Best Ice Cream Restaurants in Downtown LA (90013)
3 hand-picked restaurants, AI-analyzed and critic-validated
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.