The best ice cream in Los Angeles in 2026 is at Salt & Straw on Larchmont, McConnell's at Grand Central Market, Wanderlust Creamery in Atwater Village, Fosselman's in Alhambra, Mashti Malone's in Hollywood for Persian ice cream and Sweet Rose Creamery in Santa Monica. Saffron & Rose and Carmela add more classic and creative options.
LA's warm weather makes ice cream a year-round habit. The best shops make their own bases and seasonal flavors, from Persian rosewater to Asian-inspired scoops.
Creative, rotating flavors from the Portland favorite.
Salt & Straw makes creative ice creams with local ingredients and rotating monthly menus. Sea salt with caramel ribbons and honey lavender are standards.
It has several LA locations.
Good to know: Ask for tastes before choosing.
240 N Larchmont Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90004
Santa Barbara's classic creamery at Grand Central Market.
McConnell's has made ice cream in Santa Barbara since 1949, using its own dairy base. Its Grand Central Market counter is a downtown favorite.
Flavors are rich and classic.
Good to know: Try the Eureka lemon and marionberries.
317 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Travel-inspired flavors like ube and Vietnamese coffee.
Wanderlust Creamery makes flavors inspired by travel and Asian and Latin American desserts, such as ube malted crunch and Vietnamese coffee.
It has several LA shops.
Good to know: The ube flavors are the signature.
3134 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039
An old-fashioned parlor making ice cream since 1919.
Fosselman's is a family-run ice cream parlor in Alhambra, making ice cream since 1919. Flavors range from classic to lychee and green tea.
It is a nice stop after a San Gabriel Valley lunch.
Good to know: Combine with dim sum or dumplings nearby.
1824 W Main St, Alhambra, CA 91801
Persian saffron and rosewater ice cream.
Mashti Malone's is a Hollywood shop known for Persian ice cream flavors such as saffron rosewater with pistachios, and rosewater faloodeh.
It has been a local favorite for decades.
Good to know: Try the saffron with pistachios.
1525 N La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028
Small-batch ice cream and sundaes in Santa Monica.
Sweet Rose Creamery makes small-batch ice cream with seasonal ingredients and serves classic sundaes.
The Brentwood Country Mart location is a family favorite.
Good to know: Order a sundae with hot fudge.
225 26th St, Santa Monica, CA 90402
Persian ice cream in Tehrangeles.
Saffron & Rose, in Westwood's Persian neighborhood, makes Persian-style ice creams with saffron, rosewater and other traditional flavors.
It is a neighborhood institution.
Good to know: Try a scoop of the saffron.
1387 Westwood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90024
Seasonal, herb-driven flavors in Pasadena.
Carmela makes small-batch ice cream with seasonal fruit and herbs, such as lavender honey and strawberry buttermilk.
It is a good stop in Pasadena.
Good to know: Try the seasonal fruit flavors.
2495 E Washington Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91104
Salt & Straw, Wanderlust Creamery and McConnell's are among the most popular. Fosselman's is the classic old-school parlor.
Mashti Malone's in Hollywood and Saffron & Rose in Westwood serve saffron and rosewater ice cream.
Fosselman's in Alhambra has been making ice cream since 1919.
Yes. Salt & Straw and Wanderlust both offer vegan flavors.
Salt & Straw on Larchmont and Wanderlust can have lines on summer evenings and weekends.