If you’re craving a cold treat, here are the best ice cream shops in O.C.
PHOTO COURTESY OF SALT & STRAW
Afters is anything but your typical ice cream shop. Here, creativity and culture blend together in a unique array of flavors like Jasmine Milk Tea, French Toast Churro and Cookie Monster. Devour stacked scoops on homemade waffle cones or the Milky Bun, a glazed bun stuffed with your favorite flavors.
This 50s-inspired spot in Newport Beach blows minds with freshly made-to-order liquid nitrogen ice cream. Ingredients are hand-selected by the veteran-run team, who created a profile of unique, premium flavors. Organic dairy or non-dairy bases are flash-frozen with elements such as birthday cake, housemade lemon zest, Madagascar bourbon and more, culminating in a creamy consistency.
This gelato is as authentic as it gets. Two Italian brothers bring you recipes and raw materials straight from Italy to Newport Beach. Enjoy the highest quality ingredients, from Sicilian pistachios to Belgian chocolates, and see your gelato made before your eyes for a true Italian experience.
Blue Scoop Creamery serves handcrafted ice cream infused with classic and creative mix-ins, as well as Yorba Linda’s neighborhood favorites. Locally sourced cookies, candies and sauces come together in an array of flavors, from strawberry pretzel to malted chocolate crunch.
If you’re looking for a picture-perfect treat that tastes even better than it looks, Cauldron Ice Cream is a must-see. The liquid nitrogen technique creates a creamy consistency in 10 flavors, from Pineapple Express to S'mores. The spot is famous for inventing the Hong Kong-inspired Puffle Cone, which is the perfect vessel for your ice cream.
Keep it simple, delicious and real with Chunk-N-Chip. Adhering to old-fashioned values, the shop keeps craft, quality and care top of mind while creating each indulgence. Savor scrumptious cookies, perfect scoops and delicious pints, or combine these specialties with the popular “Frozen Sammich.”
Whether you’re in the mood for refreshing sorbet or creamy gelato, Dolce Gelato adds character and flair to each of its scoops. The shop picks monthly themes for its menu, creating a variety of new flavors each month with at least two new choices every Friday.
Artisan cakes and handcrafted gelato are made daily at Gelato Paradiso, which satisfies taste buds all across O.C. Expect small-batch gelato in a multitude of authentic Italian flavors, from nocciola to stracciatella, plus a variety of sorbets and specialty drinks.
A go-to since 1945, Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream is a classic spot across the country. With a menu boasting over 100 flavors of ice cream, yogurt, sherbets and ice cream, the shop is sure to please anyone who walks in.
Fresh, rich and creamy, Hans’ Homemade Ice Cream has been a fan favorite for generations. Devour the classic flavors of butter pecan and cookies & cream within seconds, or add a scoop of the constant influx of new tastes like Nutella Krunch. Switch up your classic cone or cup by trying its handmade ice cream sandwiches, munchies and hand-dipped frozen bananas.
Staking claim in the Aliso Viejo Town Center as of December 2023, this Argentinian heladeria has ice cream parlors turning their heads. Try a scoop of rich dulce de leche granizado, tangy Yerba Mate or a vegan mango helados, or indulge in handcrafted alfajores—two soft-baked cookies filled with rich and creamy centers.
Authentic Persian-style ice cream is mastered at Saffron & Rose, where traditional recipes are reimagined with a modern twist. Its various fruit, floral and nutty flavors are all organic, made from scratch and of the highest quality. Saffron & pistachio is the star of the menu, showcasing two signature Persian flavors in the most spectacular way.
Salt & Straw takes an innovative and artisanal approach to ice cream, churning out delectable delicacies from high-quality, locally sourced ingredients. The tried-and-true shop is located in Anaheim and Newport Beach. Wherever you might be in O.C., come in and take a leap of faith with flavors such as pear & bleu cheese or scoops infused with IPA, stout and other boozy options.
South Swell Hand-Dipped Ice Cream
Never settle for average ice cream after trying South Swell. The shop specializes in making one-of-a-kind creations, such as ice cream bars with vanilla or chocolate fillings dipped in warm, smooth chocolate and customized with toppings. The menu is constantly rotating, pushing you to try new things and get creative.
PHOTO COURTESY OF STELLA JEAN'S ICE CREAM
This small-batch ice cream shop creates great quality ice cream to treat its devoted guests. Its values of community and class translate to its work ethic, as its team uses real ingredients for chef-made, handcrafted ice cream. Choose from classic flavors like brown butter pecan or specials like Calamansi creamsicle and strawberry oat crumble.
Quality takes precedence at Vedder’s Sweets, where “nice” ice cream tastes good and makes customers feel good. Dates and maple syrup are used as healthy alternatives to sweeten each staple flavor and seasonal specialty. To top it off, sandwiches made from scoops smashed between two freshly baked cookies can be ordered in-store.
PHOTO COURTESY OF STENA CHANG
This globally-inspired ice cream shop has flavors evoking childhood nostalgia and continues to be a trendsetter in the ice cream industry with flavors like Ube Malted Crunch and Vietnamese Rocky Road. The shop offers a set of signature selections as well as new seasonal flavors every month, so ice cream lovers can explore the flavors of the world without leaving the comfort of Orange County.
Photography by: courtesy of Salt & Straw
