Fro-yo in the ‘Park

My, what lovely weather we’re to have this weekend. Seventy degrees today, and 68 tomorrow. The conditions are perfect for a leisurely stroll to Yogurt Park!

It doesn’t look like much has changed in Yogurt Park since it opened in Berkeley in 1977 (except for the employees, hopefully). The faded yellow sign with outdated green lettering and no frills, linoleum-tiled interior makes me nostalgic for the 70s, when the Oakland Athletics were in their heyday and I wasn’t even born yet. Its aesthetic starkly contrasts the sterility of the Pinkberrys and Yogurtlands, which have become the Starbucks of frozen yogurt. Give me the neighborhood cafe any day of the week.

And oh my god, is it cheap. For $2.75, you can get a densely packed, overflowing six ounce cup of fro-yo. They call this the “mini,” but it’s definitely a small by most folks’ standards. The next size up, small, is 12 ounces and costs $3.10. Beyond that, they have large and quart sizes. But I don’t pay attention to those, because I’m not feeding a Mormon family.

Ghiradelli chocolate and vanilla are permanent fixtures on the menu. However, in the many times I’ve been there, I’ve seen such flavors as creme brulee, red velvet, orange, and York peppermint patty. There are usually six flavors on the menu each day, and they seem to be in constant rotation.

Then there are the toppings — all one thousand of them. They have cookie dough (my fave), brownie clumps, Reese’s Pieces, carob chips, walnuts, gummy bears, and the list goes on. And the friendly, young employees do not skimp at all. You’ll be in pain by the time you finish, but hey, it’s yogurt. At least it’s “good for you,” right? Right!

Thanks to Lucy N. for the pic.