Perfect for a hot day

Delicious! As a pro-tip, if you come here after 8 pm, the street parking is free! I was pleasantly surprised by this ice cream shop. They have a nice selection of unique rotating flavors. On this occasion we went with the dark chocolate and the coffee with praline almonds. Both were very delicious and tasted very flavorful and complex. We ordered a two scoop ice cream and it was huge! You can definitely share one ice cream between two people in my opinion. Nice seating options both indoors and outdoors as well.

If you know me, you already know i LOVE ice cream. Something about the cold, creamy, and smooth texture of ice cream has me on my knees (lol)." Since 2010 penny ice creamery is the only creamery which makes their ice scream from scratch. This is because they remain the only ice cream shop with a licensed pasteurizer. Staff here is incredibly patient especially with all the samples they provide to aid our final decision. Although there isn't much seating inside, i like how rustic this place feels, and they even have an area where you're able to see fresh ice cream being turned. During rush hours It can get pretty loud m. I love being able to walking around downtown while i finish my sweet treat. Since it is basically summer, "I've got to move in on and be who i am, i gotta go my own way". Vanessa Hudgens couldn't have said it better. Ice cream and i must go out separate ways for the summer body grind. I love how Pennys always has different flavors which keeps people coming back to all the different flavors. I personally always choose something more on the chocolate or mocha flavor side, and with their delicious light, smooth and perfectly torched marshmallow top you can't go wrong here.

Shout out to Josie who informed me last week that my favorite flavor (chocolate raspberry) may be coming back soon when I asked. Always stressful when you miss your favorite flavor, but soooo pleased I checked this week and it was back!!! Also bonus she was there when I stopped in and we both gushed over how good the flavor is! Only thing better would be if whiskey custard (my boyfriend's favorite) was in stock at the same time, but he also loves chocolate raspberry too. Always super sweet staff and efficient when it's busy. Will be back for another pint before it's gone!

TIPS: 1. Paid parking around the shop. 2. Floats are only at the Scott's Valley Location-- go there for the floats! I got the pistachio and the Tahitian vanilla bean with the cone. Overall, it was so creamy, not too sweet yet flavorful. The wooden spoon went well with the flavor and the cone gave a great crunch to the ice cream flavors. The vanilla was strong and the pistachio was rich as well. The shop overall was well decorated, clean, and had very interesting decorations inside to get a good feel of the ice cream-making process. The service was fast even with a long line and it was overall fun. We came in the evening and it was busy! To avoid the line, come on the weekdays or mornings!

Line out the door when we drove by so we knew we had to try it. We went in the evening and the line was long but fast. We tried the lime honeycomb and chamomile apricot. Both were flavorful and sweet. The cones were yummy and toasty. The flavors change regularly and they have other treats, like bon bons and popsicles.