Niederfrank’s Ice Cream

San Diego, CA (The Joy of Food) — The ice cream at Niederfrank’s gets its flavor the old-fashioned way from natural ingredients, an integral part of their success and a stark contrast from how similar products are made elsewhere. A heady reminder of the past can often put our present into perspective. 

It might be hard to recognize the pistachio flavor, one that resembles a faint color barely green in appearance as to require a double take. Here, the flavor is of roasted pistachio nuts with a very light secondary sweet taste that lingers ever so slightly. You’re probably more accustomed to the radioactive fluorescent hue that passes for the nutty staple these days, made of a lot of stuff little of which actually contains the nut its named after. 

The avocado pistachio flavor is similarly awesome but creamier and more decadent thanks to the presence of the avocado. Some dark cherry ice cream brings a tart tang that gives way to a slight flavor of sweet cream. There’s something about the consistency, cold and thick, more solid than runny yet not as hard as ice cream elsewhere, all things that help to bring out the flavor.

The methodology here may be ancient but other flavors are decidedly keeping with the trendy times like pumpkin corn flake, licorice, and other foul things I find too heinous to contemplate. If these sound appealing to you in ice cream form, or in the original form for that matter, then we can never be friends. 

What Niederfrank’s lacks in modern technology and gadgets it gains back in quality thanks to its preservation of old-fashioned ice cream-making techniques. Everything is scratch-made in-house using equipment dating back to 1948 when the shop first opened. These days, they churn out over 60 ice cream flavors plus 25 sorbets, all ten gallons at a time. The idea is that small batches lead to better taste and texture.

National City is a rapidly gentrifying area in San Diego’s South Bay and Neiderfrank’s finds itself in the heart of that expansion. Once a quiet storefront on a block with no action, it’s now next door to the recently opened Market on 8th, a linchpin aspect of the larger revitalization effort that’s helping to breathe new life into this sleepy area.

If you haven’t ventured to the South Bay for a scoop (or five) of Niederfrank’s in person, chances are you’ve tried the creamy goodness elsewhere. Everyone from Neiman Marcus to Sprouts sells the stuff. For those unable to make the drive, you can pick up pints, quarts, or half gallons throughout the county.

It’s a time warp nearby too where the historical Brick Row Walk sits, a collection of ten houses built in 1887 for executives of the Santa Fe railroad. More east coast than San Diego in appearance, the houses are now privately owned, but strict restrictions on the facades keep them true to their Victorian roots. Be sure to enjoy this historical landmark just a block away.

Written by Joy

Thanks for reading. The Joy of Food blog celebrates eating well, traveling often, and living la dolce vita. San Diego, California is home base, but thoughts are from all over. Reviews and photos help to highlight wonderful (or not) food experiences from around the world.

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