50 Best Ice Cream Shops near La Jolla

“My family and I had a wonderful time yesterday. Thanks for the great food and conversation! - The Cole's from Idaho“

“I discovered Yogurt World last year and have have been coming frequently ever since!! The froyo is outstanding (it doesn’t have that weird artificial/overly sweet flavor that I’ve found at most froyo chains) and the flavors are incredibly creative. The owner is also the NICEST man and the prices are reasonable. My favorite flavors are Saffron Rose, Black Sesame, Taro, Matcha, and Chocolate Brownie. The saffron rose is pictured here in both photos, and the multi flavor photo also has matcha (green), taro (purple), and chocolate brownie. The saffron rose reminds me so much of faloodeh and malabi, which are so hard to find in the US. The last photo is the flavors schedule. Highly recommend!! A perfect place to decompress after class.“

“Best ice cream in town and it’s open late.“

“Wonderful place with excellent service, only wish they would get licorice ice cream . Yummy“

“This review is for Cold Stone Creamery on Prospect Street in La Jolla!

This gem of a store surpasses all other locations by a mile. The fact that it's family owned and operated by the most delightful trio - a wonderful man, his wife, and their lovely daughter - adds a personal touch that truly sets it apart.

One remarkable aspect is that they’re open later than any other Cold Stones within 20 mins drive. The exceptional customer service further elevates the experience; these folks not only answer the phone but consistently go the extra mile to ensure every visitor leaves with a smile.

Now, let's talk about the ice cream itself. Prepare to be amazed! Their technique of chopping and mixing toppings into the ice cream is an art form. Each luscious bite boasts an impeccable ratio that's almost too good to be true. My personal favorite, the Sweet Cream and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, is an absolute masterpiece when made by one of their culinary ninjas

Cold Stone Creamery on Prospect has rightfully claimed the pinnacle of ice cream shops on my list!!“

“1st time visitor to this cookie shop. My daughter raved about these cookies.

Anyway my choice of Kris’ cookie ——Exceeds a cookie, it’s a 2 layer cake cookie! So moist & flavorful - Crumbl “hits it out of the park” on this recipe 😍“

“ME GUSTO EL SERVICIO QUE ME DIERON Y ENCONTRE LO QUE NECESITO MIS JUGOS VERDES 😍🙏😈😎“

“Fantastic, velvety smooth creative flavors and made from scratch! They also switch out their flavors every 2 weeks or so! Fun concept, wonderful staff. Highly recommend. Putting San Diego on the food map :)“

“I live in Arizona and walking my found this place. To sum it up I’m addicted to this ice cream. Every time we go to San Diego I have this ice cream 2 to 3 times a day.“

“Service was quite fast, the staff was very welcoming and friendly, the food came out very quickly

Great pleas to hang out with friends for a little treat, I'll be sure to come back and try other things on the menu

The service was quite quick, the team was very welcoming and friendly, the food came out very quickly

Great to go out with friends for a little treat, I'll be back to try other things on the menu“

“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!“

“The perfect treat on a hot day. And now that we know the deliver , I’m getting gelato at work.“

“Overall it was amazing in my opinion. Fast service, really nice and cool workers, the churros I got were warm and the ice cream was amazing

Kid-friendliness: There’s nothing bad about the food. The place is very clean and tidy and neat. Nothing too hot, etc.“

“This is by far one of the best ice cream shops I’ve been to! The ice cream is phenomenal and is all made in house. The owner Dave was so kind and helpful! I will absolutely be back to this stop next time I’m in town! P.s. don’t sleep on the mushroom ice cream. It is BEYOND good!“

“I live in Arizona and walking my found this place. To sum it up I’m addicted to this ice cream. Every time we go to San Diego I have this ice cream 2 to 3 times a day.“

“The Salt and Straw at One Paseo in Del Mar was a stop we made on a “girls weekend” in San Diego. We’d like to thank Shahin who greeted us with warmth, enthusiasm and proudly served us samples until we made our final choices. He appeared sincere and listened intently to our own ice cream stories (what better place to share favorite flavors than an ice cream shop!) Shahin gets our award for BEST SERVICE EVER!“

“Best vegan/dairy free ice cream!! It is delicious, creamy and the cones are amazing too. They let you sample and are always so nice. Noticed that they also have some seats outside which is nice. Parking can be a nightmare sometimes but worth it for this ice cream!“

“THE BEST THING I ATE IN SAN DIEGO!
I'd leave more stars if I could. Incredible service, incredible paletas. We got the Dulce De Leche Cheesecake and the Tiramisu. Both were fabulous, but I'm still dreaming about that cheesecake paleta. We will be back again and again and again.“

“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!“

“The best ice cream in San Diego hands down“

“We stop by this dessert place for the first time. The line moves quickly during a late dinner time. They offer to sample in a small metal spoon. We got a Harvest Moon (a seasonal item during Fall 2024), which is a 3-scoop in a waffle bowl. My partner likes it very much. I think it's a bit too sweet for my taste. On top of that the waffle is quite salty. I think it overpowers the ice cream. I'd recommend them to adjust the saltiness of the waffle. I will come by to check out other flavors. There's a small freezer along the line that have ice cream pints for sale. They're a few benches available inside & outside the store.“

“It’s nice to have soft serve in the hood!!“

“This place has the best ice cream in the area 100%. Home made. Fresh. The flavors are bursting in your mouth and each flavor has its own unique taste. Over 40 different flavors to choose from. The gentleman at the front window was very nice and courteous. He explained the flavors to us because there were so many to choose from. I was able to try 8-9 flavors before settling on 8 I really liked. I went with the 4 scoop sampler x 2 and got all 8 choices. Mainly stuck with chocolate because it’s my favorite. I highly recommend checking this place out. Also, prices were very good. Can’t beat it.“

“I ordered delivery for my dad’s birthday and they went above and beyond with making it a really special gift. Thanks so much, he loved it and I really appreciate the consideration. This location is the best ice cream shop in the world <3“

“delicious ice cream, great location! Perfect local spot …“

“Great spot for the perfect evening treat 🍦“

“Four paws up! Love me their Thanksgiving dinner.“

“Many ice cream flavors, all delish!“

“Delicious malts and delicious food! Homemade French fries and home made ranch dressing“

“We have been coming here for years and it never disappoints! The best texture gelato ever! It’s thick and rich and dense just like I love my gelato. I hate when it’s over whipped and super airy. This is so smooth and creamy. The flavors are fabulous! The texture really brings out the flavors of the ingredients. Keep making this great stuff!“

“I live in Arizona and walking my found this place. To sum it up I’m addicted to this ice cream. Every time we go to San Diego I have this ice cream 2 to 3 times a day.“

“The ice cream was too runny, which caused it to melt quickly. Regardless, it had a great flavor. The environment is fantastic, despite being located in the heart of Gaslamp, renowned for being one of the best night spots in San Diego.

Parking: Ghirardelli is on a very popular street, so it's typically closed to traffic. Parking can be tough to find in the Gasslamp area.

Kid-friendliness: Absolutely.

Wheelchair accessibility: Yes“

“All their acai bowls are listed as vegan, and they have vegan vanilla ice cream. Most of the smoothies come with yogurt by default, but you can ask to get them either "fruit-only" or with the vegan ice cream. I got the piña colada smoothie with the vegan ice cream, and it was creamy and delicious! They have vegan (pea) protein powder available as well. Very friendly and enthusiastic staff!“

“We stopped in to get a thank you gift and found the perfect one thanks to a fantastic employee, Denice. Denice was as sweet as the chocolate, recommending a myriad of flavors. Their personable salesmanship and experience was greatly appreciated!“

“Very good! The selection is so amazing you can find all kind of pops here

I went a little basic and got the fruit yogurt, no regrets it was very good!

The service was great, they helped me with recommendation and were nice:)“

“Ok, I am from NY and love pizza. I am not a NYC pizza snob though and welcome all iterations of 'za! I have to say that this pizza is probably the best I have ever had of its type. They are "Roman" slices, meaning focaccia crust. Variety of slice options are insane with creative combinations that are not only imaginative, but insanely delicious. Slices are cooked upon ordering for supreme freshness. I especially like the Lussuria - prosciutto, black pepper, mashed potato, mozzarella and olive oil. (I NEVER thought I would like mashed potato on a slice, but it's insanely good.) The help here is amazing as well. Caesar was working the oven and he gave great suggestions and explained the product well. Very inviting and definitely steered me in the right direction. Need gluten free? They got it! Will make a GF slice for you right on the spot. I challenge anyone to have just one slice. I had to go back for 2 more. Enjoy!“

“Been coming here for 25 years! Best frozen yogurt!!“

“Perfect for a hot day! We tried the sundae with Mexican chocolate ice cream, almonds and churros. It was so so so good! It’s a decent size, big enough to share. We also got a pint to go with the guava sorbet and tamarind sorbet. Both sorbet flavors were so refreshing. I’d like to visit again and try the lemon sorbet!“

“They have great flavors and toppings.“

“Very good and authentic Mexican food owned and operated by a great family! Viva Cristo Rey!“

“Awesome place!
They start out by letting you sample each of the gelatos.
And then traditionally you pick two to go in your chosen cup size.
The server was friendly and helpful and made great recommendations.
It was delicious gelato!“

“We hired Criscito Pizza for our engagement party, which hosted around 65 guests, and it was a fantastic choice! The team provided a wonderful selection of pizzas, each one warm, fresh, and delicious. Our guests loved the variety, and there was something for every taste. They went above and beyond with the setup, providing all the necessary flatware, plates, and a beautiful table arrangement that made everything look organized and inviting. Their service was seamless and added so much to our celebration. Highly recommend them for any event!“

“The best ice cream with super unique flavors. Highly recommend!“

“Can’t stop eating these. Go to the gas station by my house for a Mint & Chocolate one at least three times a week 🙈 Would love to buy a box if possible! 🐷“

“Best sandwiches ever!! Service was excellent, staff is so friendly. Prices are great I never miss a chance to eat at we be ob. Great location!!! Do yourself a favor and try this place, it does not disappoint!!!“

“Great place to bring the family and friends. We go ad least once a week.“

“We stopped in for ice cream after dinner. I have a weakness for ice cream sandwiches and this place absolutely delivers. They have tons of types of cookies and you can mix and match with one of their dozen flavors of ice cream to make your own custom ice cream sandwich. If you don't want a whole sandwich you can get a single cookie with a scoop of ice cream in a cup. The staff were all super friendly and service was really quick. My cookie and ice cream were delicious. Bonus points to The Baked Bear for having dairy free ice cream.

Dietary restrictions: They have dairy free ice cream (listen on the menu as vegan) as well as vegan cookie options.“

“Nice place! Great service“

“I'm retired but I like it more than others because the service here is fast and they always have cookies available

Parking: I think it's okay except that there are more businesses and a restaurant on one side and it takes longer but it is very big“

“Taste, Quality, and Service are excellent! Thank you! My son and I are repeat customers! :-) Hope to see you introduce Organic or at least No Antibiotic/ No Hormones type of dairy/yogurts in near future! If so, we will be there more frequent! :-)“