Swensen's is the original parlour of the ice cream chain, opened by Earle Swensen in 1948 on the corner of Hyde and Union streets and still scooping in the same spot. It is a tiny, old-fashioned corner shop, all white tile and red trim, right on the Powell-Hyde cable car line — you can hop off, get a cone, and watch the car grind up the hill.
The ice cream is made in small batches on the premises to the original recipes, with classic flavours like Swiss orange chip and Sticky Chewy Chocolate. There is rarely anywhere to sit, so take your cone outside and enjoy it on one of the most scenic corners in Russian Hill. A genuine slice of mid-century San Francisco that has resisted any urge to modernise.