Ice Cream Shops near Imperial Beach

“I had such an awesome experience at Cowabunga Ice Cream! Mick, Gabe, and Emma K were hands down the nicest, friendliest people I’ve ever met at an ice cream shop. They greeted me with such a warm and genuine welcome that it instantly made me feel at home. You can tell they truly care about making customers happy.
The atmosphere was fun, upbeat, and inviting — the kind of place that makes you want to hang out for a while (and definitely come back again!). Great people, great vibes, and of course, AMAZING ice cream.
Thanks Mick, Gabe, and Emma K for making my day!“

“Had a great experience here at this Cold Stone. The worker Ilenia gave the most amazing customer service! Her interaction with my family absolutely made our day! She is very sweet and kind and has a heart of gold. We live in Chula Vista but my family will make the drive just to come to this Cold Stone to interact with Ilenia!“

“I love stopping by Arandas Café whenever I’m in Imperial Beach. It’s such a cute little spot and it always feels cozy. This time I got a matcha, their freshly squeezed orange juice, the Monte Cristo, and a parfait — everything was so fresh and honestly so yummy. The vibe is calm, the people are sweet, and it’s just one of those places you’re happy you found. Definitely one of my little go-to gems.“

“As we walked in the first thing we noticed is store was extremely clean, we have not been in for a couple of years (due to previous bad experiences) but heard it was under new ownership. The cakes are really nice we had a Dubai bar and it was 1000/10 also grabbed some shakes their ice cream selection is also really good 100% recommend“

“Crème brûlée gelato is addictive!“

“I was nervous about the flavors, mostly because I didn’t know what they were! But was able to taste test and decided on the Quattroberry and stracciatella. Delicious! Great price- $6.50 for two big scoops! Definitely wanted to go back. Try the dragon fruit/lemon one- super tart and so good!“

“I’m officially a Salt & Straw fan, and the Little Italy location in San Diego does not disappoint. I love sampling their rotating flavors, but I’m hooked on the Chocolate Gooey Brownie, and my boyfriend swears by the Double Gold Vanilla—both are absolutely amazing.

I’ve also been to Anne’s Dry Cleaning (the ice cream spot everyone raves about), and while it’s hyped as one of the best in the country, it didn’t quite live up to the wait for me. Salt & Straw, on the other hand, has far more efficient lines—they did seem a little shorter to me than Anne’s Dry Cleaning, and I’ve never had to wait over 45 minutes like I did there. Both staffs are very friendly, which makes the experience even better.

The flavors here are adventurous and fun—sweet, salty, savory, seasonal, you name it. Not every flavor is my style, but there’s something for everyone. If you’re strolling around Little Italy after dinner or just exploring, this spot is a must-visit. For me, it’s the clear winner.
Parking is a bit difficult if it's a busy night downtown but in telling you it's definitely worth it and then you can walk to the fountain across the street or take a stroll.“

“DELISH. Omg the popsicle selection is crazy. I thought these were gonna be cute fruit bars. But OH NO!! They had fruit flavored ones, but they had crazy flavors like peanut butter, Dubai chocolate, bubble gum, etc. I loved how aesthetically pleasing it was. Overall a 10/10. I’ll definitely be coming back, after I burn off all my calories from last time. Lol“

“The best ice cream in San Diego hands down“

“Oh my god the Mexican chocolate is the best I've ever had it was so soft but sweet. A great nostalgia reminds me of my grandmas chocolate. The employees were very nice. Did you see the art gallery in the back, it's worth a visit and the indie art is for sale.“