Salt & Straw

Salt & Straw makes ice cream for people who actually care about what they're eating. Founded in Portland in 2011, they've built a reputation on flavors that sound like they belong on a tasting menu — think collaborations with Dominique Crenn or Tartine Bakery, not your standard vanilla-chocolate-strawberry rotation. Every month brings a new themed series, and yes, they've done Thanksgiving dinner as ice cream (turkey, gravy, the works). It's weird, it's deliberate, and it usually works. You can hit one of their 30+ scoop shops if you're in the right city, but the real play for most people is their nationwide shipping. They'll send you a custom 5-pint pack in dry-ice insulated boxes, which makes them a solid option for gifting or stocking your freezer with something more interesting than grocery store fare. The price reflects the quality — this isn't impulse-buy ice cream, it's the kind you portion out and actually taste. If you follow restaurant culture, watch Chef's Table, or just want ice cream that gives you something to talk about, Salt & Straw delivers. Literally.

• Ships custom 5-pint packs nationwide in dry-ice insulated boxes
• Releases monthly limited-edition themed flavor series
• Partners with notable chefs for small-batch collaborative flavors
• Operates 30+ scoop shops across PNW, California, Florida, and NYC
• Sources seasonal, often local ingredients for rotating menus
• Offers curated gift packs for holidays and special occasions

Food-curious adults who follow restaurant culture; gifters sending themed ice cream packs; coastal-urban professionals who treat ice cream as a premium indulgence.

• Food nerds who treat ice cream like a tasting experience
• Gift-senders looking for something more memorable than flowers
• Coastal professionals who justify premium dessert as self-care
• Restaurant culture followers who recognize the chef collabs
• Portlanders with hometown loyalty (and everyone else catching up)

• Genuinely creative flavors that justify the premium pricing
• Reliable nationwide shipping with proper cold-chain packaging
• Monthly drops keep things interesting for repeat customers
• Chef collaborations add legitimacy and variety

• Expensive — shipping costs add up quickly on top of premium pint prices
• Some limited flavors lean more gimmicky than delicious
• Not available in most grocery stores, so restocking requires planning
• Dry-ice shipping means you need to be home to receive it