Fountains of youth - San Francisco, California - Brief Article

Sunset, July, 2001 by Deborah Claymon

Indulge in nostalgia--and a cool treat--at a San Francisco ice cream shop

* Cappuccino in a cardboard cup may be the current trendy treat, but at these three classic soda fountains in San Francisco, indulgence hearkens back to slower, sweeter times. These neighborhood establishments scoop up more than scrumptious sundaes--their timeless character gives customers a glimpse of days gone by.

Time has all but stopped at the St. Francis Fountain & Candy Store (2801 24th St.; 415/826-4200), which has been making its own ice cream and candy since 1918. Perched on a seat at the counter, you can have an egg cream or a phosphate lemonade, even if you're not old enough to remember sharing one with your high-school sweetheart.

On a busy corner of Geary Boulevard in the Richmond District, Joe's Ice Cream (5351 Geary Blvd.; 751-1950) is never without a short line, though the bar stools in the sunny window are usually free for those with time to sit. Mutsuhiko Murashige bought the 56-year-old shop in 1979. Keeping the previous name, Murashige let his family's Japanese influence be felt instead in housemade flavors such as adzuki bean and green tea. Those newfangled delights are balanced by his commitment to old-time favorites. Wistful customers invariably order a scoop of rum raisin or a butter-brickle shake.

Those seeking an afternoon of ice cream and oldies from the jukebox make their way (often with kids in tow) to the Daily Scoop (1401 18th St.; 824-3975) in Potrero Hill. Though only 26 years old, this corner soda fountain could easily be where Buddy Holly first saw Peggy Sue. Diners sit on heart-backed wire chairs at tables made to look like records, on a black-and-white-checkered linoleum floor. They tap their feet to doo-wop and slurp up San Francisco--made Double Rainbow ice cream and classic candies like Dots and Pez.

The Daily Scoop also serves fresh coffee. So, after a glorious hour spent dreaming of the 1950s, you can ease yourself back into the new millennium the modern way.