Despite its name and decor — shirts on hangers wrapped in plastic garment bags, iron-shaped napkin holders and tables that look like ironing boards — An’s Dry Cleaning is not a place to get your clothes cleaned. It’s the best independent ice cream shop in the country, according to readers of USA Today.
“We’ve kind of had our heads down for the last six years, really, really working hard,” said Kris Warren, one of four co-owners of An’s. “To look up a half decade since we opened and be ranked the best in America, it’s validating.”
Warren and his co-owners had been looking for the perfect spot for a gelato shop for more than a year when they found a former dry cleaners on Adams Avenue. They decided to keep its name, after several late nights of brainstorming other ideas.
“The more we talked about it, the more we were like, ‘That makes sense,’” Warren said. “It’s memorable, it’s a little bit silly, which we like. Gelato’s lighthearted.”
An’s Dry Cleaning opened its doors in 2018. The theme extends to the names of the ice cream flavors. Customers are invited to try each of them after a palette cleanser of ginger and lime sorbet. There’s Canvas, an olive oil and rosemary gelato with a sprinkle of black salt. Velour has salted caramel, chocolate and pieces of waffle cone.
To celebrate the USA Today ranking, An’s Dry Cleaning sold $1 gelato on Monday. The line wrapped around the block before they opened for the day at noon.
Teresa San Miguel and her kids, Amelia and Oliver, drove from Jamul to try An’s for the first time. Standing in the line around the block on Monday morning, they were looking forward to a cold treat on a hot day.
“It’s perfect for our weather. It’s hot in Jamul right now so we’re excited for a nice cold treat,” San Miguel said. “We like North Park, too, so anytime we can get a chance to get out here it’s a good reason to come.”
North Park isn’t the only place to taste America’s favorite gelato. An’s Hatmakers is in Del Mar, and An’s Athletic Field Services is in Petco Park. A new location is under construction in Ocean Beach, called An’s Electronics Repair.
