By 
This post was originally published in July 2021. It was last updated in June 2022.
To read part 2, click here.
This guide took about 6 months to write and I’m beyond excited to finally share it with you.
If you’re not from LA, let me enlighten you with the most beloved ice cream places:
-Salt & Straw
-McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams
-Jeni’s Ice Cream
-Wanderlust Creamery
-Sweet Rose Creamery
In this post I will be mentioning a few essential LA ice cream shops, but with special emphasis on Black-owned businesses and other small businesses that you will not find in most LA ice cream guides.
Before I moved here from Spain, it surprised me how much people loved ice cream and how willing those people were to wait in long lines to get a scoop. If you come from a place where the season changes, you’ll be interested to know that ice cream in LA is a year-round business. There’s no such thing as opening an ice cream shop only for the summer. Even on cold days, by LA standards, people will head to their favorite ice cream places.
On top of having outstanding ice cream shops, LA’s grocery stores offer an impressive plethora of ice cream flavors and brands.
I went to Whole Foods the other day and I counted all the different ice cream brands in the freezer: over 21 brands! Trader Joe’s has their own ice cream brand with interesting flavors like Ube and Cookie Butter.
Thrifty is pretty much the OG of all ice cream in Southern California. For those who grew up in Southern California, Thrifty evokes happy childhood memories. A combination of their cylindrical-shaped scoops, innovative flavors and bargain prices (25c a scoop), turned Thrifty into one of the most beloved brands in the 20th century. Thrifty was a drugstore chain bought by Rite Aid in 1996. The ice cream was so popular that Rite Aid decided to keep selling it despite the old brand name! To check the locations, go to the store locator here.
If you want to know more about how Thrifty became a Socal institution, visit this great article by the LA Times here.
With this being said, in a city where ice cream is as common as palm trees, these are the best places to explore in LA’s underground ice cream scene.
In this post, I will be including a few soft-serve ice cream places, but this is mostly centered on regular ice cream. Gelatos in LA are a completely different ball game.
Awan
866 Huntley Dr, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Hidden gem alert! In September 2021, Awan ice cream opened its doors through a tiny walk-up window in West Hollywood. Awan was founded by Indonesian-Australian chef Zen Ong, and his business partner, Tohm Ilfergan. They met in 2020 and founded Awan with the mission of bringing Indonesian, plant-based ice cream to LA. The most impressive thing about Awan is how truly unique the flavors are. An example of this is their chocolate flavor, which tasted exactly like hot chocolate, or their tortilla flavor, which made me wonder what type of magic powers they have behind closed doors. Seriously, it was like tasting a real handmade corn tortilla!
When you go there, usually Zen or Josh are there to greet customers. They do an amazing job breaking down the flavors and walking you through the menu. They’re super nice in letting you taste as many flavors as you want! So, don’t be shy if a few of them pique your interest. The downside is that you can’t get too attached to any of the flavors because they change every week!
I recommend getting one scoop with two flavors because the portions are pretty generous. The attention to detail that goes into it says a lot about the experience they’re trying to convey. Depending on what flavor you get, they’ll add that ingredient on top of the ice cream. I was in the mood for something fruity, so I opted for the Black Raspberry and the Balinese vanilla flavor. The vanilla flavor comes with shredded Gula Jawa on top. Both flavors were so rich and decadent and the texture was velvety soft. Overall, it was a feast for my palette.
On my second time, I had the orange and the strawberry flavor. Josh, the employee who took my order, said the strawberries came from Harry’s Berries farm in Oxnard. Once again, these flavors did not disappoint. I felt like I was savoring a real orange, which was incredibly refreshing. The strawberry flavor was also very rich and a tad bit creamier than the orange. Both flavors balanced each other out so perfectly. Awan’s prices are higher than the average ice cream shop in LA, and honestly, I think it’s worth it.
At Awan, you’re truly getting an experience that goes beyond eating a regular ice cream scoop. This is something that not many of the popular places in LA are able to achieve. Zen and Tohm took the concept of eating ice cream to the next level. I can’t wait to keep going back to further explore the menu. The biggest challenge is finding a good parking spot! If you live far away, you can also buy their pints online for pick-up.
Hours: Monday through Friday from 3PM-10PM
Saturday and Sunday from 12PM-10PM
All Chill Ice Cream
Black-owned
3415 W 43rd Pl, Leimert Park.
All Chill Ice Cream is owned by married duo Genelle and her husband. For the last few months, they’ve been opening from 12-5 pm only on the weekends at their Leimert Park location. I had been following their Instagram updates and following them for quite a while and then finally went there. I was mad at myself for not having gone sooner!
In order to support their community, they allow other small businesses to do pop-up appearances inside their shop, which just goes to show you how much they support their local vendors. At All Chill, the African-American culture is reflected through photographs and memorabilia from legendary Hip-Hop icons.
I cannot wait to further explore this area of LA and possibly write a post about it. On the weekends, Leimert becomes a cultural hub for African-American, Jamaicans and other Caribbean islanders. There’s music blasting through speakers, people dancing and vendors from different countries selling their goods. Even Rihanna follows @LeimertParkVillageVendors on Instagram, but this comes as no surprise since Rihanna is known for venturing into different areas of LA.
When I went there, Genelle and her young daughter were serving out scoops. Genelle was so nice and you could tell she knew the ins and outs of ice cream. When I asked what led her to open an ice cream shop, she said:
“I was tired of going on long drives for good ice cream. I love ice cream and prefer more interesting flavors. Finding a product driven by experience over profit is more difficult, especially in our area. So we are making products that we want and feel the community deserves this simple luxury.”
Her favorite places in LA for ice cream are Jenni’s, Carmela’s, and Bloomfield. I cannot thank her enough for mentioning Bloomfield. It made it on this list because of her! She’s an interior designer and she’s so well-traveled. We talked about Spain, which is where I’m from, and Dominican Republic, which is where my mom’s from. Not only had she been to Spain (Barcelona specifically), but also Dominican Republic and Italy! You could see that she was a very worldly person: her mannerisms, how eloquent she was…basically, a total gem!
Since they’re not fully open, at the moment they’re only accepting Venmo or cash as payment, no cards. With this being said, make sure to have the app ready on your phone!
There’s a few vegan flavors, but all the ice cream is organic and made with the highest quality ingredients.
I picked Honey Lavender and I was not expecting to like it so much. The texture was very delicate and the flavor was rich and vibrant. The honey and lavender complimented each other flawlessly.
“We have several local organic honey resources and these flavors are nostalgic yet innovative. People have responded very well to this one.”
After trying out so many ice creams over the last few months, I know that when I detect a very soft, creamy, yet firm texture and flavor that takes you on a journey, it means the ice cream is artisanal and high-quality. Always consider texture and flavor!
I knew I would be kicking myself if I had to wait another week to try another flavor, so I went right back in and ordered Cherry Vanilla, which was another winner. The cherries Genelle uses for this flavor are Luxardo Maraschino cherries, which are the most expensive cherries you can get. This boujee cherry is produced in Torreglia, Italy and is a far cry from the typical Maraschino cherries you will find at the grocery store.
The flavor of vanilla was subtle yet distinctive and the Luxardo Maraschino cherries added a special robust sweet-tart flavor that made the whole experience completely unmatched.
“Produced in Torreglia, Italy, these cherries are nothing like the bright red orbs you find in cocktails from workaday bars. Dense and chewy with a sweet-tart flavor, these maraschino cherries are made with prized sour marasca cherries preserved in the fruit’s famed liqueur. They’ll take your Manhattan (or Shirley Temple) to new heights and are also delicious spooned with their rich syrup over ice cream or cheesecake.” – Arpevinoauburn.com
I liked this combination so much that I went back another week and had the same order. The girl working there encouraged me to try their Bubble Gum ice cream next time!
Just Luv Creamery
Black-owned
LA native Dominique Scott created Just Luv Creamery in 2020. This is her story.
“During the first stay-at-home order, I had the chance to be still, be thoughtful, and focus on what I wanted out of life. How could I bring delight to others’ lives? How can I be a positive, purposeful presence in my community? The answer? Ice Cream.”
Why did you decide to create Just Luv Creamery?
I decided to create Just Luv Creamery because not only do I enjoy ice cream but I loved the idea of being able to create nostalgic flavors. Representation matters to me as well and I felt that a black owned ice cream company was needed in my community. I announced my business in July 2020 but I started making ice cream in March 2020.
Why do you love ice cream?
I love the consistency of ice cream and the texture that is added. For example, peach cobbler is another dessert that I enjoy but the one thing that makes it delicious is ice cream. Which is why I created a peach cobbler ice cream called “Just Peachy”.
What’s your personal favorite flavor and why?
My favorite flavor is “Driving Me Bananas”. Banana Pudding is my favorite dessert so I wanted to make something that mimicked the flavor profile.
Do you plan on opening a brick-and-mortar in the future?
If all goes well I plan to open a brick-and-mortar, but one of my goals is to have my ice cream in grocery stores.
Is the ice cream organic?
I use organic products but I wouldn’t label it as organic ice cream. I also have non dairy/vegan options that will be announced really soon!
Do you have a favorite ice cream shop in LA?
Surprisingly, I don’t have a favorite ice cream shop in L.A. I do enjoy a few flavors from places like Gingers and Salt & Straw.
What’s your favorite restaurant in LA?
I don’t have a favorite restaurant but when I was younger I use to love going to a burger spot called Capital Burger. Unfortunately it’s closed down now.
Do people have to place an order on your website to pick up the pints or can people go for a scoop without placing an order?
I give people an option to preorder and pick up at our truck during the weekend. But if you choose to come by the truck that’s even better!
How far in advance do you post the locations?
I post everything Tuesday or Wednesday where I will be at during the weekend!
Ken’s Ice Cream Parlor
18511 S Avalon Blvd, Carson, CA 90746
Black-owned
Ken’s is a Black-owned, family-run business founded by Wanda Johnson-Pope in 1980. A few years ago, she passed the business on to her grandson Keaton Johnson.
The ice cream at Ken’s is not made on the premises. They sell Thrifty ice cream and ice cream from independent ice cream makers around Southern California. Keaton told me that they’re currently looking into making their own flavors in-house, as well as expanding their menu items with vegan options for those who have special dietary needs.
Inside, there are several pictures on the wall of Ms. Wanda, the previous owner, with celebrities and Long Beach government officials.
You can have your regular ice cream scoops, but they also specialize in old-school milkshakes and banana sundaes. When I was inside waiting for my order, the man ahead of me ordered a sunday to-go. Also, while I was eating the ice cream in my car, two other people came out with a banana sundae. It seemed to me that this was a best-seller.
I got two ice cream flavors: lemon pie and Chocolate Malted Krunch. I’m usually not into super rich chocolate flavors but that one was just calling my name. The lemon pie was so good!! It had the perfect amount of sweetness — not enough to spike your blood sugar levels through the roof — and the texture was very creamy and delicate. This one was from an independent ice cream maker.
The Chocolate Malted Krunch was from Thrifty! Can you believe it was my first time trying Thrifty ice cream? I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it. I did not grow up in Socal, so it didn’t evoke any feelings of nostalgia, but it was good enough on its own. It was like drinking a straight-up chocolate malt milkshake.
Ken’s also does events to help the neighboring communities of Compton and Watts. When you walk in, even if you’ve never been there before, they treat you like family. I truly hope their business continues to flourish!
I asked Keaton if he wanted to say something to my readers and this is what he said:
“Family owned business for 40+ years and growing. We would like to thank everyone who comes in to show support to our ice cream parlor, without you we could not be. We hope each time you come in it is a pleasant experience and want to hear more if this is otherwise untrue. We appreciate our customers, and would like to invite you to grow such as we are to bring an even better experience.”
Hug Life Ice Cream
2707 E 4th St, Long Beach, CA 90814
Hug Life Ice Cream is, without a doubt, one of the best vegan ice creams I’ve had since I moved to LA! This ALL-VEGAN dessert shop was founded by Johny “JT” Tran and his friends in 2017. After opening two successful locations in Orange County and gathering a massive loyal following, they opened the first Hug Life LA location in Long Beach in July 2019. I cannot believe I’m this late to the party!
What piqued my interest, besides the creative logo, was the interesting diversity of flavors. A few of them were Thai tea, Green Goblin (mint chocolate chip), Vietnamese Coffee, Matcha Monsta (matcha-based ice cream with cookie bits), Taro Root and Rocky Road.
I had one giant scoop with two flavors combined: Original Berries (gf) and Honey-Dew-Dew Child. They were insanely delicious and light. Advice: Eat your ice cream at the beach, which is located just a few blocks away!
Johny has “Hug Life” tattooed on his stomach as a nod to Tupac’s “Thug Life” tattoo.
“Hug Life was conceived by a close-knit group of friends who had a plant-based lifestyle and listened to a lot of hip hop. Growing up with traditional families in a financial struggle, we didn’t have much help or support. In fact, a few of us went against our family’s wishes; we dropped out of school in order to pursue a vision.”
He wanted to eliminate awkward conversations that can occur between friends with different dietary needs.
Other menu items include root beer floats, brownie sundaes and ice cream cookie sandwiches. Even the waffle cones are vegan! This place deserves all the hype and I hope they expand into more locations in LA County.
2 Guys 1 Cone
2 Guys 1 Cone was founded by Phil and Tommy.
“I’m a teacher that wanted to do something creative so I started this. My buddy came up with the name but backed out.” said Phil.
“My relationship with ice cream is one of forbidden love. Growing up, I rarely had the privilege to indulge in ice cream. The main villain in my story is one that comes from within… LACTOSE INTOLERANCE! I was always one cone away from an irritable bowel movement. I was cursed to never enjoy ice cream.”
How to order: “You just DM with the flavors you want and we set up a pick up time that works for you. We used to deliver, but not at the moment.”
“We have an ice cream review blog and we also had a podcast before.”
My hat goes off to him because his creativity is insane! From the unique flavors to the logo, all of it. You can tell his love of ice cream runs deep.
What is your favorite flavor and what flavor do you recommend to someone who’s ordering for the first time?
Favorite flavor is vanilla! Haha, but I would say my Dalgona Coffee is my best flavor.
What are your favorite ice cream shops in LA?
Off the top of my head…
1. Jenis
2. Magpies
3. Salt & Straw
4. Scoops
Kith Treats
8500 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90069
Who knew the coolest ice cream shop in LA was at an apparel and footwear store? Born and raised in Queens, NY, Kith’s founder, Ronnie Fieg, always dreamt of having his own cereal bar. His parents never allowed him to eat cereal at home, so he would sell the school lunch his parents would pack for him each morning to buy his favorite cereals.
In order to refine the concept of his childhood fantasy, he decided to mix soft serve ice cream with popular breakfast cereals, and that’s how Kith Treats was born in 2015.
There are only four Kith Treats shops in the US inside the already existing Kith clothing shops: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Miami and LA. The latter opened in 2018. You can also find Kith in top international cities like Paris and Tokyo. The first Kith store opened in Manhattan in 2011.
Since Kith is a well-known apparel and footwear brand among the rich and famous, many menu items you will see were coined by celebrities and athletes like Lebron James, who named The King’s Treat (Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Granola and Snickers).
The most popular menu item is The Bam Bam, which is what I ordered. This one was invented by rapper, chef, and TV presenter Action Bronson. If you type his name on Youtube, you will see that he’s been featured in many TV food episodes around the world. He’s like foodie royalty.
Think rice krispies, cookie crisps, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Kit Kat, Oreos, and marshmallows all mixed together in a heavenly soft serve swirl. I did NOT expect to like this so much! I carried it to my car and despite the massive swirl, it stayed intact. It just had the perfect consistency of soft, yet firm.
I’m pretty sure the piece of chocolate must have been amazing, but I had to leave it, because it was so much! You can see in the picture the bits of cereal and chocolate! It was delicious!
I asked the guy working there if the ice cream was made on the premises, and he said that the ice cream was shipped in a frozen container from NYC. I was a little turned off by the steep prices until I saw the massively big swirls of soft-serve they give you. I was not heading home afterwards, but if you are, ask for a LID!!! I really wish they offered different sizes and waffle cones.
Since this particular store is located underground, I highly recommend enjoying the ice cream in your car or going upstairs through the parking garage to the street level to enjoy the view of LA.
They do parking validation! First 2 hours free, so feel free to use the time to walk around.
If you’re not in the mood for a soft-serve, you can also order it in a milkshake form, and if nothing on the menu catches your eye, you can customize your order as you wish!! Kith Treats also does occasional partnerships with different cereal brands, TV shows like The Simpsons and even Disney.
Nika’s Ice Cream
Location: Beverly Hills
Another ice cream business created in the middle of the pandemic! Isn’t it amazing how 2020 was the year where some lifelong dreams finally came to fruition?
Nika’s Ice Cream was created by LA native Nika Taghdiri in 2020.
“What started as a quarantine hobby, turned into a small business. While I was spending almost all my time at home during the pandemic, I became very familiar with my kitchen and it became a time where I was making ice cream for family & friends. I then decided that I wanted to share what I was creating and have my ice cream available for local pick up via DM on @nikasicecream Instagram. I initially started making ice cream to create flavors that were not only challenging, but to create flavors that didn’t already exist. For example, Coffee Cookie was my first and is still my best selling flavor since there was no coffee and oreo combination already available on the market. I draw flavor inspiration from my surroundings, whether I’m influenced by a culture, a season or just am curious to try something new out! I’ve created over 20 rotating flavors so far and it’s very hard to say pick an all time favorite. It has been extremely rewarding to challenge myself in the kitchen and create a sense of community with Nika’s Ice Cream customers.”
Why do you love ice cream?
As a kid I was obsessed with ice cream from my first scoop (and clearly still am). Growing up I would be so excited to go to my weekly dance classes, because I knew that ice cream would almost always follow. I remember dreaming of being an ice cream taster or working in a scoop shop, and it seems that somehow I’ve always clung to that idea. Before I started making my own ice cream, I didn’t know that there would be such a science behind creating your own ice cream base. What I truly love about ice cream are the variety of textures, flavor options, and the endless possibilities.
What are your favorite ice cream shops in LA?
I grew up on Thrifty Ice Cream and it will always be my classic go-to. Not only are the flavors iconic, but the ice cream is nostalgic and just plain good. I also love McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams, Bacio di Latte for unreal gelato, and recently tried SOMISOMI which serves amazing soft-serve and Taiyaki!
What is your pick-up process?
Making my small batch ice cream is a two-day process. One day is dedicated to creating the ice cream base, which is then refrigerated for 8-24 hours to be churned, packed, and freezed the following day. At the moment pickups are made to order, but I also make sure to have extra ice cream available so same day pick ups can also be an option 🙂
Note: Pick-up location is in Beverly Hills. You have to DM her on IG to place your order.
What are your favorite restaurants in LA?
Forever and always will love any Hillstone restaurant! Best food. Best service. My favorite sushi in LA is definitely from Sushi Fumi (melt in your mouth toro). The best sandwiches in LA have to be from Larchmont Wine & Cheese. Darya for unbelievable and authentic persian food. I might be a little too obsessed with Angelini Osteria’s pasta a limone. And a new spot I’ve recently really enjoyed was Melody Wine Bar, which has rotating dinner pop-ups throughout the week.
OMG I love Larchmont Wine & Cheese! Do you have any other favorite sandwich places?
I definitely have a few favorites! Other go-tos are All About The Bread, Carla Cafe, Cortina’s in Orange (my sick obsession in college), Pizzana’s Padrino sandwich, Attari and most recently Potato Chips Deli. Hope these recs are helpful!!
What was it like growing up in LA?
I was born and raised in Los Angeles and wouldn’t want to live anywhere else! I truly loved growing up in a metropolitan city, filled with such diverse community, culture and opportunity. Although I can stay within my own bubble at times, I feel so lucky to be able to drive anywhere 20 mins away and there’s a complete shift of scenery & vibe. LA is filled with opportunity whether it’s within the food scene, entertainment or fashion and I am definitely staying put!
Sad Girl Creamery
Trigger Warning: This section contains mentions of mental illness.
Sue Mancini is the founder of Sad Girl Creamery, a Latinx-owned ice cream pop-up shop born in the pandemic, where she merges ice cream and mental health awareness. Born and raised in Houston, Texas to an Uruguayan family, Sue was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at age 26.
She shared the following with KCRW.com:
“The idea kind of came up during the height of the pandemic, when everyone was stuck at home. I figured sharing my own personal experiences with mental health could make people relate and feel a little alleviated with the sad feelings they’re having at home.
It’s not very common, especially in immigrant families, that we talk about things like mental health. I think that comes from a hard-working mentality. Your family moves here because of whatever reason, and you’re put into this survival mode. So if you’re talking about being sad, it’s kind of like, ‘Well, you can overcome that sadness on your own, can’t you?’”
Sue uses Instagram as a platform to post her flavors and broach the subject of mental health in hopes of encouraging others to talk about their hardships and struggles.
“A lot of the things I post about are happening in my life at that moment. I might have a situation with a friend where something happens with them and it’ll be on my mind for a while, so I’ll make a post about it and do research so I can read into things myself and find good practices.”
She shared with LATaco.com: “A lot of my flavors are honestly memories of people in my life, the flavors either represent them, or I want to honor a memory of them.”
Some of the flavors are inspired by Latinx icons Sue grew up with, including Anything for Selenas Treat, or La Vida Es Un Guarnaval, inspired by the “Queen of Salsa” singer Celia Cruz.
Make sure to follow @SadGirlCreamery to stay updated on her next pop-up appearances! Or, you can always get her half pints and full pints at Lokels Only, a super cool community-based shop in Chinatown. Place your order online to guarantee your pint because she sells out really fast! I was going to drive all the way to Chinatown, but thankfully I first went to her IG where she had already announced that her pints were sold out at Lokels. Priscilla Ono, Rihanna’s makeup artist and Fenty Beauty Ambassador, whom I had the pleasure to meet, posted her pints on IG! I can’t wait to try them.
Place your online order here.
Dear Bella Creamery
1253 Vine St # 12, Los Angeles, CA 90038
Note: This place used to operate under the name of Cocobella Creamery. I went there in April 2021, when the store was going through renovations. They announced on their Instagram that they will be doing a grand-reopening later this summer with new in-store ice cream experiences. I wrote this review when they were still under their previous name.
I’m shocked that this place isn’t popping up more on social media or in ice cream guides. Cocobella Dear Bella Creamery is an ALL-VEGAN and gluten-free ice cream shop tucked away in a Hollywood strip mall. I emailed founders Alice Cherng and Belinda Wei regarding their background and they nicely referred me to the interview they did with voyagela.com.
“Growing up, we both had fond experiences at ice cream parlors, but after becoming vegans, it was challenging to find delicious ice cream that was dairy-free. After being disappointed by the dairy-free options at traditional ice cream parlors, they set out to recreate that childhood joy for everyone.” – Voyagela.com
I had one of their most popular signature flavors, Blueberry Cheesecake. The chunks of blueberry were fresh and the cheesecake flavor was spot-on. It was very light, but surprisingly creamy. After trying a lot of vegan ice cream, I can tell you that most have an icy consistency. It’s amazing that at Cocobella Dear Bella, they keep everything vegan without altering the creamy texture of the ice cream.
The employee that took my order said that they are planning on expanding into more locations. Cocobella’s Dear Bella’s interior is decorated with sprinkled pink walls, a neon sign and a cute pink and white counter table. It’s also one of the very few ice cream places that opens until 12:00 am!
If you decide to order one of their pints, Cocobella Dear Bella Creamery is also available on Postmates. The ice cream and the waffle cones are made daily in-house, and they also offer dairy-free ice cream cakes. They also offers build-your-own sundaes!
Kansha Creamery
18515 S Western Ave, Gardena, CA 90248
This brother and sister duo made waves in the ice cream scene thanks to their values of kindness and generosity. A percentage of every ice cream pint and scoop goes to charity. Founded in 2015 by Elaine Yukari Marumoto-Perez and James Tatsuya, Kansha uses organic ingredients from local farmers.
When I went there, they were only selling ice cream pints, not scoops. But the last time I checked their IG, they were back at selling scoops.
Kansha Creamery is located in a Japanese strip mall in Torrance, so it can get pretty busy during peak hours. To check the full menu go to the website. They rotate their wall art to showcase the different artists they promote.
This month’s Featured Artist of the Month is @yoshikazu.ysa ! Reach out to the artist directly to purchase prints ❤️ Gorgeoouusss photos of some beautiful places that remind me of my own wedding- swipe for a throwback to summer 2017 😭❤️
Carmela’s Ice Cream
2495 E Washington Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91104
My first time at Carmela’s was in 2017. When I first tried their ice cream, I was at a loss for words. I didn’t know ice cream could taste so good!
Carmela’s handmade artisanal ice cream hails from Pasadena. It was founded by Jessica and Zach, and after years of selling their ice cream at the Farmer’s Markets in the late 2000’s, they opened this first brick-and-mortar location back in early 2011.
The location, tucked away in the foothills of the San Gabriel mountains with its close proximity to parks and hiking trails, adds a special charm and allure. To this day, the ice cream is still manufactured at their Pasadena creamery and they still sell their ice cream at Farmer’s Markets in Pasadena. My favorite flavor is the Salted Caramel, which is a best-seller.
They also have other creative flavors like their Guinness ice cream, a beer-flavored ice cream that was intended to be seasonal but became a favorite and turned into a permanent flavor. The flavors at Carmela’s are ultra rich and velvety. The waffle cones are also made daily in-house and they are insane.
I do think this place beats Salt & Straw by a long shot. While their flavors are good and innovative, they don’t entice me enough to make me go there on a weekly basis.
If I had to recommend a place for someone who is visiting LA, it would be Carmela’s. I understand the location is not the most convenient one but if you have a car, Carmela’s is totally worth the drive. Vegan options and sorbets are available as well.
Genelle, from All Chill, said it was her favorite ice cream place in LA.
I DMed Genelle on IG regarding this and she said: “Love Carmela. I had some this week. 🙂 Their flavors are simple yet interesting and delicious.” She lives in Leimert Park, so you know it’s gotta be damn good to make the trek all the way to Pasadena.
I took this picture in 2017. It makes me a little bit emotional to think back on all my growth since that year, when I was just starting to discover LA and I had just started my blog.
Mother Moo Creamery
17 Kersting Ct, Sierra Madre, CA 91024
If you’ve never been to Sierra Madre before, you’re in for a big surprise. The town has a Western feel to it and there’s an interesting mix of Asians and white conservatives.
After I read that Mother Moo Creamery had been ranked as one the best ice cream in Southern California on a regular basis, I had to go try it. All the ice cream at Mother Moo is organic and made on the premises. I chose one scoop of the Fresh Peach flavor but I was not enthused with it at all — too milky for me. I later read that they use organic Straus Farms milk in their ice cream base, which left a not-so-pleasant milk aftertaste in my mouth. I didn’t want to give up on them so I drove back to Sierra Madre a second time to give it another try. This time, I picked their organic strawberry flavor and it was the same issue: too milky and the strawberry flavor was too subtle. I’m not saying it was bad, but it was just not for me.
With this being said, don’t let my opinion deter you from making the trek to Mother Moo. They have so many flavors and it’s possible that I picked the wrong ones.
The general consensus among the 5-star Yelp reviews is that Mother Moo’s ice cream is milky, creamy and delicious. One of their most popular flavors is their Triple Milk ice cream, a milk-flavored ice cream! They really embrace the moo. Different strokes for different folks I guess. I personally don’t want my ice cream to have a very noticeable dairy flavor.
Just keeping it simple with the flavor: my favorite, #Organic Triple Milk
Mother Moo Creamery was also featured on HBO’s hit show Big Little Lies.
Rori’s Artisanal Creamery
Locations in LA: Santa Monica and Pasadena
910 Montana Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90403
55 S Madison Ave, Pasadena, CA 91101
Locations in Ventura County: Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, Montecito, Camarillo
“In October 2011, Rori Trovato founded Rori’s Artisanal Creamery in Santa Barbara, but she originally began making ice cream over twenty years ago. Rori fell in love with the craft as a little girl, churning ice cream every Sunday for family dinner with her grandmother. Nothing ever compared to that fresh, creamy texture and flavor.
As a food writer and stylist, Rori has traveled all over the world, exploring the globes cuisines and cultures. When Rori moved back to her roots in California, she settled down in Santa Barbara and recreated her take on her grandmother’s phenomenal homespun ice cream.” – Rori’s Website
I went to the Santa Monica location and had the Wild Berry Chocolate Crisp and the vegan Lemon Freckles, which was lemon with rainbow sprinkles. The Wild Berry Chocolate was very rich, decadent, and was sprinkled with dark chocolate. Regarding the Vegan Lemon Freckles, I recall the girl saying it resembled a lemonade but without being overly sweet.
The texture of the latter was a bit more like a gelato, since it was dairy-free. At first, I thought it was a tad bit sweet for my liking, but it grew on me and I ended up loving it!! At Rori’s, even the toppings are made in-house. My favorite part of the Vegan Lemon Freckles were the rainbow specks, which topped everything off! They were delicious to say the least.
Rori’s uses a local California Central Coast dairy for all their cream and milk. They also partner with local central and southern Californian farmers to bring Rori’s the freshest and tastiest produce available like lemons, cherries, herbs and berries.
Fosselman’s Ice Cream
1824 W Main St, Alhambra, CA 91801
Fosselman is an institution in Alhambra and is one of the oldest ice cream parlors you will find in LA. I’m so glad they decided to keep the old-school atmosphere because stepping foot into Fosselman is like entering a soda shop from the 50’s.
This ice cream shop was founded by Christian Fosselman in 1919. He was the youngest of five and his father was a German-inmigrant brewmaster. Partially following in his father’s footsteps, Christian had a beer and soda business to which he added ice cream after tasting it for the very first time at a bottling convention in Toronto.
Fosselman has been working with the same family-owned dairy company as when they started. Like it says on the website, Fosselman reflects the ethnic diversity of Southern California by including Asian-inspired flavors like Ube or Black Sesame, and Latin-inspired flavors such as Oaxacan Chocolate, Horchata, and Dulce de Leche. Alhambra is specifically known for its big Asian community, which is why you may see many Asian families if you go there.
They have a pretty extensive range of flavors. I haven’t tried a flavor I did not like. If you love lemon, get the Lemon Custard!
Mashti Malone’s
1525 N La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028
1898 Westwood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025
Before going to Mashti, I had driven by this strip mall countless times but had never paid attention to the ice cream sign you can see from La Brea Avenue. This place has been featured in food shows and LA-based articles as the best Persian ice cream shop in LA. I went to this place before Saffron and Rose, which is another popular Persian ice cream shop.
Given the fact that it was my first time ever trying out Persian ice cream, I went for their signature flavor, Saffron and Rose Pistacchio.
The texture of the ice cream was a lot thicker than the one at Saffron and Rose. This does not mean the ice cream was worse by any means, but I preferred the smoother and more delicate texture of Saffron and Rose, as well as the pistachio bits. I only had this flavor, so maybe in the future I’ll give them another try.
Mashti is advertised as an old-fashioned ice cream shop. When you walk in, you feel like you are at an old-school American ice cream shop, which didn’t really enhance my experience because I thought I was just going for Persian ice cream.
Saffron and Rose Ice Cream
1387 Westwood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90024
I decided to give Persian ice cream one more try. Instead of going back to Mashtis, I went to Saffron and Rose, another highly popular Persian ice cream shop. I didn’t have any expectations. I ordered one scoop with two half flavors: Lavender and Saffron Rose. I was completely mesmerized by the Lavender flavor. Think of the smell of lavender and now try to taste it. This was probably the best lavender ice cream flavor I’ve had to date. If you don’t like lavender, this will not be the flavor for you, as it is very strong, like 1000 on a scale of 1 to 10! The flavor of the Saffron Pistachio, however, was more subdued. It had bits of pistachio inside, which elevated the overall ice cream and paired excellently with the soft sweetness of the saffron.
The ice cream texture at Saffron and Rose was executed perfectly. It was very smooth yet dense. I also didn’t taste any trace of dairy in these flavors I had, which were not vegan!
There are also a few vegan options available, including the Saffron and Rose flavor! Everything at Saffron and Rose is organic, made from scratch without using any artificial colorings.
If you don’t want Persian flavors, no problem. On their Chocolate and Nutty flavors section, you will find trendy flavors like Nutella, Dark Chocolate, Caramel Crunch, Almond and Cookies and Cream! To see the full list, go to the website here.
Before I drove away, I noticed a red fire truck that had just pulled up right in front. I thought: were the ice creams so good that someone passed out?! No, just happy firefighters lining up to get a scoop of delicious ice cream!
Not to discredit Mashti, but the guy at Saffron and Rose was much more informative in giving out recommendations than the white guy at Mashti.
Magpies Softserve
2660 Griffith Park Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039
18971 Ventura Blvd, Tarzana, CA 91356
5049 York Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90042
Wow, I was utterly impressed by this place. Who knew vegan ice cream could taste so good? Even actress Natalie Portman approves of this place! It was founded by two chefs: Rose, who is Korean-American and was raised in South Florida, Warren, a San Fernando Valley native. The idea of opening Magpies came to them while they were in Palm Desert, longing for a good ice cream cone. They went into a Dairy Queen and as they were licking their cones, they thought of opening a “Chef-y Dairy Queen” type of establishment, as they state on their website.
They make everything in-house, even the toppings, and they’re constantly rotating flavors, earning them another bonus in terms of uniqueness. You can see the flavors of the day on their website, where everything is perfectly up to date.
I got the Corn Almond flavor. It was super refreshing, light, and packed with so much almond flavor. The consistency was soft, but it felt like you were eating an ice cream, not a gelato. My topping was the Butterscotch Rice Krispies, which added a nice sweet crunch. The corn almond is made of almond milk, but if you can’t have almond milk for some reason, they also have other flavors made of oat milk! I’ve never seen a place with so many dairy-free choices knocking it out the park. On the website, they list the base “milk” they use for the flavors.
It blew my mind how delicious it was and you bet I’ll be back. I ate my ice cream in the parking lot and it was crazy seeing how many people lined up.
The good thing is that they have multiple locations! Their pies are also worth the drive, and if you become a convert to their ice creams, they also sell full-sized pints for you to take home!
Overall, Magpies was a 10/10: the richness of the flavor; the wide selection of vegan options; the fact that they also sell cakes; and that everything is made from scratch. Magpies is truly a one-of-a-kind ice cream shop.
Long Beach Creamery
Three locations in Long Beach
If you’ve never been to this place, I cannot recommend it enough. It’s so worth the drive from Central LA. Long Beach residents are so lucky to have this gem available to them whenever they’re in the mood for ice cream.
All the ingredients used at Long Beach Creamery are local, organic and handmade. After having seen the lines every weekend I went to Long Beach, I finally decided to try it out on a weekday. I was shocked. I was looking for something similar to McConnel’s Salted Caramel Chip ice cream, which is my favorite flavor in the world (or was). When I placed my order, I asked the guy if he was familiar with McConnells, he was and he recommended the closest flavor to McConnell’s salted caramel: the Burnt Caramel. I know this is a pretty bold statement, but dare I say that it was better than McConnels?! Flavorful is a big understatement here. Unlike McConnel’s, I didn’t really taste the milk in the ice cream, which is probably because Long Beach Creamery is organic and McConnell’s ice creams are not. That Burnt Caramel ice cream was sinfully delicious. The texture was much creamier and more delicate than McConnell’s ice creams. They also have a few vegan flavors and they rotate flavors frequently.
Yoga-Urt
Glendale 1407 Kenneth Rd
Echo Park 2211 Sunset Blvd
This is another place that took me completely by surprise! I know this is all about ice cream but it was so good I had to include it on the list. Yoga-Urt is an all-vegan dessert shop that specializes in frozen yogurt and smoothies. It says on the website that it took three years of intense research in alternative frozen yogurt before founder Melissa Schulman opened it in 2009.
After reading the rave reviews, I went to the Echo Park location. The girl working there at the time said the Salted Caramel was her favorite flavor, followed by the Matcha Green Tea flavor. I opted for the latter as I’m a matcha lover and not many places in LA offer this particular flavor.
I’ll probably run out of words, but delicious is a big understatement here. I have tried many flavors over the years from Pinkberry and Munchie’s. While these were solid, you could always taste the yogurt base. The green tea matcha flavor from Yoga-Urt was like eating straight up soft serve ice cream. If they had offered this in a regular ice cream shop, there’s NO WAY I would have been able to tell this was yogurt. I was mind-blown.
It was $8, which is pretty pricey for frozen yogurt, and the toppings are one dollar extra, but honestly, you’re paying for the quality. I got the small cup, which, as you can see, was a super generous portion! I would personally skip the toppings, as the real star of the show here is the impressive quality of flavors. All the waffle cones are made daily in-house, which you will realize immediately by the tantalizing smell from the moment you walk in.
Yoga-Urt easily ranks as my favorite place to get a frozen treat. Despite the massively high swirls, everything at Yoga-Urt is as light as a feather, so don’t be afraid to size up if you feel like it. Everyone was walking out with massive swirls. It is definitely not your average frozen yogurt chain shop. In a sea of yogurt shops, Yoga Urt is Chanel, the most expensive of them all.
Owl’s Ice Cream
19763 Rinaldi St, Porter Ranch, CA 91326 (LA County)
Had it not been for Instagram, I never would have known about this place!! If you live in Central LA and you have a day off, this place is definitely worth the trek.
I emailed the marketing manager, Jiwon, and this is what he said:
“Founded in 2014, Owl’s used to be a self-serve yogurt shop called Yogurt Zone but after deciding to change directions and in order to market to a broader audience, Owl’s Ice Cream was created. Now Owl’s Ice Cream offer customers with delicious, made-from-scratch selection of items such as ice cream, frozen yogurt, and croffle (croissants/waffle). We collaborate with a Gelato chef from Italy to create and develop distinct recipes and flavors on our ice creams!”
The ice cream here is organic and they have a great variety of vegan flavors, including dark chocolate.
I got two scoops: Pistachio and Birthday Cake. The colors were so cool! The pistachio flavor was sweet but with subtle hints of the savory pistachio bits, which yielded a well-rounded nutty flavor.
The Birthday Cake didn’t taste the usual birthday cake ice cream flavor. The girl working there warned me saying it tasted like bananas, but I decided to order it anyway. I love bananas and the flavor of this just bloomed in my mouth! Looking back, I probably should have ordered a different flavor to branch out, but overall, I was pretty satisfied with my order. The ice cream textures at Owl’s are very creamy and really stretchy.
The only con is that this place is almost on the Ventura County Line, which is super far for me.
Ginger’s Divine Ice Cream
12550 W Washington Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066
“I have always loved to cook and bake and was born at heart a foodie. I owned a successful small clothing business for many years with my husband, and we both decided it was time to do what we really loved, making desserts that made children and adults really really happy. We planned and labored for three years to open an ice cream store in our hood, Culver City. We converted a classic Culver City home into an ice cream shop. We wanted to be different by providing ice cream and Divine Pops made on the premises. We also offer great Vegan ice cream. I want to build a local community, one scoop at a time.” – Margaret Schniderman (owner)
Margaret’s nickname is ginger. “When I started making ice cream, it was like therapy, very relaxing. Now I can practice my craft. The milk is a blank canvas.”
The fruit used at Ginger’s is locally sourced from the Mar Vista and Santa Monica farmers markets and the vegan flavors are made fresh from coconut milk!
On my first time, I opted for the chocolate raspberry flavor. The raspberry was very subtle and the bits of dark chocolate added an interesting texture component. The creamy, smooth and soft consistency made for a delectable mouth-feel experience.
A few months had passed since I went to Ginger’s for the first time, so I went back straight after work for the Milk & Cereal flavor.
If the ice cream had been less thick, I would have given it a 10. Other than that, I was impressed that despite the fact that this ice cream is 90% milk, I didn’t get a hint of lingering milk taste afterwards like I had at Mother Moo. NONE! When I got to the bottom, there was a noticeable pleasant change in the consistency. It was much smoother than the top part and I didn’t have to tinker with my spoon so much. As you can see in the picture above, rice krispies are hard and crunchy which is probably why the ice cream consistency turned out thicker and heavier than the average ice cream selection at Ginger’s.
Ginger’s also offers pre-packaged pints in Mason Jars and they also have an incredible amount of vegan options to choose from!
Margaret explained to argonautnews.com: “Yellow is a happy color. I want it to feel like a little break in here. A treat. A vacation spot.”
Bloomfield Creamery
1727 E. Washington, Pasadena, CA 91104
1427 Westwood Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90024
A big thank you to Genelle from All Chill Ice Cream for tipping me off on this amazing place!
“We can’t remember a time when ice cream hasn’t been a part of our lives. We were born and raised in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan where our parents have been in the ice cream industry for over 40 years. Upon moving to Los Angeles in 2010, we sought out a place to get the traditional feel-good ice cream that we grew up eating in the Midwest. When we couldn’t find what we were looking for we decided to start a business of our own. We set out to create a product that would satisfy our desire for that creamy delicious ice cream of our youth and offer it to everyone.” – Bijan & Leila Sadeghi.
I picked the vegan Birthday Cake flavor. I love this flavor in general, and after noticing the stainless steel container was almost empty, I knew I had to go for that one. The girl said that because this flavor was vegan and had oat milk as the base, the consistency was much creamier than their regular ice cream, but honestly, I did not detect that much of a difference. Not only was it incredibly good, but they even added real bits of cake, which was beyond words! I can’t believe that even the cake pieces were also made in-house. Absolutely recommend.
Am I the only one that’s stunned at Bloomfield Creamery’s low-key presence in the LA ice cream scene? After combing through many LA ice cream blog posts, only one blog so far mentions Bloomfield.
It says on their website: “We don’t rely on gimmicks to impress our customers; instead we let our products speak for themselves.”
Bloomfield Creamery boasts an impressive selection of gluten-free and vegan ice cream flavors! Not only do they specialize in handmade ice cream, but also in edible raw cookie dough, yogurt and shakes. All their frozen yogurt is gluten-free
SCOOPS
Highland Park: 5105 York Blvd
Chinatown: 727 N Broadway #125
Torrance: 2143 W 182nd St
Incredibly surprised. Had it not been for this list, I would not have discovered this gem of a place. Scoops is an LA-based chain, founded by Tai Kim.
Tai Kim went to Cordon Bleu school in Portland, Oregon, where he specialized in ice cream and cheese. After he graduated, Tai was interested in trying new things and expanding his palate, and that’s when he realized ice cream would be the perfect medium for that.
Before opening his shop, he embarked on extensive ice cream research. He said: “Pretty much everybody had the same flavors — vanilla, chocolate, etc. — nothing really new. So, that’s when I felt like, ‘OK, that’s going to be my niche market.’”
The article by Thrillist is so interesting and I highly recommend you read it! Here are a few notes:
-Unlike most artisanal ice creams in LA, at Scoops you will not find pints for sale. He prefers the customer to go to the store and explore the different flavors in-person.
-The motto of Scoops is to expand your palate.
-Scoops was one of the first ice cream shops in LA to offer groundbreaking and out-of-the-box flavors. One of Tai’s favorite ice cream shops was Peddlers Creamery in Downtown LA, an unusual ice cream shop where the workers churned their artisanal ice cream using a bicycle. I was so sad to read that they had closed. 🙁
-In the history of Scoops, some of the most unique flavors have been Cuban cigar, Nicotine Mint, Cumin Chocolate, Whiskey and Hot Cheetos.
-Scoops locally manufactures the ingredients and they use Grade A sweet cream, pure cane sugar, and other natural flavors.
-The Highland Park location sits inconspicuously among various eateries and another ice cream shop. I thought there must have been a mistake with my GPS until I spotted the ice cream sign.
-They have a few vegan flavors, but except for their Brown Bread flavor, they change ALL the time, so don’t get too attached if you end up loving one.
I had the Brown Bread and Vanilla M&M Chocolate Chips. Just wow. That day was 86°F in LA and I cannot emphasize how remarkably refreshing the ice cream was once I had had the first scoop. The Vanilla flavor was very smooth, but the winner for me was the M&M’s inside. I got this flavor because the guy working there said Tai often complains about many places not getting the vanilla flavor right.
Like I said above, one of their few permanent flavors is the Brown Bread. This ice cream harkens back to 19th century Britain, where ice creams and sorbets began to become a staple among the rich in between meals. For this specific flavor, the cooks incorporated leftover bread from the day before.
It says on Google that Brown Bread ice cream is a vanilla-based flavor, but the one at Scoops was pretty subtle. Even though I had another scoop of vanilla, the brown bread tasted more like bread dipped in milk if that makes sense. I loved the juxtaposition of the ice cream texture and the surprising crunchiness of the bread. Two days before this post went live, I went back for one scoop of the Brown Bread, and as you can see, it was a very generous portion!
What I like about Scoops is that they have a unique variety of flavors that you won’t find in your grocery store aisle. I ended up learning about one flavor that day that I would not have discovered had I gone to your typical “LA” ice cream shop, which goes to show you the heights to which Tai Kim takes the educational aspect of ice cream flavors.
I asked the guy working there what his favorite ice cream places were besides Scoops, and he said Mateo’s and Fosselman’s.
All in all, Scoops is definitely not your average ice cream shop. If you’re not an adventurous ice cream person, and you want to stick to the classic vanilla and chocolate flavors, this will not be the place for you. Below you will see the flavors that were available the first time I went.
There’s no website!
Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream and Yogurt
1882 S Pacific Coast Hwy, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
8850 Corbin Ave, Northridge, CA 91324
4201 McGowen St Suite 200, Long Beach, CA 90808 (New location)
3405 E Foothill Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91107 (New location)
Handel’s has been recognized by many publications as the best ice cream in the world. I’ve only been twice to the Redondo Beach location, but I’ve driven past other locations and there were always lines of people walking out with scoops stacked up like towers.
Alice Handel founded Handel’s with her husband in 1945 through a walk-up window at a gas station in Youngstown, Ohio.
Her first batches were made using old fashioned recipes with fresh fruit she picked from her backyard. Since then, Handel’s has expanded into different US states. They have continued the legacy of the original Handel’s by serving only through walk-up windows. The workers definitely don’t skimp on the scoops, so keep that in mind if you dare to order more than one.
Their first LA location was in Redondo Beach!
Frozen Fruit Co
729 Montana Ave #2, Santa Monica, CA 90403
Frozen Fruit Co is a plant-based, vegan and gluten-free ice cream shop. British couple Michael & Victoria Philippou, who were previously lawyers based in London, wanted to sell vegan ice cream and soft serve. The latter was heavily influenced by their love of Pinkberry. They use coconut as a base for their ice cream and everything is sweetened with fruit sugar.
Ben, the employee, said he recommended the Salted Caramel Chocolate flavor. They let you sample them, but since mask requirements were still a thing inside, I didn’t want to pull down my mask multiple times. I only tried the Cherry and the Salted Caramel Chocolate, which I ended up loving, so I got the Salted Caramel Chocolate and Vanilla.
In my personal opinion, the Vanilla tasted very plant-based and it wasn’t anything to write home about. The Salted Caramel Chocolate, on the other hand, was very rich and decadent, so heed my advice and make sure to sample the flavors! I loved the brightly decorated interior with purple walls and wall art.
Antico Nuovo
4653 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90004
This Italian restaurant opened in 2019 and right when the pandemic hit, they incorporated takeout menu items like focaccia-style pizza and caesar salad. During this time, the most requested menu item was their ice cream pints, which they hadn’t sold before! It is prepared fresh every day with high-quality ingredients and a cutting-edge ice cream machine from Italy, which produces a wonderfully creamy and smooth texture. If this is not enough, the ice cream is made by veteran pastry chefs who introduce a variety of seasonal flavors to the dessert menu.
I had to include Antico when I saw people were raving about their Honeycomb ice cream, deeming it “the best ice cream you will ever have”. Their pint prices start at $14. If you’re feeling extra fancy and you want to treat yourself to a five-star Italian meal followed by luxurious and decadent ice cream, then Antico will be your best choice. Considering that the pint will last you for a few days and that you’re not eating store-bought ice cream, but rather ice cream meticulously prepared from scratch by renowned chefs, it’s not that exorbitant. I believe you can have a scoop if you go to dine in.
To see the ice cream flavors and the menu, click here.
Chainsaw
Echo Park
Former pastry chef Karla Subero Pitto, who is best known for her epic homemade pies, is the founder of Chainsaw.
In 2019, Karla and her partner Max Sheffler started doing private pop-ups inside a garage in Filipinotown. When the pandemic hit, Karla started making ice cream batches and other frozen treats like ice cream cookie sandwiches and sorbets from home.
The reason why the quality of each menu item is unsurpassed is because she only uses ingredients that are in season at the Farmer’s Market. Her pie dough even won Best Crust at KCRW’s annual Pie Contest.
Back in 2020, when the stay-at-home orders were in full effect, she lowered each order from her window via bucket and pulley. At the street level, there was a table for customers to pick up their orders.
To place an order you have to DM them on Instagram! It goes without saying that everything at Chainsaw is made from scratch. Pickup locations are in Echo Park, so keep that in mind. She doesn’t sell scoops, only full-sized pints or half-sized pints.
Le Cafe De La Plage
29169 Heathercliff Rd #112, Malibu, CA 90265
From France to Malibu! What a fascinating story.
Bernard and Sophie, originally from Provence (South of France), picked Malibu as the ideal location for their business given the “extraordinary vibes”.
In an interview with the website Bristolfarms.com, they gave us insight into their business:
“Sophie and I have always been passionate about the culinary arts and expressing ourselves in the kitchen. Our dream was to create sorbets and ice creams. But, we didn’t want to just make desserts — we wanted every scoop to carry a unique taste experience. And, we wanted to do it with only the best ingredients — mostly organic, never artificial, and always non-GMO. A few years ago, we moved to Point Dume, Malibu and found paradise. Nothing beats bringing happiness to our new friends and neighbors.”
Can’t make it to Malibu? Don’t worry! On their website they have a list of a few selected grocery stores in the LA area that carry their ice cream.
15355 Sherman Way Suite E, Van Nuys, CA 91406
450 N Maclay Ave, San Fernando, CA 91340
With two locations in the Valley, Pop’s is a mom-and-pop ice cream shop founded in 2015 by a family from Belize!
Thank you so much to Nestor Aguilar from The 818 Insider for this amazing interview with Marthin Ken, the owner of Pop’s! Make sure to watch the interview to know more about his backstory!
Here are some notes from the interview:
Martin, the owner, comes from six generations of ice cream makers.
The secret of Marthin’s success? Sourcing the best ingredients, like cacao from Belize and lavender from Provence, France, and also ensuring to foster a relationship with the local farmers.
The Caribbean and Latin influences are reflected in Pop’s unique way of serving ice cream in a coconut shell! Marthin’s creativity is apparent in different menu items. For example, their Creme Brulee Coconut was inspired by his friend’s trip to Bora Bora (French Polynesia). He always loved French desserts and had a lightbulb moment that prompted him to make a French-inspired dessert.
Growing up in Belize, Marthin said the mangroves were his playground and he also used to shave coconuts! At Pop’s, it is all about carrying the tradition and legacy from his family.
Whether you want something nutty, fruity, tart, or straight-up classic, there’s always something for everyone. Vegan options including sorbets are also available. Since Marthin’s wife is vegan, he made sure to find the perfect dairy alternatives like almond and of course, coconut.
Marthin says to not sleep on the sorbet. Just like at Scoops, going to Pop’s will be like an educational experience.
Is there such thing as too much Chamoy and Tajín!? 🤩 Add this delicious combo any of our fresh, hand-made sorbets! 😛🔥🙌🏼 #popscreamery
I had one scoop of the Guava Cheese flavor, which was inspired by the Guava Strudel from Porto’s Bakery. It had a lovely texture and a rich tropical taste that transported me to an island. I could tell that it was naturally flavored and it was the perfect dessert after lunch. I can’t wait to go back! If only they had more locations in Central LA…
Marthin’s top 5 flavors are: Honey Lavender, Cacao, Chocolate Tea, Guava Cheese and Coffee.
Mateo’s Ice Cream & Fruit Bars
4234 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90019
1250 S Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90006
4929 Sepulveda Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90230
The ice cream business was always a dream of Priciliano Mateo. The Oaxacan native moved to Los Angeles in 1982 and later decided to open his first bright and colorful ice cream establishment. Staying authentic to his roots, Mateo created popsicles with flavors that he grew up with. His frozen treats have provided a feast for eyes and taste buds for the past 19 years. The paleta maven passed away in 2018, but his dream continues to live on through the exotic flavors and tropical fruits used in every popsicle.
In the Hispanic community in LA, Mateo’s is pretty much the king when it comes to getting a frozen treat.
The first time I drove past this place was on a weekend and it was bustling with people, most of them were large parties of Hispanic families. I went back (Pico location) during the week. I still found a line, but it was much shorter. When it was finally my turn to go in, I was welcomed into a haven of multi-colored paletas (popsicles) and a rainbow of ice cream containers of every imaginable and unimaginable fruit flavor like dragon fruit (pitaya), passion fruit (maracuya), mamey and soursop, flavors that were completely unbeknownst to me.
I was not in the mood for ice cream, so I opted for two flavors from their water-based sorbet section: Maracuya and Dragon fruit. I didn’t know the scoops were going to be so massive! Thank god the girl gave me a lid to take it home because unlike ice cream from other places, it would have been impossible for me to have eaten it all in one sitting.
Both flavors were like eating straight-up fresh fruit. My mom used to make a lot of maracuya mousses back when I lived in Spain and I cannot tell you how much this flavor reminded me of her! The dragon fruit also made my taste buds swoon in delight. It wasn’t too sweet or sugary and I was awestruck by how fresh and tasty everything was. Fruit sorbets can be hard to nail.
Mateo’s prides themselves on using fresh, simple and all-natural ingredients at amazing prices. My total was $5.
This place is a home away from home for all Latin Americans that want to relish in nostalgia by tasting typical South American fruits that they grew up on in a family-friendly atmosphere. Whether it’s in the form of sorbets, or the quintessential paletas, which are a staple in the Latin American culture, you can count on Mateo’s to transport you to Central and South American.
Is it worth the hype? 100% yes!! If you go on a weekend, know that you will have to wait.
Mateo’s also offers your classic ice cream flavors, some of them with a Latin twist, like their Coconut Pineapple (Coco y Pina), or Horchata ‘N Walnuts (Horchata y Nueces) ice cream.
I hope this list has given you a deeper insight into the stories of these ice cream shops and their owners from all walks of life. What’s your favorite ice cream shop in LA?
