638767 Wed Jul 22 20:12:32 -0700 2009 22 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 4882800 Going to be in SF this weekend and it looks like Humphry Slocombe and Bi-Rite Creamery are the best choices for Ice Cream in the city. I will probably only have time to visit one of the two this trip, so for those of you that have been to BOTH places, what is your vote and why? Thanks for your help! Wed Jul 22 20:12:32 -0700 2009 174252 Carbear99 1 4882885 honestly, it's about the flavors and the vibe. I love humphry slocombe because you can sit down inside and outside and i really like their secret breakfast flavor. BiRite has great salted caramel and their fruit flavors are really good (strawberry balsamic is a particular fave). If I were going to only have 1 I'd probably go to BiRite because there WILL be a flavor you'll like. Humphry Slocombe is a little more hit or miss. Wed Jul 22 20:54:17 -0700 2009 4882800 82489 margieco 1 4882928 Do you like weird flavors? Really weird flavors? I think HS would be the answer. Wed Jul 22 21:18:31 -0700 2009 4882800 54804 bbulkow 2 4883014 Yes, I like unique flavors, that's one of the things that attracted me to both.. seems like such a difficult decision! Wed Jul 22 22:06:29 -0700 2009 4882928 174252 Carbear99 3 4883861 I didn't say unique, I said weird --- and I meant it. There's no comparison in oddity of flavors: HS hands down. When I was there I had tastes of salt and pepper and curry peanut butter. I ended up with corn, secret breakfast, and olive oil. You'll see on HS's list things like fois gras. BiRite has nothing of that strangeness - Honey Lavendar and salted caramel are normal in comparison. If you want your concept of ice cream flavor challenged, HS is the place for you. It really is an original. Thu Jul 23 08:53:51 -0700 2009 4883014 54804 bbulkow 4 4884933 I'm not into the weird flavors, but I agree that you should go to Humphrey Slocombe over Bi-Rite. I order their Blue Bottle Vietnamese coffee ice cream when everything else is not so appealing and it ranks among some of the best ice cream I have had in a long time. It's somewhat gelato-like and reminds me of the espresso gelato I used to get many many years ago at a cafe on 24th near Mission. The coconut sherbet is also really good. Thu Jul 23 13:53:56 -0700 2009 4883861 14374 Mari 4 4887259 One slight warning: it can be hard to know for certain whether one likes a 'wierd' flavor, until one buys an entire serving...just tasting doesn't necessarily answer the question. (for me). One my one visit to HS, I tried a taste of the salt and pepper, among other flavors, and absolutely LOVED it, so got it in my serving. Unfortunately, while the first three or four bites were great, it wore my palate out quickly, and I couldn't finish the serving. Fri Jul 24 09:40:20 -0700 2009 4883861 10158 susancinsf 1 4883031 I'd go to Humphry Slocumbe. Bi-Rite has excellent ice cream (malted vanilla with peanut brittle comes to mind), but I love the unconventionality of HS. As with anything that pushes the envelope, some attempts work, and some don't. I very much enjoyed the near-legendary Secret Breakfast and was amazed by the prosciutto, which had spot-on prosciutto flavor, but I found the olive oil disappointing, more lemony than olive-y. Other flavors, like salt-and-pepper, make me wonder, "Do I like that or not?" But I think that having one's taste's challenged is a good thing, and on the whole, HS has a sufficiently high proportion of hits versus misses to make it a worthy destination. Wed Jul 22 22:16:34 -0700 2009 4882800 14663 pilinut 1 4883046 i vote for HS - HANDS down - just make sure you go early for best selection as they sell out early. I like to get a scoop or two or a Hot Mess Sundae and stroll up to Philz and get an amazing cup of coffee after my wonderful ice cream adventure. . . Wed Jul 22 22:26:29 -0700 2009 4882800 169526 pastryqueen 1 4883054 They're very different styles of ice cream. The issue is more one of texture than flavor. Bi-Rite is very high in butterfat. It's creamier and doesn't melt as fast. Their best flavors like honey lavender take advantage of this. To me it tastes like cream--not my preference, but I know many people who like this style. Humphrey Slocumbe is more hit and miss, and it's definitely out there. But when it hits (Fudgesicle! or olive oil with amarena cherries) it's pretty wondrous. They're much less consistent than Bi-Rite, and this won't win the texture wars, unless you're a sorbet lover. But I love going back, just to see what's new, and say I had prosciutto ice cream. Wed Jul 22 22:31:51 -0700 2009 4882800 10966 Windy 1 4883151 HS is great - not just for the interesting flavors, but for doing really clean and simple classics well like coffee and chocolate. I think Bi-Rite is too sweet and the flavors one-dimensional; it reminds me of an upscale Ben and Jerry's. Thu Jul 23 00:12:50 -0700 2009 4882800 10793 Morton the Mousse 2 4883906 Ah, now you've reminded me of HS's excellent Blue Bottle Vietnamese coffee--possibly the best coffee ice cream I've ever tasted. No outlandish flavors here, just a rich, complex coffee ice cream--great paired with Secret Breakfast, of course! Thu Jul 23 09:07:29 -0700 2009 4883151 14663 pilinut 1 4884030 No contest, HS. Bi-Rite is very good but HS is extraordinary. Also, the lines at Bi-Rite are often ridiculous. Thu Jul 23 09:47:44 -0700 2009 4882800 11369 Robert Lauriston 1 4884110 I think HS sounds more up your alley. i like both. I agree that Bi-Rite is more consistent between flavors, but not as exciting and very creamy. It is the type of place I take visitors who swear by Cold Stone. they get a revelation that ice cream can be better, but aren't challenged too much. i know that that they will get a creamy product. But if I personally had to choose one, i would go to HS. The flavors are fun (I don't think they are as crazy as some do though), the differences in textures I think often enhance the flavors and the service last time I went was top notch. Thu Jul 23 10:09:57 -0700 2009 4882800 15001 jsaimd 1 4884655 On any given day, I guess it would really depend on what flavor I'm craving. Bi-Rite's flavors have a more mainstream appeal. HS's flavors are ususual but really quite delicious. I really enjoyed the peanut butter curry. But if I had to choose just one, I'd pick BR over HS even with the long wait at BR. It's not because of the flavor selection, but because of the texture. The ice cream seems creamier at BR. Thu Jul 23 12:35:46 -0700 2009 4882800 1096152 marysf 1 4885074 Another vote for Humphrey Slocombe. I LOVE Secret Breakfast, think it's one of the more inventive flavors but all I've had at HS have been good. I've been to BiRite once and while it was good, it didn't excite me like the flavors of HS. Thu Jul 23 14:41:36 -0700 2009 4882800 198247 stomsf 1 4885091 It looks like it's probably going to be Humphry Slocombe's... excited to try the crazy flavors!! Thanks for everyone's suggestions! I let everyone know what we have! Thu Jul 23 14:45:36 -0700 2009 4882800 174252 Carbear99 1 4885312 I've only been to each once, but I preferred Bi-Rite. I sampled 4 flavors at HS and none of them appealed to us all that much. Thu Jul 23 15:56:04 -0700 2009 4882800 10992 katya 1 4885314 I suppose that you have already chosen, so this is too late, but I am NOT a fan of HS. i think that Bi-Rite is superior in every way, from tastier icecream to friendlier staff. call me crazy, but no matter HOW strange you want to be with your flavor experiments, you should at least try to have some sort of chocolate on your menu when you are making icecream. also, the iceream i got was grainy and clearly hadn't had enough chruning happen to mix all the ice crystals back into the icecream. Bi-Rite icecream, while it is (in my book) insanely expensive, is totally worth the treat. and yes, i am a huge fan of the salted caramel icecream. Needless to say, if you DO go to HS, you can wash it down with an organic home made donut around the corner at dynamo. Thu Jul 23 15:56:30 -0700 2009 4882800 14459 jupiter 2 4885385 HS has chocolate sorbet almost always. . along with the blue bottle Vietnamese coffee and Secret Breakfast it is a standard. I find the chocolate ice cream at Bi-Rite really weak - they use cocoa to flavor it and, on my palate, it tastes "dusty" and raw. . . much as you don't like HS, I find Bi-Rite completely mediocre from the depth of their flavors to the mouth feel of their product. . . at least we can agree on Dynamo - fresh out of the fryer, those are quite tasty donuts. :) Thu Jul 23 16:21:21 -0700 2009 4885314 169526 pastryqueen 3 4885810 "Humphrey Slocumbe is more hit and miss.. much less consistent than Bi-Rite, and this won't win the texture wars, unless you're a sorbet lover. But I love going back, just to see what's new..." I agree. For "I want ice cream that tastes good right now," I go to Bi-Rite. For "I want to re-think/have my mind blown by ice cream," I go to HS. Try to visit both! (oops, sorry, I meant to reply to another post above..) Thu Jul 23 19:22:28 -0700 2009 4885385 263424 Leely2 4 4886242 "Humphrey Slocumbe is more hit and miss.. much less consistent than Bi-Rite, and this won't win the texture wars, unless you're a sorbet lover. But I love going back, just to see what's new..." Good to know I'm not the only one who is not in love with HS. I do agree that their flavors are interesting...but last time I went every single flavor was ridiculoulsly salted. salty vanilla, salty rosemary, salty olive oil...etc. Everything except the Jesus juice. Thu Jul 23 23:43:28 -0700 2009 4885810 93482 linz 5 4886244 That's misrepresenting what I wrote above with selective editing. I recommended HS over Bi-Rite because I prefer their ice cream. You're welcome to disagree, but please use your own words. Thu Jul 23 23:48:50 -0700 2009 4886242 10966 Windy