Best Ice Cream in Los Angeles (Parents Share the Scoop)

Afters Ice Cream is the first ice cream shop known for making ice cream and doughnut combinations popular, and it is home of "The Milky Bun," a sweet glazed bun stuffed with a unique ice cream flavor of choice. If you love big heaping scoops of ice cream, all the toppings you can imagine from cookie crisp cereal, fruity pebbles, chunks of Oreo cookies, drizzles on drizzles of caramel and more, then Afters Ice Cream delivers.

Paradis offers over twenty flavors of ice cream made from scratch; it's known for its strawberry buttermilk, almond nocciella, and bacio flavors. In addition to delicious gelato, vegan ice cream aficionados have options to choose from, too.

Gina I.:  Creamy and rich, Cauldron Ice Cream does cones like no other! In addition to incredible, kid-friendly flavors like Milk & Cereal, S'more and Sea Salted Caramel Crunch, they have their famous puff cones in everything from churro to red velvet. Be sure to ask for your ice cream 'rose' to wow the kids with a truly special treat.

Ice cream lovers can satisfy their ice cream tooth with iconic creations, at Scoops N Scoops, where they can indulge in flavors like Mucho Mango, Ice Cream Nachos, or enjoy a new take on old classics like Banana Split and Mint Chocolate Chip n Brownie. The real treat for families is that Scoop N Scoops serves custom, liquid nitrogen ice cream made to order with all the add-ons and mix-ins one can imagine.

At Hans' Homemade Ice Cream, the motto is "there's no such thing as too many scoops," and with a variety of delicious flavors to choose from it's easy to see why. Ice cream lovers appreciate that Hans' ice cream is always dense, creamy, and fresh. They offer classics like banana nut and chocolate chop ice cream, but it's their signature creations of Nutella Krunch, Orange Mocha Chip, and Peppermint Oreo that keep ice cream lovers coming back to Hans'.

Gina I.:  Drill'd gets its name as the only local shop to make their ice cream with an aeronautic-grade steel drill. Choose your base; a cereal, candy or other mix in, topping & drizzle. Then watch as it all comes together. Kids love watching them make the ice cream almost as much as they love eating it! With a large menu of options to choose from, everyone in the family can make a unique creation!

Gina I.:  Made in small-batch from handcrafted recipes, Mother Moo serves creamy delicious ice cream in a fun, family-friendly setting. Choose from one of their made-fresh flavors like Roasted Banana, Brown Sugar Oatmeal, Local Fig & Honey, Raspberry Swirl, and more. They also have great seasonal and dairy free options, as well as frozen bananas and other sweet treats. Kids love the waffle cones, and parents love the seating area, making Mother Moo a great meet up spot with friends.

Gina I.:  With nearly a century in business, this old-fashioned soda fountain is like taking a step back in time. Order by the scoop or try a malt, shake, float, or sundae. Their menu features flavors like Brown Butter, Burgundy Cherry, Lemon Custard, Dutch Chocolate, and Green Tea. Fosselman's friendly atmosphere, spacious seating area, and classic feel make it a spot the whole family will enjoy.

Gina I.:  With flavors that change monthly, you'll always find something new and delicious at Salt & Straw! They also have a great assortment of classic varieties like Almond Brittle with Salted Ganache and Coffee & Bourbon, and kid favorites that include Chocolate Gooey Brownie and Roasted Strawberry & Toasted White Chocolate.

McConnell's has been serving up delicious ice cream for over 60 years and is known for its creative takes on classic flavors with combinations such as chocolate orange blossom, sea salt cream & cookies, and avocado and chocolate fudge and more. This ice cream shop continues to offer new combinations, and releases seasonal and limited edition flavors, so there's always something new to try. Families love that even the smallest size option gives you two flavors to choose from.

Gina I.:  Inspired by love of travel, Wanderlust Creamery offers a variety of unique, signature flavors like Sticky Rice & Mango (vegan), Honey Lavender, and Abuelita Malted Crunch, as well as seasonally inspired ice creams. Their ice creams are on display, making it easy for kids to peruse and pick their favorite!

Erynn:  Frozen yogurt is one of those treats that satisfies the whole family- everyone can choose their own toppings and make a creation that's both delicious and personalized. Yoga-urt offers soft serve that ticks off all the boxes: flavorful, organic, vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, and kosher.

Soft serve flavors rotate, but a few favorites include Green Tea Tranquility, Orange Dreamsicle, and Birthday Cake. Choose one (or more!), then add your toppings and enjoy!

Gina I.:  Always a popular spot, MILK features a delicious assortment of ice cream, shakes, baked desserts, and more! Kids love the creative ice cream sandwiches, like the Fruity Pebble macaron! Parking can be a challenge and seating is limited, so this isn't the best spot to meet with friends, but you'll love picking up a treat to go!

If you love ice cream but always have a hard time choosing a flavor, that's no problem at Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams where they encourage ice cream lovers to sample as many flavors as their hearts desire. With so many interesting flavor combinations to choose from, you'll be tempted to ask for seconds or thirds.

Erynn:  This cute and kitschy shop is great for families with food sensitivities since it's allergen-friendly- all flavors are gluten and dairy free, like Cookies n' Cream, Mint Chip, Blueberry Cheesecake, and more.

Make it a sundae, drop it on a cone, fill up a float, or order a custom ice cream cake to enjoy- now everyone can have creamy delicious ice cream with no allergy side effects!