Best Ice Cream Restaurants in Downtown LA (90013)
3 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
McConnell's Fine Ice Creams
Heritage California creamery scooping rich, classic and seasonal flavors inside Grand Central Market.
Notable Picks
8.5
This Santa Barbara creamery, churning since 1949, anchors a stall inside Grand Central Market with dense, ultra-creamy scoops and a mix of classic and seasonal flavors. Downtown workers and visitors line up for flavors like Turkish coffee and salted caramel before or after grazing the rest of the market.
Must-Try Dishes:
Turkish Coffee ice cream, Salted Caramel Chip, Boysenberry Rosé Milk Jam
What makes it special: Heritage California creamery scooping rich, classic and seasonal flavors inside Grand Central Market.
#2
Salt & Straw
8.4
Portland-born Salt & Straw turns its Arts District scoop shop into a tasting lab for inventive, small-batch flavors built on a lush, custard-style base. Locals swing by for classics like Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons alongside rotating collaborations and seasonal series.
Must-Try Dishes:
Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons, Honey Lavender, Rotating monthly seasonal flavor
What makes it special: Experimental, small-batch ice cream with a constantly changing board of flavors.
Worthy Picks
7.8
New York–born Van Leeuwen brings its ultra-creamy French-style ice cream and robust vegan lineup to a sleek Arts District corner space. It’s where downtown dessert hunters go for flavors like Honeycomb and Earl Grey, plus over-the-top sundaes and shakes that feel a little indulgent even by ice cream standards.
Must-Try Dishes:
Honeycomb ice cream, Earl Grey Tea ice cream, Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
What makes it special: French-style ice cream and strong vegan options served late into the night.