Meadowlark Dairy

After ordering nearly the whole menu at Elia, we were both satisfied and stuffed.  Now that didn't mean we were forgoing dessert.  Sure, we skipped that part at Elia, but we quickly transitioned to a few blocks away with Meadowlark Dairy.  With its unmistakable "Milk" signage, Meadowlark started off as the first certified dairy in California.  It was eventually sold and the new owner's son started making ice cream and selling it as a drive through and walk up in the 80s's.  It continues to operate today as such and we walked up for some soft-serve.

We made it just before closing and despite the rain, we happily waited our turn to order some soft serve.  For the day, we found 5 regular flavors and 2 special Christmas ones.  The first picture that you see here is Pineapple in a small cup.  That can also be had in a cone (more on that later) as well.  I wouldn't say the soft-serve was the creamiest I've ever had, but it certainly had some weight to it.  Hence, it ate like ice cream.  Yet at the same time, it was still refreshing, partly due to the sweet pineapple.  I would've loved to see more tang, but it had some Dole-whip vibes.  Surprisingly, this was a vegan flavor and it really didn't eat as such.

Now for the cone, we actually returned to Pleasanton so that we could explore the sights and sounds of the area.  Really enjoyed the small museum with the history of the place.  We then strolled over to Meadowlark and I went for a small Chocolate cone.  I felt this was somewhat like a malt that had Wendy's frosty vibes but with more chocolate flavor.  It was rich and creamy but not heavy at the same time.  Best of all, I thought it was only purposefully sweet.  Since this was one of the non-vegan flavors I tried, it was definitely creamier.

On the first visit, I went big with the large cone with Strawberry (Vegan), Egg Nog, Orange (Vegan) and Pineapple (Vegan).  Yah, for the large, they really pile it on!  If the weather was warmer, I would've struggled to eat this without it melting all over me.  Luckily it was December and I was able to mostly finish it, especially with the help of putting it upside down into a cup.  I thought the vegan flavors were pretty good with balanced sweetness and decent creaminess.   Overall, Meadowlark Dairy is what I would call a nostalgic experience.  The soft-serve is good, but the everything else about the place makes it worthwhile.  If you are every out in Pleasanton, go check it out!

The Good:

- Surprisingly good vegan flavors

- They don't skimp on the portion size

- Cool overall experience

The Bad:

- Gets pretty busy, so be prepared to wait, whether it be walk-up or drive-thru