Ben & Jerry's is a Multiple spot ranked #7 of 7 in our Best Ice Cream in San Diego list, scoring 84/100 in our Best Ice Cream in San Diego. Order the cherry garcia or phish food. The national chain standard. Consistent, creative, and a reliable option when local shops are closed.
Ben & Jerry's at a glance
Price range
$5–8 — Budget-friendly. One of the cheaper ways to eat well nearby.
Hours
Hours change seasonally — we link straight to the venue's current hours rather than publish a stale schedule.
On our Best Ice Cream in San Diego list, Ben & Jerry's lands at #7 of 7, just behind Milkcraft (86/100). Hammond's Gourmet Ice Cream holds #1 with 93/100, so the gap is 9 points.
Ben & Jerry's scores 84/100 against a best ice cream in san diego field that averages 88.4, running from 84 at the bottom to 93 at the top. That is 4.4 points below the category average, though it still finishes ahead of 0 of the 6 other places we scored. It lands 7th of 7, and the category leader is 9 points clear.
Judged criterion by criterion, Ben & Jerry's separates itself most on value (86/100 versus a 84.3 category average). Its softest showing is creativity at 80, 9 points under the field. Those two numbers are the honest summary: this is a place you pick for value, not for a clean sweep of every category.
Ben & Jerry's scores versus the Best Ice Cream in San Diego category average
Criterion
Ben & Jerry's
Category avg.
Difference
Texture
84
89.7
-5.7
Flavor
86
89.4
-3.4
Creativity
80
89
-9
Value
86
84.3
+1.7
Atmosphere
82
87.1
-5.1
Scores are Sandi Spots editorial judgments, compared against every other place we ranked in best ice cream in san diego.
Who Ben & Jerry's is right for
Go if
You care about value — it beats the category average by 1.7 points there.
Skip it if
Creativity is your priority — it scores 80 against a 89 average here.
Texture is your priority — it scores 84 against a 89.7 average here.
You only ever want the category winner; higher-scoring options sit above it on the same list.
What else we rank near Ben & Jerry's
Multiple is dense enough that Ben & Jerry's rarely needs to be a standalone trip. We have scored at least six other ranked spots in the same neighborhood, so it is easy to stack a visit with Lolita's Taco Shop (92/100 in our best burritos in san diego list) or Mostra Coffee (89/100) and turn one stop into an afternoon.
Hours change seasonally, so we link straight to the venue's live hours instead of publishing a schedule that goes stale.
Expect $5–8 pricing. Budget-friendly. One of the cheaper ways to eat well nearby.
If it is your first visit, order the cherry garcia or phish food before you experiment.
Why Ben & Jerry's made the list
Texture
84/100
Flavor
86/100
Creativity
80/100
Value
86/100
Atmosphere
82/100
Is Ben & Jerry's worth it?
Worth it for the right craving, not a destination trip.
Ben & Jerry's scores 84/100 in our Best Ice Cream in San Diego list (#7 of 7). It is strongest on flavor (86) and value (86). The national chain standard. Consistent, creative, and a reliable option when local shops are closed.
Skip it if creativity matters most to you — that is its weakest category (80/100).
Plan your visit to Ben & Jerry's
Ben & Jerry's is a good fit for ice cream. Because it ranks #7 on our best ice cream in san diego list, it makes the most sense to pair it with nearby stops in Multiple rather than build a day around a long cross-town drive. Check live hours and availability before leaving, especially for a weekend visit.
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Score 84/100 on this list's criteria · Order: Cherry Garcia or Phish Food · $5–8
Ben & Jerry's is the national benchmark for a reason. The flavors are creative, the ingredients are high-quality, and the consistency is reliable across locations. Cherry Garcia and Phish Food are still excellent, and the newer rotating flavors keep the menu interesting. The texture is good but not as dense as the local premium shops. It is a solid option when you are in an area without a local favorite, or when you want a flavor you already know you love.
Written and fact-checked by the Sandi Spots Editorial team — San Diego residents publishing under Sleep Coast LLC. Every place we recommend has been visited in person or verified against an official source, and no business can pay for inclusion or a higher ranking.
Local, first-hand. Reported on the ground in San Diego County.
Kept current. Prices, hours, and closures reviewed on a rolling basis.
Independent. Affiliate links never influence rankings.