Absolutely divine! Salt & Straw is located between Eataly and Mastro's, across from Shake Shack. Don't be intimidated by the long lines, it moves fast! They offer a mix of more traditional and unique flavor options. Feel free to request samples, then drop your spoon into the small square entry points along the front of the counter. Everyone seemed really nice and cheerful! We got a split scoop of Gooey Brownie and Malted Salted Cookie Dough. Both were vibrantly flavored and extremely creamy. Just the right amount to share with a friend. There are no seats inside, but there are tons of tables and bench areas outdoors. read more

Salt & Straw - Gooey Brownie and Malted Salted Cookie Dough - Desserts Near Me - San Jose, California

It was partially good but I'm not sure they've got the format right. Yes I'm morbidly curious (and maybe we all should be?) about the more exotic flavors - "blue cheese and pear" and "goat cheese / marionberry / habanero" come to mind - but does the minimum serving size need to be the size of a baseball? The "goat cheese / marionberry / habanero" was indeed tasty, for about one or two bites. And then I'm like, you know what's also good? Just having some goat cheese and marionberry and habanero in non-ice-cream format, without adding massive amounts of sugar and fat to it. I had a somewhat similar reaction to the "caramel ribbons and sea salt" - which tasted oddly like.... plain milk? Again, an interesting concept but why does this need to be ice cream and why do I need this much of it? My friend and I didn't come close to finishing either of those. From the "more recognizable as ice cream" part of the menu, they had the "salted malted" which was tasty but not that novel. The overall winner for me was the "arbequina olive oil." The whole "Olive oil and salt on vanilla ice cream" trend started taking off in SF about ten years ago, and it's interesting to see someone just cut out the middle man and make a flavor of it - and a successful one: super creamy and just sweet enough. Incidentally, arbequina is the right varietal of olive oil; something woodier like koroneiki might've tasted off... you know, like blue cheese and pear. Sorry, low blow. I'd like to see them offer a paid tasting flight with smaller portions. Something in between the free-but-time-consuming samples and the ginormous-but-quick full scoops. read more

I've been to Salt & Straw many times, but this was my first time at this location. I usually order lavender honey, but wanted to try something new. I got wildflower honey and lemon chess pie. It was suprisingly good. I loved the chunks of pie. It was super tangy too! The only con was that I went on Sunday afternoon. It was super busy and hard to get to from the parking garage. Other than that, their ice cream is always a win!!! read more

Salt & Straw - Wildflower Honey and Lemon Chess Pie - Desserts Near Me - San Jose, California

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While Salt and Straw has great ideas for flavors, I think the blast of sugar in the ice cream takes away from actually being able to taste the product. This is coming from someone who is crazy about sweets. I've given this place a try two times, but I won't be coming back. Service was amazing and fast, and I enjoyed being able to try the different flavors. I'm sure if you can handle the sugar, this place will be very good. A bit out of the way for a casual stop after dinner unless you're already dining in the area. read more

I LOVE Salt & Straw because they flavors the are typically considered savory. I enjoy that. Haha. My favorite is the olive oil ice cream. Plus, I love ice creams that are stiff enough to bit into and these scoops excel in that criterion. This line can get pretty stupid on the weekends, so I'll avoid this spot like a black plague unless it's a weekday. I, almost always, get a scoop of olive oil and some other new flavor. The only time olive oil has let me down is when it's nowhere to be found. This location is at a mall and that can be a bit annoying in consideration of parking, but I will often brave the crowds to satisfy my cravings. The decor is wood heavy. There are a lot of warm, wood tones. Makes it feel warm even during the winter. If you've been, comment your order so I can try, pleeeeaaasssseee! read more

Went here for a date and while that was a bust, the ice cream was phenomenal. Service was fast and friendly, and samples were given with a smile. There's a cute area outside to sit. I wish I had known more about how to order when I did, but now that I know, I'll be a pro when I go back. Fun seasonal flavors. Definitely worth a stop when you're at Valley fair. read more

I came here with my sister on a Saturday evening to end our shopping trip. There were only 2 people in front of us when we arrived so we didn't have to wait long. A younger mixed-gentleman with glasses helped us during our visit. He was not friendly at all and was very annoyed anytime we asked him questions about the flavors. I ordered a scoop of the Pear and Blue Cheese + a scoop of the Honey Lavender. A single scoop starts at $6.75. The Pear and Blue Cheese sounds like an odd combo, but it was surprisingly good as you can really only taste the pear. Nothing cheesy or funky at all. There are plenty of tables with chairs outside where you can enjoy your ice cream and people watch. read more

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Love the creative flavors at salt and straw! The arbequina olive oil flavor was creamy and had a light olive taste. For the limited edition almond brittle with salted ganache it was overall super tasty except the chocolate chunks were a bit too sweet. The workers let you try the flavors before you pick and they don't make you feel bad if you want to try a lot! There's no seating inside, but there plenty of seating outside or in the mall. read more

Salt & Straw - Arbequina Olive oil and almond brittle with salted ganache - Desserts Near Me - San Jose, California

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The line here gets long at times but when I went on a Friday night the line was surprisingly short! Service here is great, they are very patient with us trying out flavors and would even describe what's in them. We ultimately got the salted, malted chocolate chip cookie dough (3.5) and I personally am not a fan of cookie dough but still thought this was good. This was pretty sweet so I shared this with my bf and he liked it more but said that the salted sugar kinda tasted like dates. This is the type of place to try out unique flavors so I'll for sure come back to try something new! read more

Salt & Straw - Salted, Malted Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough - Desserts Near Me - San Jose, California

Salt and Straw always has high quality ice cream with a bunch of unique flavors every month. I love seeing which ones they put out! The standard flavors that stay all year round are also really good. My favorites for the standard flavors are the chocolate gooey brownie and the snickerdoodle flavors. Service can be a hit or a miss here depending on the people. Lots of places to sit outside and enjoy the weather if it's nice out. read more

Salt & Straw - Jack o' lantern Pumpkin bread - Desserts Near Me - San Jose, California

Salt & Straw has officially become my go to ice cream shop. I LOVE ice cream and being located in Valley Fair makes it a good thing for me because while I'm not always there (about every other month) those visits to Salt & Straw make it even more exciting. In an age where there's way too many froyo stands and a lack of ice cream shops, S&S gets my top vote because their crafty flavors usher in an exciting new phase in my ice cream eating experience. So for example, I love the basic flavors like chocolate, cookies and cream or you traditional vanilla scoop in a cone. You can get that anywhere, but when you're at S&S, their creative flavors and style is pretty unique. Their Salted, Malted, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough is like a taste of heaven because it has the topping I like for a guilty treat. I like to pair that with their chocolate ice cream mashed in with gooey brownie. You can't go wrong with S&S, my parents are super old fashioned where they love the simplicity of places like Fenton's ice cream which I completely agree: they are the OG's of ice cream... salt and straw though is how you ice cream in the new world order! read more

Salt & Straw - Salted, Malted, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough on top, a scoop of Chocolate Gooey Brownie on the bottom. - Desserts Near Me - San Jose, California

I loved their ice creams. You can't go wrong with vanilla and chocolate brownie in the classics pack as they taste so creamy, rich and smooth. Waffle cone was freshly made and crispy. It seemed they had a quality control in place with cone making which demonstrated the care they put in their product. Service was friendly and attentive. They served with a smile and good attitude. Store was clean and organized. It has become our favorite ice cream shop in valley fair. Thanks guys, keep up the great work. :) read more

Salt & Straw - The girl who worked to press the first scoop down to make room for the perfectly rounded top scoop totally deserved our tip! - Desserts Near Me - San Jose, California

We went around 7 pm on a Friday and there was the shortest line I've ever seen at a salt and straw ever. We brought Mandu with us and dogs are allowed in the outdoor restaurants area of the mall but not inside. My go to flavour is always pear and blue cheese. I love the fruity flavour with the chunks of the savoury blue cheese. Super unique flavour at salt and straw and it's always there. As for a seasonal favourite atm, I liked the coffee and stone fruit flavour. The coffee part was kind of on the bitter side (I liked that it wasn't too sweet) and the small bites of stone fruit added a sweetness that was super well balanced. Would recommend! Most importantly, Mandu really liked his pup cup. It's a non-dairy treat for dogs that has apples, carrots, and sweet potatoes--all the flavours Mandu loves in one treat read more

Salt & Straw - Mandu at salt + straw - Desserts Near Me - San Jose, California

I'm not sure what changed but it seems like I'm no longer "allergic" to whatever was in it before, because I can actually taste the flavors now. I wasn't allergic in any way to ice cream anywhere else at the time of my previous reviews/tastings (or ever, really) but something in Salt and Straw's recipe would make my throat tingle regardless of the flavor. I haven't had any problems for the last few times we've gone this year. We tried the creepy crawly flavors from October 2024 but those are already gone so nothing I can add. We revisited for this month's Thanksgiving flavors and they're all exceptional! The sweet potato casserole apparently has a bit of alcohol (we were warned) but the coconut-oat milk and sweet potato flavor go perfectly together. The Parker House Rolls with salted buttercream is buttery and well-salted. I preferred the salt content in this one to the Turkey Stuffing and Cranberry Sage flavor - that one was a bit weirdly spiced (tasted like a mishmash of everything) but still tasty overall. For the Mom's mango pie, it might have been too cold out (we visited at around 6 PM) but the mango curd seemed to have become frozen mango chunks. The flavor was pretty tart. And overall that scoop was a lot more dense due to the lower temperature too. read more

Yummy ice cream flavors! Like went by quick! Located right outside the mall entrance in pretty area with seating! Service was good!

The only issue with this particular Salt & Straw is that it's part of the Valley Fair mall. It's a huge pain to find parking and actually get from the parking to the shop. Outside of that, the staff is friendly and helpful, the flavors of ice cream are really interesting as always, and what we ordered was delicious. If you can deal with the parking/mall, this place is great. read more

Salt & Straw - Desserts Near Me - San Jose, California

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There's always such a long line at every Salt & Straw location that I've seen so I've been avoiding them, but I caught them at a good time and decided to finally give it a try! My fiancé got the double fold vanilla and I got the chocolate gooey brownie. Both were rich in flavor and delicious, but what set it apart for me was the texture! The ice cream was so smooth and soft. It wasn't icy at all, just very creamy. The store itself is a little small and you can't really eat in there but there's a lot of space and seating outside. I played it safe this time with classic flavors but I'm excited to come back and try their more unique ones! read more

Salt & Straw - Double fold vanilla - Desserts Near Me - San Jose, California

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Love Salt and Straw. Their ice cream is the best. Place is nice and clean My first time at the Salt and Straw. Joanna was the one that helped me. She's friendly and courteous and helpful. Superb customer service skills. Thanks Joanna! read more

I love that they make their waffle cones fresh! You can actually smell it as you walk by outside. It was a cold night but we just loaded up on carbs at Eataly and their gelato (although I prefer it to ice cream) just seemed too small. I knew S&S had new flavors for Halloween and I needed to get the samples. I went in with intention to buy so I was excited to see what they had cookin' or freezin' I should say. Place was still clean and pippin' even if they were about to close. No line though but they had lots of peeps sitting outside enjoying their cups and cones. We decided to get a fresh waffle cone with Gooey Brownie Chocolate and Caramel Apple Sherbet in a single. Ofc, it was the shit! Note: I didn't think the samples of the Halloween flavors were anything excited tbh that's why I ended up not ordering. But I was very happy with what we got! To be continued.. read more

Salt & Straw - Single - two flavors - chocolate brownie chewy & caramel apple sherbet - Desserts Near Me - San Jose, California

I love going to this ice cream spot for its minimalist ambiance, which perfectly fits the sophisticated vibe of Valleyfair Mall. I usually stick to classic flavors and only come here when I'm in an adventurous mood, since their flavor selections are always so unique. My go to is the Salted Malted Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. While it's not exactly my flavor, I really appreciate the generous amount of cookie dough. Recently, I tried the Jack o' Lantern, a seasonal fall flavor with plenty of pumpkin bread, and wow, I'm hooked! I'll definitely be coming back for the Jack o' Lantern or to try more seasonal flavors read more

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You can never go wrong with Salt & Straw! This location is located outside of Valley Fair, and a couple doors down from Baekjeong KBBQ. I went on a Saturday night, and there was a line of maybe 10 people in front of us, but it goes by quickly. I went with their classic Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons! It's always super delicious, and is my go-to from them! read more

Salt & Straw - Their classic Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons! Delicious! - Desserts Near Me - San Jose, California

Well not sure what's happen today but this time I was giving a very small scoop of ice-cream for my son and I. I'm a regular customer and I get a good size scoop that fills the cup but not this time, why is there inconsistency. read more

Salt & Straw - Chocolate gooey brownie and strawberry and coconut water sherbet - Desserts Near Me - San Jose, California

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This is a smaller store outside the Valley Fair Mall and they are very generous with samples. I tried the coffee and nuts which is my favorite flavor. I also love their snickerdoodle. The kids who work here are so sweet! read more

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What can I say about Salt & Straw that hasn't already been said? No matter how far or full I am, I will never say no to Salt & Straw :) They serve up the richest, most fun and creative scoops in town. I love the monthly menu series, and you absolutly can't go wrong with these classics - - Arbequina olive oil - creamy and silky-smooth with a mildly fruity and grassy Oregon olive oil fruitiness - Peanut butter brittle caramel fudge - creamy coconut vanilla ice cream drizzled with a semi-sweet caramel fudge swirl + flecked with shards of crispy, crackly brittle studded with peanut butter - Pear & blue cheese - candied Oregon Bartlett pears + cave-aged crumbles of Rogue Creamery blue cheese (voted best in the world) for a bold thwack read more

My girlfriend and I come here every month or two, and every time we walk in, we're reminded why we keep coming back. The flavors are always creative and delicious. Five stars for Salt & Straw and ten stars for Nick, who clearly runs on waffle cone ice creams and good vibes! Whenever we come in Nick is one of those rare people who just makes you feel welcome the second you walk in. He always remembers our names and faces, even if it's been a while, and somehow manages to keep things running smoothly while still taking the time to say hello and check in. That kind of consistency and friendliness is a wonderful positive trait to have! We will be back soon! read more

Salt & Straw - Desserts Near Me - San Jose, California

Service was nice and efficient, and the line moved fast. We got the pink rosé & watermelon sorbet and grilled peach white chocolate custard flavors. The pink rosé & watermelon sorbet was tart and the rosé flavor is definitely there. The grilled peach white chocolate custard was a bit too sweet for us. Neither flavor is our favorite from Salt & Straw or particularly notable, but it was a nice treat on a hot day. read more

Salt & Straw - Desserts Near Me - San Jose, California

I'm feeling salty. Salt & Straw is a Portland-based ice cream company that has expanded all over the west coast. This is the 3rd location of theirs which I've tried. Although I would've preferred grabbing gelato inside Valley Fair proper, my friend was interested in trying the new February flavors, and I knew that I could +1 my Yelp review count anyway. This store is in a newer construction building with several restaurants. It's a pretty small storefront; they do not have seating or even anywhere elevated to stand with your ice cream. They do let you try samples before ordering, so I tasted all of the new flavors before making my decision. FYI, they are all chocolatey, and each flavor appears to be a collab with a different chocolatier. I went for a Double ($8.50) because it's only $2 higher than the single scoop ($6.50). I started with the Dandelion's Chocolate Nibs & Frangipane since the crunchy nibs were pretty addictive and the overall flavor was great. Then I ran into an issue with my bottom scoop, the Cloudforest's Cocoa Hazelnut Magic Sauce. I had sampled it and liked it, but didn't get a sensation of constant salt overload until I started digging into my order. I'm not sure whether it was a recipe or execution issue, but that was just way too rough, so I ended up tossing most of the scoop. By the way, make sure to grab napkins before leaving. Although I chose a cup and it wasn't a very warm day, the melted ice cream started to overflow before I was done with the first scoop. Salt & Straw is usually pretty great if not awesome, but I had a suboptimal experience this time around. Hopefully next time will be better. read more

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Stopped here after lunch and the service was phenomenal. There was a line when we got there but it moved quick. I love how they rotate some of their flavors and their variety - truly something for everyone. Luckily they had a few vegan options so my fiance was able to selected something he liked. I got the cinnamon snickerdoodle and for those who love the Trader Joe's horchata ice cream - that tasted just like it. Also love that you're able to try samples before making your selection. read more

This is my favorite ice cream place by far! I have some food sensitivities so I look for a lot of vegan things. Salt & Straw always has vegan options and they're so good! The vegan flavors usually are made with a coconut base, and some you notice the flavor more so than others, so it's a good thing to be aware of if you don't like coconut or have an allergy. Ask for samples!! They're happy to give you as many as you'd like. I love the rotating menu too--so fun! I just wish they hadn't removed my favorite flavor from the permanent menu--Peanut Butter Brittle Caramel Fudge (vegan, of course) read more

Ice cream is top notch. Cereal flavors in march are the best and so flavorful! I have come to this location at least monthly, and thoroughly enjoy the rotating flavors that come out every month. However, staff member at this location was observed on the evening of 2/27/2026 touching her face and hair with gloves on and proceeded to serve the ice cream. The servers hair was falling into the scoop of ice cream, and then proceeded to serve it. read more

The workers are always so friendly and line always dies down pretty fast! Some of the flavors are too sweet for me, but being able to taste test is always a bonus. Also, the waffle cone tastes amazing as always! read more

Salt & Straw - Desserts Near Me - San Jose, California

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This review is long overdue, but my family and I came here a couple years ago to try it out. We had heard nothing but good things about this place. My mom and I were sampling the crazy flavors and all the employees were nice except for one; the one rude employee was a girl with glasses. My mom, bless her heart, didn't understand that there was a chute for the sample spoons and put hers on the counter. The rude employee with the glasses snapped at my mom saying "The spoons go into the chute, NOT on the counter. Put them DOWN there!" Needless to say, my mom and I were shocked. She had absolutely no right to snap at her, and make her cry. Not even an apology or an acknowledgment from anyone after that. I can't believe we still purchased ice cream after that. Not sure if she still works there or not, but that employee's awful attitude ruined our experience. If I were a higher up, I'd have her fired. So sorry to give such a fun and unique place such a negative review. read more

Hands down their coffee and love nuts is one of my favorites. I really enjoy the coffee flavor and texture the nuts provide. I get this every single time. I also ordered freckled mint chocolate as well. It was more of a subtle and creamier flavor of mint. The chocolate chips were a little bigger than I had at other places but I think that added to the subtle of the mint and I really enjoy the chocolate flavor. The staff was very patient with our group as we sampled several flavors. We came more towards end of night and it wasn't overly crowded. Great spot to end the night and right next to the restrooms! read more

Salt & Straw - Split scoop: freckled mint chocolate (top) / coffee and love nuts (bottom) - Desserts Near Me - San Jose, California

Delicious ice cream and really good seasonal flavors. Samples are generous and the line is quick even if one has to wait outside the door. read more

Salt & Straw - Gingerbread Cookie Dough - Desserts Near Me - San Jose, California

I love going here with my niece. We try to go at least once a month to try their seasonal flavors. I stick to my go to flavor. I'm not too adventurous when trying unique flavors. There's typically a line out the door, rain or shine. I think no matter what weather we have in the Bay Area, people will get their fill of a scoop or two of ice cream. read more

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At the time I first came, they weren't doing any samples, and I got the coffee cold brew cookie dough. It tasted like it had a salted cream base with cookie dough and brownie. It was good, but quite heavy. I've also tried honey lavender, which is one of their staple flavors. Despite not being a fan of floral ice creams, I actually liked this one. It wasn't overly floral and had a sweetness level that was more in line with my tastes. Overall, salt and straw always pushes the boundaries on flavors. I come back every now and then to try their seasonal flavors because they're unique. I will say that their ice creams tend to be very sweet for my tastes, which keep me from regularly visiting. read more

Salt & Straw - Honey lavender in a cone - Desserts Near Me - San Jose, California

Salt & Straw is one of my favorite ice cream places. Their ice cream flavors are very yummy and interesting! My two go-to favorites are ooey gooey chocolate brownie and honey lavender. I always enjoy sampling the different unique flavors though. Service is always friendly, and the cones are soo good! There's usually a line, but it moves pretty fast. :) read more

Salt & Straw - Desserts Near Me - San Jose, California

Came here again and got a milkshake this time. Sky was wonderful and helped me pick good flavors for it. I can't wait to come here again!

Its always a great experience with the crew at Salt and Straw. They are friendly, efficient, and in a way that never feels fake. Unlimited samples is also a plus. We try to get here when the Monthly Flavors really call to us, but that doesn't mean I won't take a standard menu flavor either :) The July flavors are amazing, but we end up at our local location often. Our visit to Santa Clara was made all the better by finding one there too. read more

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One of my top ice cream stops. Always has interesting flavors and their classic flavors are always good and consistent. They had "Thanksgiving" inspired flavors but the only one I found good was the Parker house rolls with salted buttercream. A trick if you're indecisive and not a huge fan of sweets like I am, is to get a split single scoop, a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Line is always long but goes by fast. Service was great. He let me try all of the special flavors. read more

Salt & Straw - Desserts Near Me - San Jose, California

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