Marco Polo Gelato: Best Kem Sau Rieng in Bay Area

Friends, if you are looking for excellent durian ice cream (kem sau rieng) in the Bay Area, then you must visit Marco Polo Italian Gelato shoppe in San Francisco. I have been going there for years, ever since I arrived in the Bay Area, and have not found the same quality gelato anywhere else. You can enjoy the ice cream on site, or buy a pint (or several!) to take home and enjoy with friends (or by yourself!). The gelato is light, has real durian in it, and is super creamy even though it's gelato.

The shop has been around since 1982, I think, and is a favorite among the locals. I always see a lot of Vietnamese and Asian durian-lovers hanging out. Once, my brother and I and his friends wanted durian gelato and drove in a mad rush to arrive before closing time at 10pm. Fearing that we wouldn't make it because of the stoplights, I called ahead and told them that we were on our way and begged, literally begged, that they let us in to buy some ice cream. We got there 5 minutes to closing; they had already put away all the ice cream behind the counter, but allowed us to purchase the pints to take home. It was soooo worth it!

Everybody I know loves this place; each person to whom we've introduced the gelato has claimed it as their own. I'm torn between wanting to save it all for myself and wanting as many people to know about it as possible. It is a secret we want to keep, but also something wonderful we want to share. My uncle grabs a spoon and eats the whole pint of durian gelato by himself. My friend, L, loves the taro flavor and can consume an entire pint in one sitting. Personally, I feel like each spoonful is a taste of Viet Nam.

In addition to durian, they carry a variety of interesting (and equality delicious) flavors: lychee, soursop, red bean, taro, jackfruit, vanilla, chocolate, mango, green tea, and several others.  As of this month, the price is $10 for one pint of durian; all over flavors are $8.50/pint.

Marco Polo: handmade Italian gelato
1447 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
Hours: 12pm-10pm