With a 70-year history in Santa Barbara, where its custard-based ice cream is made using dairy from Central Coast farms, McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams is growing its handful of California-based scoop shops with its first for San Diego. The 1,000-square-foot storefront grand opens on Wednesday, October 4 at The Forum Carlsbad complex in Carlsbad with free single scoops offered between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. and swag bags for the first 50 customers.
Created at its creamery headquarters, an original dairy dating back to the 1930s in downtown Santa Barbara, McConnell’s bestselling ice creams include Turkish coffee, Eureka lemon and marionberry, and chocolate-covered strawberries as well as seasonal limited releases; the Carlsbad shop will serve up the latest fall flavors including its popular pumpkin caramel with candied pecans. In addition to scoops in cups and cones, the stores also offer fresh-baked cookies and ice cream sandwiches.
Next up for McConnell’s is a new store opening in San Juan Capistrano in early 2024, but a rep for the ice cream brand tells Eater that they are also actively looking at other locations in the San Diego area.