Fentons Creamery on Piedmont Avenue is one of Oakland's classic stops for a sundae. Wikipedia calls it California's longest continually operating creamery.
The history
Eldridge Seth Fenton opened the business in 1894 at 41st and Howe streets, according to Wikipedia. It moved a few blocks to its current spot in 1961. In 2001 an arson fire destroyed it, and more than $2 million went into rebuilding with a grill, more tables and a bigger menu. A second location opened in Vacaville in 2007, along with a shop at Oakland International Airport.
The rocky road claim
Fentons says it is the birthplace of rocky road. According to Wikipedia, Fentons candy maker George Farren made a rocky road candy bar and blended it into ice cream. That inspired his friends William Dreyer and Joseph Edy of Dreyer's to make their own version with almonds instead of walnuts. Dreyer's still markets its version as "The Original Rocky Road."
A Pixar cameo
Fentons appears in the 2009 animated film Up. Wikipedia says director Pete Docter and producer Jonas Rivera are regular customers, and the team swapped it in after the original script named an East Coast parlor.
Visiting
Fentons serves handmade ice cream plus a menu of grilled sandwiches, burgers and salads. For groups and kids, the creamery offers an "Arctic Tour" with a behind-the-scenes look at the production room and its blast freezer. Tour packages include treats and lunch options, and you need to contact the creamery to check availability.