By Ellen Eason

Do you have a sweet tooth or crave a cool concoction? The Inner Sunset offers an array of sweet treats, from artisanal ice cream, baked goods, frozen yogurt, dessert crepes and more. Take a stroll and explore these local spots.

The scents of cinnamon and vanilla waft from San Francisco’s Hometown Creamery (1290 Ninth Ave.) which makes its small-batch ice cream on site from scratch. Flavors change regularly, with choices like Madagascar vanilla, fresh mint chip, peanut butter chocolate fudge and blueberry lemon bar. Around the corner, Easy Breezy (718 Irving St.) serves locally made organic frozen yogurt, custard and vegan soft serve. Mix and match flavors and assorted toppings, then enjoy your creation in its picket fence-lined parklet. Super Duper (737 Irving St.) offers Straus organic soft-serve ice cream with chocolate sauce and assorted toppings and milkshakes (vanilla, chocolate and seasonal flavors like banana boost).

Cake and pastry choices abound in the Inner Sunset. Discover the elaborate handcrafted mille crepe cakes with 20 layers at Sweet Glory, a charming café with a shaded back patio (1336 Ninth Ave.). Selections include tiramisu, passionfruit, hazelnut chocolate and blueberry. Basque burnt cheesecakes are another favorite. The worker-owned Arizmendi Bakery (1331 Ninth Ave.) offers an ever-changing selection of brioche knots, pecan rolls, chocolate fudge cake, scones and muffins like pumpkin praline, carrot walnut and lemon poppyseed. Sip Tea Room (721 Lincoln Way) serves house-made fruit scones and shortbread in addition to a full tea service. Boxes of its delectable shortbread are also available to go. Tartine (1226 Ninth Ave.) features French pastries like almond croissants and pain au chocolate, as well as its morning bun, almond lemon tea cake and blackberry crumble cake. Peasant Pies (1039 Irving St.) makes petite hand-held pies in flavors like fresh berry, strawberry rhubarb, chocolate and apple crumble.

Fancy a crepe? Crepevine (624 Irving St.) and Holy Crepe (715 Irving St.) offer dessert crepes with fruit, chocolate, whipped cream and other fillings.

For sweet beverages try these Asian tea shops: Little Sweet (1253 Ninth Ave.), Momo Tea (549 Irving St.) and Yifang Taiwan Fruit Tea (645 Irving St.). Pure Cane Juice Co. (839 Irving St.) makes freshly squeezed juices with assorted fruits and sugarcane juice.

Consider two long-time neighborhood favorites for a taste of nostalgia. Donut World (1399 Ninth Ave.) offers an extensive array of donuts and donut holes, Danish pastries, turnovers, cinnamon rolls and muffins. Sunset Bakery (1490 Ninth Ave.) is famous for its birthday cakes, fruit layer cakes and whipped cream toppings. Pick one up for your next celebration!

Timur Debuts Its Nepalese and Indian Cuisine

A unique blend of Nepalese and Indian tastes awaits diners at Timur, the latest newcomer to the vibrant Ninth Avenue corridor. The owners’ culinary journey began with a devotion to the vibrant flavors of the Himalayas and the rich spices of India. Timur follows the success of their two other restaurants in the City — NEPA and Noe Indian Cuisine. Named for the rare, citrus-forward Himalayan pepper, Timur honors the region’s cultural heritage and authentic traditions.

Start your meal with a selection of small plates, perfect for sharing. Popular ones are the pakora assortment, tiger shrimp chopsticks, samosa chat and Gobi Manchurian made with cauliflower, bell peppers and scallions. The Kathmandu-style momos are a must. These mouth-watering steamed or fried dumplings feature a variety of fillings and spices.

Main entrees include various curries, tikka masala, butter chicken and dal makhani with black lentils. Vegan curry selections include mushroom, tofu, mixed vegetable, okra and more. Or choose from chicken, lamb, salmon, shrimp or vegetable tandoori specials.

Side dishes include lentil soup, assorted flaky naans, fried rice and biryani.

The perfect ending to your spicy feast is one of Timur’s custom desserts. Try “gajar ka halwa,” a soothing warm carrot pudding, or Indian ice cream in mango or pistachio. The sizzling brownie is served in a hot pot with chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream. Or keep it light with a Masala chai.

Located at 1386 Ninth Ave., Timur is open for lunch and dinner and offers free delivery within a four-mile radius.

Hellos and Goodbyes

Spring marks the return of the popular Inner Sunset Flea Market, held from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on the second Sunday of every month through November. Vendors offer vintage clothing and collectibles, handcrafted jewelry, plants, pottery, candles and more along Irving Street which closes to traffic between Ninth and 11th avenues. Musical groups perform throughout the day, and there are hula hoops, bubbles and other children’s activities.

KJ Produce Market at Irving Street and Fifth Avenue has expanded with an addition that is devoted to snack and bulk items (lentils, oats, beans, rice, dark chocolate). Check out the many varieties of dried fruit, pretzels, granola, seaweed snacks, healthy crackers, salsa and more.

We bid a fond farewell to Martha Ehrenfeld, president of the Inner Sunset Park Neighbors, as she prepares to move back East. We appreciate her leadership and dedication to building community and will miss having her as a neighbor. If you’d like to get involved in this lively association, visit inner-sunset.org to learn more.

Yumma’s Mediterranean Grill at 721 Irving St. closed upon its owner’s retirement.

The Inner Sunset Merchants’ Association is the voice of our neighborhood’s business community. We are an all-volunteer, nonprofit association committed to supporting, promoting and advocating for the needs of our local business community. We welcome new merchants into our neighborhood and work hard to drive new business to our growing community. Learn more at innersunsetmerchants.org.

Ellen Eason is a writer and Inner Sunset resident.