Los Angeles is a great ice cream town.  While there are no shortage of Cold Stone Creameries here – in fact, there’s a convenient downtown location at 9th St. and Flower, near the Ralph’s grocery store – there are also numerous homemade or “artisanal” ice cream stores.  Flavors from around the world, entrepreneurial moxie, and a genuinely artistic flair make these specialty stores well worth a trip on the subway.

Begin with the oldest and perhaps most beloved of these producers.  When Mashti Shirvani bought an Irish ice cream parlor called Mugsy Malone in 1980, he only had enough money to change the first name on the sign.  While Mashti Malone’s has traditional offerings such as chocolate or coffee, the real draw is the rich but moderately sweet ice cream made with Middle Eastern flavors like rosewater, saffron, and lavender.  If you’re skeptical, ask for a free taste of anything in the store – Mashti’s will make you a believer, as they have roughly 200 local restaurants, many food critics, and thousands of customers over the years. (Red line to Hollywood/Highland stop; walk west on Hollywood to La Brea, 2 blocks south to mini-mall on La Brea).  

Continue your odyssey over at Helados Pops – where the factory in back whips up refreshing ice creams flavored with Mexican and Central American fruits like the slightly sour tamarindo or the succulent orange melon known as mamey sapote (Red line to Vermont/Santa Monica stop; walk to mini-mall just to south, on east side of Vermont).  Right nearby, you’ll also find Scoops (712 N Heliotrope Dr, (323) 906-2649, no official website), run by art school grad Tai Kim.  Every day, Kim creates a new set of flamboyant, wondrous flavors: hazelnut-espresso, peppermint tiramisu, brown bread, avocado and banana, even dill and mascarpone! We don’t know of anyone who’s gone away unimpressed – vegans either, since Kim always has some milk-free options on hand. (Red line to Vermont/Santa Monica stop; walk south along Vermont to the southern edge of Los Angeles City College; make a right on Monroe St. for two blocks; make a left on Heliotrope for half a block).  

For the classic Italian approach, you can make your way to Pazzo Gelato, where you get rich, handmade flavors like nutty pistachio or chocolate martini (chocolate gelato infused with vodka).  The ¾ mile hike from the subway station will help make those calories guilt-free (Red line to Vermont/Santa Monica stop; walk east along Santa Monica past N. Hoover, all the way to Sunset; cafe on the northeast side of the street).  

And an L.A. ice cream round-up would be remiss without mentioning Pinkberry.  The semi-sweet frozen yogurt, with healthy toppings like berries, kiwi, and mango, is not technically ice cream, but has been an enormous hit in a health-conscious city that loves frozen desserts.  Pinkberry has grown from one to 46 Southern California locations since 2005, has begun expanding in New York City, and has since attracted a $27.5 million investment from Starbucks founder Howard Schultz.  Find out what the fuss is about at the Koreatown location.  (Red line to Wilshire and Vermont; walk half a block north to 6th street, make a left, and walk two blocks to Berendo St.).