The ice cream from the Rustic Canyon family of restaurants is the brainchild of chef Shiho Yoshikawa and is full of delightful surprises, like its housemade candied nuts and mini marshmallows.

With locations in Van Nuys, San Fernando, and Santa Clarita, POPS serves flavors like mamey, soursop, guava cheese, and horchata. Vegan offerings include Thai tea, coconut, and a range of sorbets made with tamarind, passionfruit, yellow cherry, and more.

The name CVT is a contract of sorts for this retro, roving ice cream truck: they sell only chocolate, vanilla, and twists of the two. It’s a simple proclamation that has kept Joe Nicchi busy for nearly the past decade, working parties, street stops, and food events with multiple trucks, and always playing to long lines of sprinkle-loving fans. There are big things on the horizon for this simple LA ice cream rig serving what is assuredly the city’s best soft serve.

Awan makes some of the best ice cream in the city, period, and the fact that their treats are vegan-friendly is just the cherry on top. The dairy-free shop in West Hollywood serves complex flavors, including saffron pistachio Medjool date, spiced persimmon and graham, and blue corn tortilla.

Tucked away on Third Street in Beverly Grove, Ecco un Poco offers a surprising, abundant selection of fresh gelato and cones that — like all its flavors — are gluten-free. Run by Alessandro Restelli (who was born and raised just outside of Milan) and his wife Alejandra Unger, the shop balances traditional Italian flavors with more gastronomical creations like “American breakfast” (with gluten-free maple pancake mix, bacon, and blueberries) and “avocado toast” (made with what it sounds like).

LA's original Persian ice cream shop has been serving locals and tourists for decades, and its rose-infused ice cream still tastes like springtime. Don't forget to add a dash of sour cherry syrup to tame all of the sweetness.

Hailing from Pennsylvania, this national chain has been making good inroads in Los Angeles, starting with a longtime Torrance window and now this prime LA spot along La Brea. With dense, American-style ice cream and hefty flavors, this brand makes its cream locally, which adds freshness and overall quality.

For surprising vegan eats hit up Dear Bella Creamery in Hollywood, where collaborations and seasonal rotations keep the menu fresh and lively. From soft serve options to scoops, pints, and ice cream sandwiches, this is the place for non-dairy ice cream seekers to get it all.

As a self-described “chef-y” Dairy Queen, Magpies Softserve embraces this label and turns it up to eleven. While ordering the popular malted milk chocolate or black sesame flavors of the day, be sure to take home a Mexican hot chocolate plant-based pie from any one of their locations in Highland Park, Silver Lake, or Tarzana.

The family-owned La Jerezana in Boyle Heights opened in late-2020, making tequila ice cream, cheesecake paletas, and raspados on-site. Plus, there’s a giant ice cream-wielding robot at the entrance.

One of LA’s most classic shops at this point, with a history going back to the mid-2000s, Tai Kim’s enduring ice cream destination in Highland Park and Torrance (plus a separately owned Chinatown outlet) is the place to find a rotating array of changing flavors. Find anything from Grapenut-infused brown bread to things like strawberry balsamic. There’s always a good selection of non-dairy oat milk-based flavors as well.

Local crowds descend upon Big Softee for highly Instagrammable swirls of soft serve. Flavors change daily and are inspired by Asian desserts, like Hong Kong-style milk tea, ginger-kissed tofu flower, and matcha almond.

For those looking for Indian dessert in Artesia, Saffron Spot serves ice cream and falooda — made with ice cream, noodles, soaked basil seeds, and sweet syrups. Their menu also features gola, or shaved ice, and the nostalgic cassata ice cream logs, made with pistachio, vanilla, and tutti frutti ice creams.