Fraiche Yogurt Now in San Francisco’s Fillmore

It seems like the fro-yo craze is dying down, with a few stores going out of business like Cefiore at the Westfield and Yogurt Bar in Cow Hollow. But at least one fro-yo name is branching out, and it’s the popular Fraiche Yogurt from Palo Alto.

I discovered recently that Fraiche now has a store on Fillmore Street in San Francisco near all the boutiques and restaurants up Pacific Heights. When I first tried Fraiche’s fro-yo at its original location, it was less tart and more milky than my favorites Pinkberry and Red Mango. But I decided to give its San Francisco location I try. I mean, I was in the neighborhood, so why not?

The interior was a mix of part spa and part cookie store. The warmer colors, contrasting the brighter white-leaning décor of the original store, gave this Fraiche a richer feel. The tiny tables up front look more like a layout of a restaurant than a fro-yo store.

Fraiche sells regular soft yogurt and frozen yogurt. I stuck with the fro-yo, which you can get in the following sizes: junior ($3.15), regular ($4) and large ($5.25). Toppings are an additional $1 for the first choice and 50 cents each additional topping.

The flavor options include natural, Valrhona chocolate and soy. I went with the natural fro-yo and topped it with fresh strawberries and organic brownie bits.

The natural fro-yo was thicker than what I remembered, giving it more body and taste. And brownies for toppings? Genius! These were the best brownies, cut into ½-inch squares, and they made this afternoon treat extra satisfying.

I’m so happy that Fraiche opened up a location in the city so I don’t have to go all the way to the Peninsula to get frozen yogurt. And their creative and fresh toppings, especially the organic brownies, have bumped Fraiche up my rankings of fro-yo spots I’ve tried.

Single Guy's Fro-yo Rankings:

1. Red Mango, Palo Alto
2. Pinkberry, Southern California
3. Fraiche, Palo Alto and San Francisco
4. Tuttimelon, San Francisco
5. YoCup, San Francisco
6. Icebee, San Francisco
7. Yoppi, San Francisco
8. Jubili, San Francisco
9. Tutti Frutti, Oakland
10. SoGreen, San Francisco
11. Yogurt Harmony, Berkeley
12. Creations, Berkeley
13. Yogen Früz, San Francisco


Fraiche, 1910 Fillmore, San Francisco. PH: 415.674.6876. Open daily. (Other locations in Palo Alto and the Stanford campus.) www.fraicheyogurt.com