Despite its stigma as plain or traditional, vanilla ice cream achieves a unique combination of refreshing sweetness and subtlety. The Redwood Bark went around Marin to find the best version of this simplistic treat, the perfect coolant for fast approaching summer days.
We compared vanilla ice cream from Ben & Jerry’s, Three Twins Ice Cream, Lappert’s Ice Cream, and Fairfax Scoop. We then rated them on a 5-star scale dependent on their taste, price, and customer experience.
Along with making great ice cream, these stores are also concerned with what is put into their ice cream as well as how it affects the environment. Ben and Jerry’s promotes their ice cream as all natural and environmentally sustainable, and one of Lappert’s main focuses is the “quality” of their product. Three Twins ice cream is entirely organic and made locally, but possibly the most impressive store is Fairfax Scoop. Their ice cream is also entirely organic, along with being flavored with sustainably sourced and local ingredients.
Ben & Jerry’s: 4 Stars
As you walk into Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream store in the Bon Air Shopping Center, the welcoming smell of waffle cones greets you at the door. Although this is one of the more expensive ice creams, priced at $3.50 for one scoop, it is worth the price. This cold treat has just the right amount of sweetness, without being overwhelmingly sugary. The one downside to this ice cream is that there were small pieces of crushed ice in almost every bite. This took some of the ice cream feel away, as it felt more like chewing on sweetened ice.
Three Twins Ice Cream: 4.5 Stars
In a small nook at the Marin Country Mart in Larkspur Landing, you will find the Three Twin’s Ice Cream store settled behind a couple picnic tables and umbrellas. Upon entering the store, the employees greet you with welcoming hello and strike up friendly conversation. Their ice cream is just as wonderful as their customer service. It has the perfect combination of sweetness with a hint of saltiness, which adds a savory taste to the mix. The ice cream is also extremely creamy. Although the ice cream and the employees are wonderful, there are two big downsides to Three Twins. One problem is that the shop is so small it is often hard finding a way to stand inside on a busy day. The other slight downside is that the ice cream here is also $3.50, but this too seems worth the price.
Lappert’s Ice Cream: 2 Stars
Another nearby store we sampled was Lappert’s Ice Cream located in the Town Center. The customer service here was hardly satisfying, as the employee working there focused on another task before addressing the customers needs. The ice cream was unsatisfactory as well, as it tasted overly sweet with far too much sugar. Along with it being too sweet, the ice cream was also hard and did not have the creamy smoothness that a gourmet ice cream should. The ice cream only cost $1.99 for a small scoop, which was an appropriate price for the underwhelming snack.
Fairfax Scoop: 4 Stars
The final store we sampled from was Fairfax Scoop. This ice cream is well known and liked for being completely organic while still having great tasting ice cream. While both of these reputations held true, the location of Fairfax Scoop is a downside. It is about a 15-minute drive plus traffic just to get there from Redwood. On top of this, the parking situation is often limited and difficult. Although getting there is sometimes a long process, the ice cream leaves you wanting more. They not only have a delicious plain vanilla that leaves a sweet sensation in your mouth, but also a specialty vanilla flavor. Fairfax Scoop’s vanilla honey lavender is a delightful variation of the regular vanilla flavor. The three flavors play off each other as the lavender gives a soothing taste to the treat, while the honey adds a sweet kick to the classic vanilla. Along with great flavor, the ice cream is creamy and soft with each spoonful.
