Published June 1, 2022
BY SOPHIA BONE AND RILEY PALSHAW
With summer approaching, the days are growing longer, the temperature is warming up, and it’s now okay to indulge in ice cream once a day. Given that, here’s our list of the must-visit ice cream parlors on the peninsula.
Revival
Perfect for two, here is the famous “Bees Knees” paired with Revival’s raspberry sorbet topped with their housemade Honeycomb. (photo by SOPHIA BONE)
463 Alvarado Street, Monterey
Located on downtown Monterey’s bustling Alvarado Street, Revival Ice Cream is a must when craving a street treat, but not all the artificial flavors. Flavors are all locally sourced and toppings are made in the store.
Their most popular flavor has to be the award-winning “Bee’s Knees,” which has honey swirls from the local Carmel Honey Company mixed into vanilla ice cream with their “honeycomb” candy added in as well.
Watch out for special flavors as the busy store sells out of limited edition batches fast. Highly recommended is the sundae, as it comes in a waffle cone with the choice of three scoops and two toppings, one of which should definitely be the torched marshmallow fluff.
If you want something cold but not in a cone or cup, Revival offers ice cream sandwiches, ice cream cakes and even pints to take home if you cannot get enough in store. If you love good flavors and supporting local businesses, Revival should be the next place for you to go and scoop up.
One of the many “Double Trouble” combinations one can create at Moonscoops, blackberry lemonade “Moon Ice” on the bottom, creamy vanilla soft serve in the middle, topped off with lime “Moon Ice.” (photo by SOPHIA BONE)
Moon Scoops
110 General Stilwell Drive #104, Marina
While a bit out of the way, Moon Scoops Ice Creamery is a newer spot in Marina that is undoubtedly worth the drive. Offering classic soft serve along with their own creation, “Moon Ice,” a blend of sorbet and Italian ice, dairy and dairy-free patrons alike will feel complete with their options.
While flavors are always changing, the “Double Trouble” is a popular order that allows the customer to enjoy their choice of soft serve sandwiched by two flavors of “Moon Ice,” truly a best-of-both-worlds experience. For the indecisive customer, the “I Can’t Decide Sampler” might be the better option, as it has six “Moon Ice” scoops and one soft serve scoop.
The atmosphere of the shop is another bonus. The beautiful ice cream presentation paired with the flower wall with a light-up sign saying “I love you to the moon…” over an adorable pink loveseat is totally Instagram-worthy. Further into the store is a massive butterfly wing decal that completes the cute pink aesthetic.
While it is a 35-minute round trip from Carmel, Moon Scoops is an essential stop for any ice-cream connoisseur and their unique take on the traditional desert with “Moon Ice” is refreshing and appreciated by lactose-free friends.
Monterey Bay Creamery
Lola the Cow is a familiar face on the wharf. (photo by RILEY PALSHAW)
43 Old Fisherman’s Wharf, Monterey
Found in the midst of tourist traffic and clam chowder bowls on Monterey’s famous Fisherman’s Wharf, the Monterey Bay Creamery scoops up quite an assortment of America’s favorite frozen treat. Serving everything from classic ice cream and sorbets to sweet sundaes and shakes, this quaint ice creamery can please the cravings of any ice cream lover, no matter the mood.
The most popular of these varied flavors is their salted caramel, a smooth scoop of ice cream enhanced with caramel flavoring. Although it might not have caramel swirl mixed throughout, the presence of caramel is still apparent, just without a crazy rich overload of that oh-too-sweet taste. Another note-worthy flavor at the Monterey Bay Creamery is their mango sorbet. More fitting for a hotter day, this cool, orange scoop offers a tang and a mild flavor that can cleanse the palate of any individual, making it the perfect flavor for a mid-summer day.
Once you take your scoop and say hi to the creamery’s mascot Lola the Cow, you’re free to take your ice cream on a pleasant stroll up and down the wharf, looking out on the beautiful Monterey Bay Peninsula. Not a bad spot for a quick ice cream stop.
While hard to resist all the other delicious bakery items at Carmel Bakery, Marianne’s “Heaven” ice cream is worth dying for. (photo by RILEY PALSHAW)
Carmel Bakery
Ocean Ave between Dolores and Lincoln, Carmel-by-the-Sea
Every local Carmelite knows and loves the Carmel Bakery, located downtown on Ocean Avenue. Its central location and proximity to the beach makes it a favorite pit stop for locals and tourists alike on their walk down to the beach or their stroll by Carmel’s shops. Although it’s typically the hot-spot for warm lattes and golden scones, it shouldn’t be overlooked in the ice cream department. Scooped with a smile, Carmel Bakery serves Marianne’s Ice Cream, hand-crafted ice cream from an original start-up ice cream parlor in Santa Cruz that’s been operating since 1947.
This cafe offers a selection of everyone’s favorite ice cream flavors, from classics like vanilla and chocolate to more popular flavors like cookies and cream. But by far the best flavor they offer is what the bakery calls “Heaven,” a scoop of vanilla ice cream mixed with peanut butter swirls, chocolate fudge and chunks of decadent brownie. A rich and creamy consistency, this flavor hits the spot, especially if you’re looking for a filling chocolate experience. If you’re already full from your dinner at Forge in the Forest and are craving something much lighter, you might want to keep on walking, but otherwise, an ice cream scoop from Carmel Bakery is just what you need.
Warning: The Sandpiper staff does not advise consuming all of these recommendations within a two-hour interval.
