By 
This post was originally published in 2021
It’s taken me about 6 months to try these ice cream shops, and I’m delighted to finally share them 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
In this post, I will be mentioning a few essential LA ice cream shops, but I’ll emphasize small businesses that you will not find in most LA ice cream guides.
Before I moved to LA from Spain, it was astounding to see people’s undying love for ice cream and their willingness to wait in long lines just to get a scoop. Ice cream in LA is a year-round business. There’s no such thing as opening an ice cream shop only in the summer. Even on cold days, by LA standards, people will head over to their favorite ice cream shop for a scoop.
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 freezers. There were a whopping 21 brands! Trader Joe’s has its own ice cream brand with a myriad of best-selling flavors, like Cookie Butter, French Vanilla and Ube.
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!
If you want to know more about how Thrifty became a Socal institution, I recommend you read this great article by the LA Times here.
In a city where ice cream is as common as palm trees, these are some of the best essential ice cream places in LA. I included a few soft serve places, but this article is mostly centered on regular ice cream. Gelatos in LA are a completely different ballgame.
Awan
866 Huntley Dr, West Hollywood, CA 90069
5630 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038
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 used behind closed doors. Seriously, it was like tasting a real handmade corn tortilla!
Zen or Josh are usually there to greet customers, and they do a marvellous job walking customers through the menu. 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 each flavor says a lot about the experience they’re trying to convey.
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, but honestly, it’s worth every penny.
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 Julian.
In order to support their community of Leimart Park, Genelle and Julian allow small businesses to do pop-ups and events inside their shop. At All Chill, Hip-Hop culture is ever-present through photographs and knick knacks.
When I went there, Genelle and her young daughter were serving out scoops. Genelle was so nice and her knowledge of ice cream was palpable. 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 ice cream places in LA are Jenni’s, Carmela’s, and Bloomfield. I cannot thank her enough for mentioning Bloomfield. It made it on this list because of her! Genelle is an interior designer and she’s so well-traveled. You could see that she was a very worldly person: her mannerisms, her vast lexicon…basically, a total gem!
They carry a few vegan flavors, but all the ice cream is organic, handcrafted, and made with locally sourced 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 very 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,” she said.
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 with a flavor that takes my taste buds on a journey, it means the ice cream is artisanal and high-quality. Always pay attention to the 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 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 very distinctive, and the Luxardo Maraschino cherries added a special robust 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 on my next time!
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 down the business 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 the shop, there are several pictures on the wall of Ms. Wanda, the previous owner, with celebrities and Long Beach government officials.
Although you’ll find perennial favorite flavors at Ken’s, it’s important to note that 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 more people came out with a banana sundae in tow. It’s definitely 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 that day. 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 hosts events to help the neighboring communities of Compton and Watts. When you walk in, even if you’ve never been there before, they’ll 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.”
Nika’s Ice Cream
Location: Beverly Hills
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 the 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 born during the pandemic, where she merges ice cream and mental health awareness. Born and raised in Houston 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 not only promote her business, but to also 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 said.
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, named after the song “La Vida Es Un Carvanal” by legendary Queen of Salsa, Celia Cruz.
Make sure to follow @SadGirlCreamery to stay updated on her next pop-ups! Place your order online to guarantee your pint because she sells out really fast! Priscilla Ono, Rihanna’s makeup artist and Fenty Beauty Ambassador, whom I had the pleasure to meet, posted her pints on IG!
Sonny’s Handcrafted Ice Cream & Italian Ice
15030 Ventura Blvd #17, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
Ice cream galore! Thank you Mila Kunis for letting us in on one of your favorite ice cream shops in LA! In Harper’s BAZAAR’s “What I Eat In A Day” video series, Mila said that she and Ashton loved driving around Los Angeles and trying out different ice cream places.
At the end of the video, she said, “Sonny’s, little known spot. This dude that owns it, he’s older, he’s been there forever. It’s in a strip mall, it’s not fancy and it’s damn good ice cream”.
I have been to that strip mall many times, but I never would have thought that herein lies one of the best ice cream shops in LA. I went there in early December. Upon walking in, Matt, the owner, greeted me. I told him it was my first time there and he gave me a thorough breakdown of the menu. I’ve never been to an ice cream shop with so many options to choose from.
Matt makes over 50 flavors, which are available at all times! He also makes gelato, Italian ice, sundaes, floats, ice cream pies and malt shakes. If this isn’t enough, Matt said he was currently working on his holiday special flavors. Everything at Sonny’s is handcrafted in small batches. Matt is from Brooklyn and lived in Wyoming for 34 years before moving to LA, where he’s been residing for the last 7 years. His passion for ice cream was infectious.
Since there was no one behind me, he allowed me to sample as many flavors as I wanted. One of them was chocolate cherry, which was extremely decadent and unique. If you like chocolate, this is a must-order!
I ended up getting a double scoop of pistachio and M&M’s. The first thing that struck me about his ice cream was the cloud-like texture: very creamy yet dense. The flavors are true to their names and are distinctly delicate without being overpowering or too sweet. I’ve never had an ice cream with such a marvellous texture. Look at the picture. It was so good.
While I was sampling the flavors, I told him that I had found out about him because of the video. He thanked me for letting him know and said that many people had also come in for the same reason. He also said that Mila’s family goes there from time to time and that there have been a few instances where he and his employees didn’t recognize Mila and Ashton because they keep a low profile by wearing masks. Although Sonny’s has been open for almost 7 years, he let me know that Mila and Ashton started going there during the pandemic.
I ended up loving the ice cream so much that I went back the next day. That’s how you know the ice cream was good! Upon walking in, he said, “You’re back, that’s a good sign.”
This time, I tried the Cowboy and Salted Caramel. Matt said that he made the caramel in-house. It was to die for. The Cowboy flavor is coconut cinnamon with vanilla and Graham crackers. Talk about being innovative! The salted caramel offered the perfect balance of sweet and salty. Meanwhile, the Cowboy ice cream was a delectable explosion of flavors, thanks to the woody notes of cinnamon blending seamlessly with vanilla.
If you’re indecisive like me, ask Matt what flavor combination he recommends.
Sonny’s is one of the Valley’s best kept secrets! It’s been three days since I had his ice cream and I’m still thinking about it. I don’t know if it’s a good thing or a bad thing that I’m willing to drive to this place all the way from West Hollywood. Thanks, Mila.
Creamy Boys Ice Cream
Hermosa Beach & El Segundo
When I first came across Creamy Boys Ice Cream on Instagram in 2022, I saw that their Hokey Pokey ice cream was a hit at all their events. Upon doing some research, I found out that this flavor is a staple in New Zealand, which consists of vanilla ice cream and crushed honeycomb toffee.
When I tried it at the Smorgasburg food market in DTLA, I was blown away. How could something so simple taste so good? The smooth vanilla soft serve and the sweet crushed toffee was a delight for my taste buds, especially on such a sweltering day. I didn’t expect to like the vanilla soft serve so much, but the texture was off the charts! The Hokey Pokey was $8, but you definitely get a good amount. I thought it was going to be too much, but I ended up eating the whole thing.
When I did this interview, Creamy Boys had a temporary brick-and-mortar in Manhattan Beach. I went there on a Saturday and talked to Bud, one of the founders. Inside, there were cans of Lyle Golden syrup on display, a top-rated brand they use to make the toffee. Although the softserve vanilla is not made in-house, the toffee is. Bud was crushing the toffee as we spoke. Thankfully, Creamy Boys has found not one, but two permanent business spaces: Hermosa Beach and El Segundo.
Can you tell me about the Hokey Pokey?
“The Hokey Pokey is our version of New Zealand’s most popular ice cream. As far as we can tell there’s no one else making it quite like we do – it’s always satisfying to serve something original! It’s made using a toffee – we make all the honeycomb toffee in house – and we use the real fruit ice cream blenders to swirl it through, and is then finished with a toffee dust topping to add a satisfying contrasting crunch providing both texture and flavor. Our vanilla is currently made by a co-packer using high-quality California dairy, we are looking to add in house ice cream making to our coming store!” – Bud
Kansha Creamery
18515 S Western Ave, Gardena, CA 90248
Founded in 2015 by brother-and-sister Elaine Yukari Marumoto-Perez and James Tatsuya, Kansha Creamery uses organic ingredients from local farmers. The core values of Kansha Creamery are rooted in kindness and generosity, where a percentage of every ice cream pint and scoop goes to different charities.
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. Inside the shop they rotate their portraits to showcase different artists.
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
750 N Palm Canyon Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92262
When I first tried Carmela’s ice cream for the first time in 2017, I was at a loss for words. I didn’t know ice cream could taste so good!
Founded by Jessica and Zach, Carmela’s handmade artisanal ice cream hails from Pasadena. 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.
Their ice cream shop, 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, in small batches and using the highest-quality ingredients. My favorite flavor is the salted caramel, which is also their best-selling flavor.
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 with a velvet-like texture. The waffle cones are also made daily in-house and you will notice the heavenly smell as soon as you walk in.
Vegan options and sorbets are available as well.
Genelle, founder of All Chill, said that Carmela’s was her favorite ice cream place in LA!!
I DMed Genelle on IG and she said: “Love Carmela. I had some this week. 🙂 Their flavors are simple yet interesting and delicious.” Genelle lives in Leimert Park, so you know the ice cream has to be nothing short of exceptional for her to make the trek all the way to Pasadena.
I took this picture in 2017. It makes me a little bit emotional to look back on my growth since that year, when I was just starting to discover LA and 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. A small quaint town in the foothills of the San Gabriel mountains with a Wild West feel to it.
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 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. This time, I picked their organic strawberry flavor. Unfortunately, I came across the same issue: it was too milky and the flavor from the fruit was very 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! 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.
Fosselman’s Ice Cream
1824 W Main St, Alhambra, CA 91801
The oldest ice cream shop in LA! I’m so glad they decided to keep the old-school atmosphere because stepping into Fosselman’s 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. Christian, who had a beer and soda business, began using ice cream after tasting it for the very first time at a bottling convention in Toronto.
Fosselman’s has been working with the same family-owned dairy company as when they started. At Fosselman’s, the vast range of flavors is a reflection of Southern California’s melting pot. You can find Asian-inspired flavors like Ube or Black Sesame, and Latin-inspired flavors such as Oaxacan Chocolate, Horchata, and Dulce de Leche.
I haven’t tried a flavor at Fosselman’s I did not like. If you love lemon, get the Lemon Custard!
Saffron and Rose Ice Cream
1387 Westwood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90024
If you want to impress someone with some of the best ice cream in LA, take them to Saffron & Rose. I had been to Mashti Malone’s, a stalwart Persian ice cream shop in a Hollywood strip mall, but I found the signature flavor, Saffron Rose, too milky and too thick.
I decided to give Persian ice cream one more try — so I went to Saffron & Rose in Westwood. I didn’t have any expectations. I ordered one scoop with two flavors: Lavender and Saffron Rose. I was completely mesmerized by the Lavender flavor, bursting with floral notes. This was probably the best lavender ice cream flavor I’ve had to date. On a scale from 0 to 100, the lavender flavor probably falls in the 1000 category. 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 and stretchy. Something I also noticed is the complete lack of dairy flavor, which speaks high volumes in the quality and the refined process of making the ice cream.
You can also get their signature Saffron and Rose flavor but vegan! Everything at Saffron and Rose is organic, made from scratch without using any artificial colorings.
If you don’t want dive into the world of Persian ice cream, no problem. You’ll still find a great plethora of flavors like Nutella, Dark Chocolate, Caramel Crunch, Almond and Cookies and Cream!
Before I drove away, I noticed a big fire truck that had just pulled up right in front of the shop. I thought, ‘Were the ice creams so good that someone passed out?!’ No! Just joyous firefighters lining up to get a scoop of Saffron & Rose delicious ice cream!
Magpies Softserve
2660 Griffith Park Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039
18971 Ventura Blvd, Tarzana, CA 91356
5049 York Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90042
Who knew vegan soft serve could taste so good? Even actress Natalie Portman raved about this place! Magpies Softserve was founded by two chefs: Rose, who is Korean-American and was raised in South Florida, and Warren, a San Fernando Valley native. The idea of opening Magpies came to them while they were on a trip in sizzling Palm Desert. Longing for a refreshing ice cream cone, the couple went to a Dairy Queen and as they were enjoying their ice creams, a lightbulb went off. Why not open a “chef-y Dairy Queen” shop?
Everything at Magpies is made in-house, even the toppings, and they’re constantly rotating flavors, earning them another bonus. You can see the flavors of the day on their website, where everything is promptly updated.
I got the Corn Almond flavor. It was incredibly refreshing, light, and jam-packed with almond flavor. The consistency was soft, but it felt like you were eating an ice cream, not a soft serve. My topping of choice 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 whatever reason, they have other toppings made of oat milk! I’ve never been to a place with so many dairy-free choices. On the website, they list the the type of milk they use for the flavors.
The good thing is that Magpie has 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 so you can enjoy them in the comfort of your home.
Overall, Magpies was a 10/10: the invigorating flavors; the wide selection of vegan options; their extensive menu; and the fact that everything is made from scratch make Magpies a one-of-a-kind ice cream shop.
Long Beach Creamery
Three locations in Long Beach
If you’ve never been to Long Beach Creamery, I cannot recommend it enough. Long Beach residents are so lucky to have this gem available whenever the ice cream cravings kick in.
At Long Beach Creamery, the ice cream is handmade with organic ingredients. After having seen the lines every weekend whenever I was in Long Beach, I finally bit the bullet. I was looking for something similar to McConnel’s Salted Caramel Chip ice cream, which was my favorite flavor for a while. 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 uses organic ingredients and McConnell’s does not. That Burnt Caramel ice cream was sinfully delicious. Long Beach Creamery extensive menu includes vegan options, as well as seasonal flavors.
Yoga-Urt
Glendale 1407 Kenneth Rd
Echo Park 2211 Sunset Blvd
This is another place that took me completely by surprise! Yoga-Urt is an all-vegan dessert shop that specializes in frozen yogurt and smoothies. I know this is all about ice cream, but it was so good I had to include it on the list. Founder Melissa Schulman spent three years doing extensive research on alternative frozen yogurt before opening the shop 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. 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 blown away.
The price for a single serving was $8 and the toppings were an extra dollar, but honestly, the value is incredible. I got the small cup, which, as you can see, was a very generous portion! I would personally skip the toppings as the real star of the show is the impressive quality of the yogurt. All the waffle cones are made daily in-house, which you will realize immediately by the tantalizing smell from the moment you walk into the shop.
Yoga-Urt easily ranks as my favorite place to get a frozen treat. Despite the massively high swirls, the yogurt at Yoga-Urt is as light as a feather, so don’t be afraid to order a larger cup.
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,” she said.
The fruit used at Ginger’s is locally sourced from the Mar Vista and Santa Monica farmers markets, and the vegan flavors are made with 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.
Had the ice cream been less thick, I would have given it a 10. Other than that, I was impressed that even though this ice cream is 90% milk, I didn’t get a hint of lingering milk aftertaste like I did at Mother Moo. NONE! When I got to the bottom, there was a pleasant change in the consistency. It was much smoother than the top of the scoop 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 this specific flavor is thicker than the rest of their ice cream offerings.
Ginger’s offers pre-packaged pints in Mason Jars.
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
A big thank you to Genelle from All Chill Ice Cream for the tip!
“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’m a sucker for anything birthday flavored, so I went for a scoop of their vegan Birthday Cake ice cream — especially after noticing the almost empty stainless steel container. The girl said that because this flavor was vegan and had oat milk as a base, the consistency was much creamier than their regular ice cream. Not only was it incredibly good, but they even added real chunks of birthday cake, which was beyond words! I can’t believe that even the birthday cake bits 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 mentioned 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 they also make edible raw cookie dough, shakes, and gluten-free frozen yogurt.
SCOOPS
Highland Park: 5105 York Blvd
Chinatown: 727 N Broadway #125
Had it not been for this list, I would not have discovered this gem of a place.
Founder 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 an extensive quest to find the perfect ice cream, but he didn’t find much success. 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.’”
THIS article by Thrillist is so interesting and I highly recommend you read it! Here are a few cliff 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 unconventional flavors. One of Tai’s favorite ice cream shops was the defunct Peddlers Creamery in Downtown LA, an unusual ice cream shop where the workers churned their artisanal ice cream using a bicycle.
– Some of the most unique flavors at Scoops have been Cuban cigar, Nicotine Mint, Cumin Chocolate, Whiskey and Hot Cheetos.
-Scoops locally sources the ingredients by using Grade A sweet cream, pure cane sugar, and other natural flavors.
-The Highland Park location sits inconspicuously among the many businesses that prevail on the main drag of York Blvd. When I went there for the first time, I couldn’t find it and thought my GPS was faulty until I spotted the ice cream sign.
-They have a few vegan flavors, but except for their Brown Bread flavor, they change their flavors 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 this ice cream was the perfect way to cool down. The vanilla flavor was very smooth, but the winner for me were the M&M’s inside, which added a nice chocolaty crunch. I got this flavor because the guy working there said Tai often complains about many places not getting the vanilla flavor right.
The Brown Bread is the only permanent flavor at Scoops. This particular ice cream harkens back to 19th century Britain, where frozen treats were starting to gain notoriety among the rich between meals. For the Brown Bread, the cooks incorporated leftover bread from the day before in a vanilla custard-based ice cream.
It tasted like bread dipped in milk, a flavor I really enjoy. I loved the juxtaposition of the creamy ice cream texture and the crunchiness of the bread. Two days before this post went live, I went back for another scoop of Brown Bread. It’s so cooling!
What I like about Scoops is that they have a unique variety of flavors that you won’t find anywhere in LA. I ended up learning about the Brown Bread flavor that day, which shows how seriously Tai Kim takes the educational aspect of ice cream.
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 flavors, like vanilla and chocolate, this will not be the place for you. Below you will see the flavors that were available at Scoop the first time I went.
There’s no website!
Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream and Yogurt
Multiple locations
Handel’s has been recognized by many publications as the best ice cream in the world. If you’ve never been, get ready to walk away with towering scoops of ice cream.
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, continuing the legacy of the original shop by operating 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. I prefer mine in a cup rather than a cone. In all the locations I’ve been, their consistent quality and great customer service are ever-present.
Handel’s has recently expanded into different locations, but their first LA location was in Redondo Beach.
Antico Nuovo
4653 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90004
This upscale Italian restaurant opened in 2019. During the pandemic, they started incorporating menu items that received a good amount of positive feedback, like their Caesar salad and focaccia bread. However, their most requested item was their ice cream pints, which they hadn’t sold before! Their ice cream is prepared fresh every day with locally sourced ingredients and a cutting-edge ice cream machine from Italy, yielding a wonderfully creamy and uniquely 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.
Some people have deemed their honeycomb ice cream “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 premium ice cream, then Antico will be your best choice. Considering that the pint will last you for a few days and that you won’t be eating a run-of-the-mill ice cream, but rather ice cream meticulously prepared from scratch by renowned chefs, the price doesn’t seem that exorbitant.
To see the ice cream flavors and the menu, click here.
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
11551 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025
Owning an ice cream shop was always the dream of Priciliano Mateo, a Oaxacan immigrant who moved to Los Angeles in 1982. In the year 2000, he made his lifelong dream a reality by opening his namesake ice cream shop: Mateo’s Ice Cream. The bright, colorful ice cream establishment is beloved by the Hispanic community in LA. Mateo paid homage to his roots by offering popsicles (also known as paletas) with flavors he grew up with. You can find over 30 different popsicle flavors and about 18 ice cream flavors. Sadly, the paleta maven passed away in 2018, but his frozen delights continue to put smiles on people’s faces.
In the Hispanic community in LA, Mateo’s reigns supreme when it comes to getting a frozen treat.
The first time I drove past Mateo’s was on a weekend, and the line wrapped around the block! I went back (Pico location) during the week in the afternoon. I still found a line, but it was much shorter. Once I walked in, I was welcomed into a haven of multi-colored paletas (popsicles) and a rainbow of ice cream containers of every conceivable fruit flavor you could think of, like dragon fruit (pitaya), passion fruit (maracuya), mamey (a tropical Mexican fruit), and soursop (an exotic Caribbean fruit).
The ice cream at Mateo is freshly made on the premises, where you’ll see employees cutting the fruit in the kitchen. When I interviewed Zen, owner of AWAN, he said that Mateo’s was his business inspiration, praising the variety of items and the fresh ingredients.
I was not in the mood for ice cream, so I opted for two flavors from their sorbet section: Maracuya and Dragon fruit.
It felt like I was eating freshly harvested 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 takes pride in using fresh, simple and 100% natural ingredients at amazing prices. My total was only $5, a steal in LA!
Overall, Mateo’s is a home away from home for all Latin Americans who want to relish nostalgia with tropical fruits they grew up on — in all forms: sorbet, ice creams, paletas, smoothies, and even milkshakes.
Mateo’s also offers your classic ice cream flavors, like vanilla and chocolate — and some flavors with a Latin twist, like their Coconut Pineapple (Coco y Pina), or Horchata ‘N Walnuts (Horchata y Nueces) ice cream. At Mateo’s, the sky is the limit!
I hope this list has given you a deeper insight into LA’s incredible ice cream landscape. What’s your favorite ice cream shop in LA?
What do you think?