Dream Ice Cream Parlor voted No. 1

Stockton native Dawson Phan was just 21 years old when he opened Dream Ice Cream Parlor in his hometown.

Three years after graduating from Cesar Chavez High School in 2013, Phan wanted to bring something new to Stockton and “fill a void in the city” as an owner, inventor and ice cream maker.

“When I was growing up here, born and raised, we always had the same thing, just Baskin Robbins, Cold Stone, nobody was thinking outside the box and bringing creative desserts here,” Phan, now 29, told the Stockton Record. “You always had to drive to the Bay Area or Sacramento to see something cool and different.”

In late October 2016, he opened his ice cream shop at 5052 West Lane H. The shop is less than two miles from his old high school, where he told his friends about his dream of one day opening an ice cream shop.

Its grand opening took place just a few months later in January 2017.

“The first day we opened it was super busy, the first year it was just super crazy. But everyone loved it,” Phan said. “The feedback was just really good and I never gave up. I always just wanted to make sure our customers got what they wanted and that they had their needs met and we’ve kept going ever since.”

And Stockton residents are big fans of Dream Ice Cream Parlor’s unique menu.

The people have spoken

Dream Ice Cream Parlor was recently voted the best ice cream parlor in Stockton by readers of the Stockton Record.

The Stockton Record identified 11 ice cream shops in the city, each with its own menu and flavors. The survey began on July 19 and ended on August 2.

A total of 71.7% of the more than 2,000 Stockton Record readers who participated in the poll chose Dream Ice Cream Parlor as their favorite. Milk & Dream came in second with 6.4% of the vote and Tocumbo Paleteria Y Neveria came in third with 6.3% of the vote.

Treats from the ice cream parlor in Stockton: “Made with love”

Two years after Dream Ice Cream Parlor opened, Stockton native Jackie Pham joined the team.

Pham, a Bear Creek High School graduate, is not only the co-owner of Dream Ice Cream, but also handles events, catering, social media and is the recipe developer of the limited-edition ice cream flavors.

Pham, 32, owns Dream, Milk & Dream’s sister business in Weberstown Mall. She is also an esthetician and owner of Dreamlux Esthetics in Stockton.

“Milk & Dream is kind of my ice cream baby, like Dream is (Phan’s) ice cream baby,” Pham said. “It’s a different name and a different concept.”

Milk & Dream offers a menu of Dream-Lati’s, boba drinks, and coffee. In addition to the menu and locations, the logos are also unique to each one. Dream Ice Cream Parlor is represented by a panda and Milk & Dream’s logo is a bear.

The Dream Ice Cream Parlor also serves as a “factory” where their products are made. The couple described homemade ice cream as “small-batch ice cream, hand-made in a factory.”

What sets their business apart from other ice cream shops in Stockton is the ice cream flavors and the fact that everything is made in house, the couple said.

“We use high-quality dairy products to make our ice cream,” Phan said.

Unlike other ice cream parlors that use about 12% milk fat, Dream Ice Cream uses a higher milk fat percentage, which makes the product creamy and smooth.

When asked what three words they would use to describe Dream Ice Cream Parlor to someone who has never been there, Pham said, “Made with love.”

Dream Ice Cream Parlor celebrates 7 years

In January, Dream Ice Cream Parlor celebrated its seventh anniversary.

“Honestly, it seems like we opened yesterday,” Phan said. “I can’t believe so many years have passed. It’s just incredible.”

“As the years go by, Dream continues to grow and we add more things. It’s pretty surreal when we walk in here. Even on a weekday, there’s a line out the door and we think, ‘Isn’t it only Tuesday?'” Pham said. “It’s just crazy that people really love the ice cream. It feels good because we make it from scratch, with our hands and our time. That’s the best part.”

During COVID-19, the couple hasn’t let up. From a renovation in the summer of 2020 to delivering sundaes straight to customers’ doorsteps.

“We just want them to know that we really appreciate them sticking with us through COVID,” Pham said. “They can always count on us for their ice cream and dessert cravings.”

“We will never stop producing high-quality products,” Phan added.

Dream Ice Cream Parlor Menu: From Boba to Bubble Tea, Donuts and More

DREAM stands for “Desserts rule everything around me,” Phan said.

Originally, he only wanted to offer doughnuts, ice cream and puffles, but instead he decided to “do a little bit of everything.”

“The puffle recipe is Dawson’s secret recipe that he tested in his mother’s kitchen,” Pham said.

“It’s all from scratch,” Phan added.

Dream offers more than 25 solid ice cream flavors, not including limited edition flavors.

The couple said their most unique ice cream flavors are Banana Rocky Road and Thai Tea. The most popular are Cookies and Dream, Taro and Horchata, Pham said.

Their menu prices range from about $4 to $11.50, Pham said.

Their next goal at Dream is to offer their most popular ice cream flavors in “dairy-free, vegan” versions that everyone can try, they said.

The Dream ice cream parlor is open seven days a week, but until later in the day.

The couple also offers ice cream and boba catering services for private events.

“Whether you come here happy, sad or angry, after an ice cream you will always leave the place with a smile,” Phan said.