Smitten Ice Cream Probably Coming to Pacific Heights

Smitten Ice Cream, famous for its chilled-to-order, liquid-nitrogen-frozen ice cream, will likely move into a small storefront at 2404 California, next to Pizzeria Delfina. Until recently, the space was occupied by CopyNet, a 20-year-old copy shop that was forced out when the landlord hiked rent from $6K to over $10K. (Before anyone complains about gentrification, be grateful that the space isn't becoming what landlord Russell Flynn originally wanted: a Wells Fargo ATM.) The New Fillmore talked to Flynn, who says that Smitten is in the final stages of signing a lease for the space; for their part, Smitten's reps wouldn't comment. CopyNet has managed to relocate a few blocks away, to 2174 Sutter Street.

The neighborhood around Fillmore and California is a restaurant hotspot that would be ideal for a dessert-centric addition: SPQR, Woodhouse Fish Co., Fresca, Roam Artisan Burgers, La Méditerranée, and plenty of others are all within a couple blocks. If it opens, the Pac Heights location would join four other Smitten shops; the liquid nitrogen fueled empire has outposts in Hayes Valley, a Los Altos Whole Foods, Oakland's Rockridge neighborhood, and in Lafayette. Since Smitten's staying mum, there's no word on when its army of "Brrristas" (a.k.a. nitrogen-machine operators) will arrive, though the company is about to hold open interviews in Rockridge that could signal a hiring push for a new location.

—Leif Haven