Salt & Straw

As you walk down University Avenue, you are bound to get a whiff of the wafting smell of freshly made ice cream cones as you pass by Salt and Straw. Attracted to the enticing sights and smells that Salt and Straw provides, customers form a huge line in front of the ice cream shop just a few minutes after it opens. Originating from Portland, Oregon, Salt and Straw is arguably the most popular ice cream store in Palo Alto, and it now has multiple locations nationwide from Miami
to San Diego. Salt and Straw’s ice cream is locally sourced, as the signs on the walls specify that each ingredient comes from local
farms in or near the Bay Area. While there are no classic flavors such as chocolate or vanilla, Salt and Straw carries unique flavors like Salted Malted Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough or Cowgirl Creamery’s Mt. Tam Cheese and Jam. It also rotates a seasonal batch of flavors, including a campfire theme, a cereal theme and a childrens’ book series theme, which featured flavors like Goosebumps. Although Salt and Straw costs $5.50 for a Split Single—their signature option for two flavors in one large scoop—it is worth every penny. From their homemade waffle cones to the dedication of their servers, each order is crafted with care. For years, Palo Alto never had one go-to ice cream place. Since 2018, though, Salt and Straw has boasted the town’s most quality ice cream. If you need proof, just look at the line.