Posted by July is National Ice Cream Month and we think you should celebrate all month long by exploring the best that Los Angeles has to offer.
After all, in a city this vast, there has to be something sweet that’ll tempt your palate. And of course on top of that, the frozen treat is a sure way to combat the usual July heat.
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The following list (in no particular order) includes unique flavors (beer ice cream, anyone?), gelato creations, ice cream sandwiches, and of course all the standard flavors each made with the absolute best ingredients around.
And should you happen to notice your favorite is missing from the list? Just give us the scoop in the comments section below.
Enjoy!
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1. MILK
Also featured in our Cheat Day post, MILK is a dessert haven and their macaron cake is the star attraction. Try the red velvet or Thai tea just make sure you arrive hungry because they’re big in size like they are in flavors.
2. N’Ice Cream
It doesn’t get anymore L.A. than organic, freshly made gelato sorbet from a shop in Abbot Kinney. The owners are Danish and occasionally incorporate traditional flavors from their homeland including Elderberry sorbet and salted black liquorice as well as typical ice cream flavors like salted caramel and strawberry banana. They offer 16 daily flavors all made that morning with a milk base that include vanilla beans from Madahascar and cane sugar and skim milk powder making for a creamy treat that’s has a lower fat content than traditional ice cream.
3. Scoops (Original Location in East Hollywood)
Tai Kim’s Scoops in East Hollywood has been serving up creative flavors of ice cream for about a decade now. With a daily changing menu of flavors the creamery is one of the most experimental ice cream shops in the city with past flavors like pandan oreo, taro tapioca to a bacon jalapeño cheddar ice cream. Sounds odd BUT all the creations are in fact surprisingly tasty and that saids a lot of Kim’s talents.
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4. Pazzo Gelato
This place is where ice cream dreams come true, at least according to them. Their menu boasts, “if you can dream it, we can make it,” and considering their list of flavors is four pages long, they’re clearly up to the task. Stand-outs include toasted almond fig and the decadent Hawaiian chocolate with toasted macadamia and coconut.
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5. Fosselman’s Ice Cream
This cash-only ice cream parlor is family owned and uses fresh ingredients and no preservatives- like they’ve been doing for 91 years. They embrace their old-fashioned style but provide modern flavors as well so your best bet is to order duo cone with mocha almond fudge and taro, a Hawaiian staple, or go with the classic combo-chocolate dipped strawberry with a hint of white chocolate.
6. Sweet Rose Creamery
A perennial favorite among Angelenos thanks to executive chef Shiho Yoshikawa’s creative use of organic ingredients. Their selection includes old-fashioned vanilla or fresh mint with homemade chocolate chips but their banana split is a shining example of beautiful flavors and textures coming together with hot fudge on top.
7. Mashti Malone’s
For a taste of the exotic look no further than Mashti’s where the aromatic flavors include rosewater and saffron. Their site breaks down the medicinal or therapeutic attributes of the various flavors so feel free to try the Sahlab (Orchid root) if you have a stomachache and are craving a sweet remedy.
8. Coolhaus
They exclusively worked out a food truck before demand required they develop a brick and mortar shop. Coolhaus (named after famed Dutch architect Rem Koolhass) flavors are not just about taste but they’re an exploration on all feel-good things e.g. their Netflix ice cream- a white cheddar popcorn-infused ice cream sandwich with Doritos- perfect for the adventurous foodie. They take unique pairing to another stratosphere with seasonal offerings like fried chicken and waffles, avocado sea salt, and balsamic fig and mascarpone.
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9. Gelateria Uli
Bee pollen isn’t necessarily the first (or second or third) ice cream flavor that comes to mind but don’t knock it till you try it. Previous concoctions include poblano, olive oil with pepper and lemon and beer because curious minds must be satiated. Have you own flavor idea you’d like to see brought to life? Suggest a flavor and you could get a pint free? Time to get those creative juices flowing.
10. Carmela
A summer stroll through The Grove could easily lead to you miss this spot but their rich flavors will ensure you’ll return. They shop started out selling at farmer’s markets so it’s no surprise their ingredients are locally sourced and organic. Their flavor for ice cream month is White Peach Vanilla Bean, which pairs beautifully with their strawberry buttermilk.
11. Amorino Gelato
Amorino Gelato was originally born in Paris in 2002, and just recently has come to Beverly Hills. Their signature artisan crafted gelato ‘rose’ allows you to combine as many flavors as you want in a beautiful (and most importantly, delicious!) display of ice cream artistry. Oh, and the macaroon ice cream sandwiches are pretty tasty too!
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12. Mother Moo Creamery
When you’re a graduate of Penn State’s famed Ice Cream Short Course, the best-known ice cream program, the next logical step is to open your own shop and that’s exactly what Karen Klemens did. The ice cream and cones are made in-house using organic ingredients to develop rich tones like that in their salt chocolate made using French sea salt or their caramelized honey locally sourced from the Kagel Mountains.
13. Get Shaved
This unassuming shack stands alone in the midst of chain restaurants and a strip mall in Northridge but with a menu that contains items like monkey brains you can’t help but take notice. Though they offer a selection of ice cream flavors including macadamia nut and toasted marshmallow, it’s their shaved ice that’s the real star. The famed Monkey Brains is not straight out of an Indiana Jones film but a mix of banana and strawberry shaved ice drizzled with sweetened condensed milk- so simple and truly delicious.
14. Peddler’s Creamery
If you’re into free stuff and ice cream (who isn’t?) then this eco-friendly spot is for you. L.A.’s fit and environmentally conscious culture makes it the perfect city for an ice cream shop that lets you peddle (churn) your own ice cream Churn, baby, churn and then enjoy the sweet taste of success in the form of Mexican chocolate or pancake batter ice cream.
What’s your favorite ice cream spot in Los Angeles? Let us know in the comments below!
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