Fentons Creamery has been an institution in the Bay Area since long before I moved here. This retro ice cream parlor is a kid and community favorite.
As a sugar-fearing parent, I avoided Fentons Creamery until a good friend threw a birthday party and I had no choice. My son ate his way around the plate of sliders in order to earn his way to a sundae with his favorite flavor (he chose bubble gum) and any topping (he chose some malted stuff that completely did not match) with the option of whipped cream and a cherry. Nuts are extra. He loved it! He couldn’t decide whether to eat the gum, chew it and spit it out, or simply hoard it in a gooey pile at the side of his glass dish. And, yes, it was his first gum, too.
Pro tip from a server at Fentons: For the most bang for your buck with children, order a ‘deconstructed kids banana split’. Trust me.
Fast forward a few months and I was more comfortable with the whole drill. I didn’t even make him get food first. We went to celebrate the last day of preschool with his good buddy (pictured) and they each ordered a child’s sundae (again that nasty blue bubble-gum). What’s funny about this picture is that his friend, so accustomed to cones, didn’t realize there were spoons until after he went for it with his face. Love it.
Holden emerged with a gooey cup of gumballs, a sticky face, and a sugar high that lasted until dinner.
Visit Fentons in Oakland
Location: 4226 Piedmont Ave, Oakland
