5 Essential Los Angeles Ice Cream Shops

Halo Top
“Guilt-free” favorite Halo Top ice cream has global distribution, but only in L.A. can you get it served in a cone.

What defines the Los Angeles ice cream scene? Imaginative flavors, served in creative ways.

By Teena Apeles, adapted from WHERE Los Angeles magazine

1. Coolhaus

Its “Sammies” are practically everywhere now, but their shops are where their flavors are born. “I think of [the shops] as our idea labs,” says co-founder Natasha Case. “We do our coolest, craziest things there … then we pick what’s going to come to wholesale.” A scoop of chicken and waffles, anyone?

8588 Washington Blvd., Culver City, 310.838.5559; 59 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. cool.haus

 

2. Halo Top Scoop Shop

“Guilt-free” favorite Halo Top ice cream has global distribution, but only in L.A. can you get it served in a freshly made black or red-tinted puffle cone—or a tie-dye taco shell.

Westfield Century City, 10250 Santa Monica Blvd., Century City, 424.303.7359; Westfield Topanga & the Village, 6600 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Canoga Park, 818.963.8476. halotopscoopshop.com

 

3. Magpies Softserve

Two chefs crafting artisan, machine-dispensed ice cream is a stroke of brilliance. No inner child or actual one can resist the swirl of soft serve, and Warren and Rose Schwartz’s offerings are as creative as they are creamy, including a dairy-free combo of Mexican hot chocolate and corn almond.

18971 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana, 747.254.4235; 2660 Griffith Park Blvd., L.A., 323.486.7094. magpiessoftserve.com

 

4. Scoops

Since 2005, Tai Kim has concocted hundreds of adventurous flavors at his unassuming cash-only shop—chocolate wasabi, apricot hefeweizen and star-anise honey orange, to name a few. His vegan ice cream, in
particular, is world-famous and not to be missed!

712 N. Heliotrope Drive, L.A., 323.906.2649; also Chinatown, Highland Park and the Westside.

 

Wanderlust Creamery
Japanese Neapolitan is the name to fame at Wanderlust Creamery.

5. Wanderlust Creamery

Two words sum up what makes Wanderlust a favorite: Japanese Neapolitan. Mixing matcha, hojicha
and black sesame into one delicious (not entirely sweet) treat shows how interesting its signature, globally inspired flavorsare.

609 Lincoln Blvd., Suite B, Venice, 424.581.6093; also Atwater Village and Tarzana. wanderlustcreamery.com

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