Froyo Scene in San Mateo, CA

Clear Optometry

Fro-yo girl here. San Mateo once had a lively frozen yogurt scene, with self-serve froyo, counter serve classics, and even a few unexpected places offering froyo on the side. Today, only four places in the city serve froyo — and just one of them is a true froyo shop.

Over the years, I found eleven places for froyo that once operated in San Mateo and later closed, plus one business (Clear Optometry) that stayed open but stopped serving froyo. Of the eleven closed shops, seven were counter‑serve, and five opened in 2009, the big year for froyo expansion in San Mateo. San Mateo made my froyo hot spots list of 2010.

The oldest froyo shop in the area, Yumi Yogurt, is still going strong. JJ’s Yogurt was also an older shop, though its exact opening year is unclear.

I also heard that Yogurtland plans to open in San Mateo, but I couldn't find any updates since the initial press release mentioning Yogurtland's expansion plans. If it does open, it will mark the return of self-serve froyo to San Mateo.

San Mateo is a prosperous, well educated Bay Area city with:
• Population: ~103K–105K
• Median age: ~38–39
• Median household income: ~$152K–$162K
• High housing costs, high educational attainment

It seems like a good place for froyo.

Places to Get Froyo

• Nick the Greek, 1324 W Hillsdale Blvd, opened in 2020. The Greek fast-casual chain offers Greek froyo.
• Nick the Greek, 213 3rd Ave, opened in downtown San Mateo in 2024
• Simple Delights, 1226 W Hillsdale Blvd, at the Laurelwood Shopping Center is a bakery that opened in 2020, taking over the JJ Yogurt space. Froyo is still available.
• Yumi Yogurt, 3955 S El Camino Real, San Mateo, opened in 1987; it serves froyo and ice cream.

Former Places to Get Froyo

• Happy Yogurt, 110 S B St, was a small self-serve froyo shop in downtown San Mateo that opened in 2009 and closed in 2011.
• Harmony Frozen Yogurt, 1051 Park Place, was an organic froyo shop that first opened in San Carlos. The San Mateo location, the second Harmony branch, opened in 2009.
• JJ’s Yogurt, 1226 W Hillsdale Blvd, was an old school, counter-serve froyo shop that closed in 2019 or 2020.
• Maquito Yogurt, 60 31st Ave, was a counter-serve froyo shop that opened at Hillsdale Shopping Center in 2009 and closed in 2013.
• Nubi Yogurt, 2015 Chess Dr, was a self-serve froyo shop that opened in 2011 and closed in 2016.
• Quickly, 142 E 3rd Ave, was a boba shop in downtown San Mateo that was open from 2005 – 2019. They offered froyo from 2008 – 2012.
• Snowee Yogurt, 168 W 25th Ave, was a self-serve froyo shop that also served shaved ice and snacks. It opened in 2009 and closed in 2015.
• Teaway, 165 E. Fourth Ave., a sister brand of Tuttimelon, took over the Tuttimelon space in 2011 and still offered Tuttimelon froyo. It closed in 2013 and was replaced by Honeyberry, the roti bun shop. While some Honeyberry locations offered froyo, the one in San Mateo did not.
• Tuttimelon, 165 E. Fourth Ave., was a froyo shop that opened in 2009 in downtown San Mateo. It turned into their sister brand, Teaway, in 2011.
• Yogurtouille, 407 S B St, was a small, bright, self-serve froyo shop that opened in downtown San Mateo in 2008 and closed in 2015 or 2016.
• Yumi Yogurt, 60 31st Ave, opened a small shop inside Hillsdale Shopping Center in 2013 and closed in 2017.

Still Open, Stopped Serving Froyo

• Clear Optometry, 138 E 3rd St., is a luxury eyewear store. It used to have a dessert bar with froyo and housemade mochi in many flavors. They started offering froyo in 2007 and stopped offering it around 2016.

The only places I haven’t been to are the Nick the Greek branches and Simply Delights. The places I miss the most are Harmony, Clear Optometry, and Tuttimelon.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.