Soft Opening Of Salt & Straw Ice Cream Slated In Palo Alto

PALO ALTO, CA -- Let's assume shopping burns calories -- especially if you're a professional.

With that, Salt & Straw ice cream wants to help holiday hunters and gatherers a way to replenish the calorie intake throughout the San Francisco Bay Area by opening the first Silicon Valley scoop shop in Palo Alto.

The location on 250 University Avenue joins ranks with a Burlingame shop as well as two in San Francisco on Hayes and Fillmore streets.

Salt & Straw Palo Alto offered $1 scoops on Wednesday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., with proceeds benefiting Palo Alto Partners in Education, a non-profit dedicated to support all Palo Alto Unified School District schools.

Following a Thanksgiving day closure, the ice cream maker throws its grand opening celebration Friday by earmarking part of its proceeds from all Bay Area scoop shops to the California Community Foundation’s Wildfire Relief Fund.

Known for its taste-provoking flavors, the small-batch, family-run company offers a distinct and one-of-a-kind ice cream experience. In other words, their concoctions are downright yummy.

“At Salt & Straw, we find so much inspiration from our communities, so we’re thrilled to be opening in Palo Alto, an epicenter for creativity and innovation,” said Kim Malek, who co-founded Salt & Straw with cousin and head ice cream maker Tyler Malek in 2011 in Portland, Oregon. “We can’t wait to be part of the fabric of Palo Alto and connect with such a thriving and vibrant neighborhood.”

The Palo Alto scoop shop showcases Tyler’s Bay Area-specific flavors that tell a story about beloved local artisans and products. The shop's offerings will include Freckled Mint TCHO-colate Chip made with TCHO chocolate produced nearby in Berkeley, and Mt. Tam Cheese with Toasted Acme Bread from the Ferry Building bakery. Added to that, Salt & Straw classics such as Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons and Salted, Malted, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough have also made the menu roundup. All flavors are handmade in small batches using organic, sustainable and thoughtfully-sourced ingredients such as cream from Scott Brothers Dairy, a family-owned California farm. There's even an array of vegan options, with 20 percent of the menu at the new Palo Alto location showcasing dairy-free flavors.

In addition to the core line-up of signature flavors, Salt & Straw features a “Holiday on Ice Cream” series, including Peppermint Bark Cocoa, Apple Brandy & Pecan Pie, Gingerbread Cookie Dough, Cinnamon Coconut Eggnog and Sugar Plum Fairy.

Salt & Straw has scoop shops in Portland, Los Angeles, Downtown Disney, San Diego, the Bay Area, Seattle, in addition to its soft-serve dessert bar, Wiz Bang Bar, in Portland.

Outside its scoop shops, Salt & Straw is dedicated to supporting local schools and raising awareness for issues such as childhood hunger and equal rights.

For more information, visit Salt & Straw | @saltandstraw

--Images courtesy of Salt & Straw