If you live in LA (like me) or visit a friend and explore the city, these frozen yogurt and ice cream shops are a must. During the summer when the sun is out, you'll especially need something refreshing and sweet to cool you down.
The Bigg Chill
There's only one location and the line is always out the door—AKA it's worth it. The Bigg Chill seems like any ordinary froyo place until you order the cookie dough topping. Now, you’ll never want to try a different yogurt place again.
Sweet Rose Creamery
Sweet Rose is a quaint place with unbelievably savory and authentic flavors. My personal favorite is the salted caramel topped with sea salt—a genuine mimic of actual pure salted caramel. The ice cream sundaes are wild with their huge servings and rich taste.
I also highly recommend trying the mint. It's not your typical mint chocolate chip. The flavor is much stronger—almost like a real mint leaf.
Go Greek
Are you a Greek yogurt type of person? If so, Go Greek is the frozen treat for you.
Greek yogurt is a healthier frozen yogurt choice. Nutritional benefits include a high protein to carbohydrate ratio, keeping you satisfied for hours.
Go Greek uses a traditionally intense straining process (often skimped out on by mass-market "Greek-style" yogurt), helping them achieve the ultimate thick, creamy texture.
The best part? The toppings. They’re healthy, delicious and pair perfectly with the yogurt’s tartness.
Sprinkles Ice Cream
Sprinkles Cupcakes are delicious on their own, but Sprinkles Ice Cream is seriously on a whole other level.
Your choice of ice cream separates the top of the cupcake from the bottom. It's like Westwood's Diddy Riese ice cream cookie sandwich, but with a cupcake base instead.
Take my word and get the red velvet cupcake with salty caramel ice cream.
*Spoon Tip: The lighting at Sprinkles Cupcakes makes for the perfect Instagram ;)
Creamistry
This place is something out of those crazy ice cream videos you’ve probably seen on your Instagram “Explore” page.
Creamistry uses liquid nitrogen to hand-craft fresh ice cream right before your eyes. Watching how it’s made is half the fun (and the other half is tasting the frozen goodness).
Salt & Straw
This ice cream shop is starting to become a hit in LA with more and more locations opening up in trendy spots. The decor is cool and modern inside and the flavors are outlandish.
From Avocado & Strawberry Sherbet and Black Olive Brittle & Goat Cheese to Chocolate Gooey Brownie, Honey Lavender and Salted Malted Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, you gotta try them all.
The freshly made waffle cones, as opposed to a simple cup (lame), are definitely recommended.
Amorino
If you're interested in a dessert that looks like art, this is the place for you. Here, the gelato is delicately molded into a exquisitely layered flower.
They also serve Nutella crepes and ice cream waffles—the temptation is real.
Saffron & Rose Ice Cream
Most people haven't heard of Saffron, but I’m lucky enough to have discovered it. It's an unbelievable Persian ice cream shop on Westwood Boulevard. Their ice cream has endless gelato-like flavors with the perfectly smooth, creamy texture.
Whether you try the Pistachio, Cucumber, Coffee, Chocolate or Banana flavor, you seriously can't go wrong. There are real pieces of fruit, vegetable, cocoa or nuts in every bite.
I challenge you to go ice cream/yogurt shop hopping, and try them all this summer in my sunny hometown of LA.