Old Town’s Newest Soft Serve Spot Just Got Some Ink
Silver Hoof Creamery, the Old Town San Diego soft serve parlor that opened June 19 inside the Old Town Urban Market, made this week’s “Food Forecast” column in the San Diego Union-Tribune. Writer Pam Kragen singled out the shop’s Fourth of July special and its scratch-made ice cream, giving Old Town’s newest dessert stop a proper introduction to readers across the county.
For a business that had been open barely two weeks at the time the piece ran, that kind of attention doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because the shop has spent every day since opening giving people a reason to talk about it.
Old Town has no shortage of longtime restaurants and shops, so a three-week-old ice cream counter landing in a countywide dining column is worth paying attention to. It says something about how quickly Silver Hoof has become part of the neighborhood’s routine, not just a novelty for opening week.
What the San Diego Union-Tribune Said
In the July 2 edition of her weekly dining roundup, Kragen described Silver Hoof Creamery as a “family-friendly, fairytale-themed soft-serve ice cream parlor” that serves scratch-made ice cream in cups, cones, waffle tacos, sundaes and milkshakes, all built on California dairy milk. The San Diego Union-Tribune piece ran with a photo of one of the shop’s waffle taco sundaes, the same dessert that has become the most-ordered item since opening day.
The write-up also mentioned the shop’s Red, White & Swirl special, which offered a free waffle-cone upgrade and three toppings with any soft serve purchase. Getting named in a roundup that also covers restaurants like Hudson & Nash and Tender Greens puts Silver Hoof in company with businesses that have been serving San Diego for decades.
The Woman Behind the Silver Hoof
Founder Daria Kim built the shop around a memory: spontaneous ice cream runs with her father that she still calls the “Best Day Ever.” That idea shows up everywhere at Silver Hoof, from the fairytale name to the winter-cabin interior tucked inside Old Town Urban Market.
The full story behind the shop traces the name to a Ural Mountains folktale about a deer with a silver hoof that scatters gemstones for the kind-hearted — the same feeling Kim wanted every customer to carry out the door. Silver Hoof also runs on a no-tipping model with a livable wage for every team member, a detail Kim treats as seriously as the recipe.
Not Just Any Soft Serve — 100% California Dairy
The dairy base is the part Kim won’t compromise on. Silver Hoof’s soft serve starts with milk from a family-owned Southern California farm that has been operating since 1913, with no artificial flavors or colors added anywhere in the recipe.
That sourcing choice ties Silver Hoof to a state that has led the country in milk production since 1993 and still produces close to 18 percent of the nation’s milk supply, according to the California Milk Advisory Board. Two non-dairy options sit on the menu as well, so the all-natural promise doesn’t leave anyone out of the Old Town San Diego soft serve experience.
What It Costs and What to Order
Classic and artisan soft serve flavors — vanilla, chocolate, ube, matcha and swirls of each — run $6.25 in a cup, cone or waffle bowl, with a waffle taco available for a dollar more. The four signature sundaes on the menu range from $10.75 for the Tart Cherry and Jacaranda to $14 for the Dubai Chocolate and Banana Crunch, and milkshakes blended with real soft serve run $12 across five flavors.
None of it is complicated pricing. It’s the kind of menu you can decide on while standing in line, which matters when a shop this new is already drawing a crowd on weekends.
Finding Silver Hoof in Old Town San Diego
Silver Hoof sits at 2548 Congress St, Suite G, inside the Old Town Urban Market, a short walk from Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, the site of California’s first Spanish settlement, established in 1769. The shop is open Wednesday through Monday, closed Tuesdays, with hours running 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and shorter hours the rest of the week.
If you’ve already tried the shop’s signature order, the guide to the waffle taco sundae covers where the format came from and how locals like to order one. Ready to see what the Union-Tribune was talking about? Visit us in Old Town or call us at 619-320-1464.
More to Explore in Old Town
Silver Hoof isn’t the only reason to spend an afternoon in the neighborhood, but it’s become one of the ones locals mention first. For a broader look at where else to get a scoop nearby, the 2026 guide to the best ice cream in Old Town San Diego breaks down the trend flavors and dairy-free options worth trying.
The Silver Hoof homepage has the current flavor rotation and hours at a glance if you’re planning a visit around the historic plaza and shops nearby. A woman-owned ice cream shop built on a fairytale and a century-old dairy farm is a good excuse to slow down for an afternoon, and now there’s a countywide newspaper column backing that up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Silver Hoof Creamery located?
Silver Hoof Creamery is at 2548 Congress St, Suite G, San Diego, CA 92110, a short walk from the historic plaza.
How much does soft serve cost at Silver Hoof?
Classic and artisan soft serve flavors start at $6.25 in a cup, cone or waffle bowl, with a dollar added for a waffle taco. Signature sundaes run $10.75 to $14, and milkshakes are $12.
Does Silver Hoof have dairy-free options?
Yes. The menu includes non-dairy vanilla, non-dairy strawberry, and a non-dairy matcha and strawberry swirl, all blended to order.
What are Silver Hoof’s hours, and how do I plan a visit?
The shop is open Wednesday through Monday, closed Tuesdays, with Friday and Saturday hours running 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Check the Location page for the full weekly schedule and directions before you go.
Ready to Get Started?
Now that the San Diego Union-Tribune has told the county what Old Town locals already know, come taste the soft serve for yourself.
Visit Us in Old Town or call us at 619-320-1464.