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“

“You can go just about anywhere and find a FroYo shop with a wide variety of flavors and toppings. What really makes Yogurt World UCSD special is the service and the atmosphere. Both times I have gone here with my daughters, we have been treated like important guests and made to feel welcome. The owner even gave little duck toys to each of my daughters, which made their day. He even took an interest in my story, which I truly appreciated.

We have a favorite FroYo place here in San Diego, and it is Yogurt World UCSD!“

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

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

“I've gone here multiple times and have always encountered the same guy working behind the counter. He is always super nice and friendly, and clearly cares a lot about his job. The ice cream is overall pretty good, and the portions are on the bigger side in my opinion.“

“This place has everything kids (and those old enough to know better) would want from an ice cream parlour - loads of flavours, lots of toppings choices, different syrups, plus tubs or cones. We had coffee snd salted caramel in separate cones. Delicious.“

“This was the most amazing cookie that I ever tried in my life, even though it was kinda hard, but you just have to warm it up and yeah, I really liked eating here. Definitely coming back for more. Definitely tell my friends about this. I’m here just for free cookie bye.“

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

“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!“

“Absolutely incredible! We tried the churros with fudge and they were easily the highlight of our day. The churros were perfectly goldencrispy on the outside and light on the inside and the fudge was rich, smooth, and decadent. If you’re looking for the ultimate sweet treat, this is it. We’ll definitely be back for more!“

“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.“

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

“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!“

“Handel’s is an iconic San Diego spot and a must if you’re around Mission Beach. Whenever I’m in the area I make it a point to walk over and grab an ice cream. The flavors are great, the portions are generous, and it has that classic beach-town vibe. Definitely something to put on your list if you’re visiting.“

“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!“

“They were very polite and answered all of our questions. The ice cream is light not heavy and absolutely delicious. The cones are sweet and shaped like a fish, which was such a fun touch. I ordered the matcha and banana pudding swirl in a cone with Fruity Pebbles as the topping. The banana pudding wasn’t overpowering at all it was refreshing, light, and incredibly tasty.

I had the ube cookie and cream swirl in a cone with fruity pebbles last time and both are delicious. You can't go wrong with what you try.“

“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“

“We visited Salt & Straw after dinner on a Tuesday and there was a good amount of people there! I get excited about vegan flavors and that month, all of the special flavors were vegan! They have lots of unique flavors and combinations here, so it’s perfect for someone who wants a unique ice cream experience and is tired of the classic flavors. While I appreciated the vegan flavors, I had to get the honey lavender. They allowed us to taste a lot of the flavors and seemed happy to do so. The kid’s size was more than enough and it tasted so great: the lavender flavor was strong enough to taste and really complimented the honey, but wasn’t overly sweet. I’d return again if I lived on the west coast, but definitely recommend for ice cream connoisseurs!“

“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.“

“Conveniently located right next to where we had BBQ, Sunday Ice Cream was an easy and sweet stop after dinner. The shop has tons of creative Asian-inspired flavors that caught our eye right away — from sesame to matcha to taro. We tried the sesame ice cream, and it was creamy, rich, and awesomely delicious. The place was packed but the line moved quickly, and the staff were friendly and efficient.

Parking, on the other hand, was a bit of a hassle. The area is super busy, so we ended up parking in a nearby paid garage — not too bad for the convenience. Overall, a fun and tasty experience, especially if you’re into Asian-style flavors and want a nice treat after your meal!“

“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.“

“Delicious ice cream and cones, great rewards, but the staff at this location has consistently terrible attitudes towards customers. Would come here way more often if they could find a scooper who could at least pretend to be happy to be there.

2/12/26 Update: Moved to 5 stars because there are now nice staff.“

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

“Fives across the board! The gelato and chocolate here is incredible and the service is the same if not better. Gianna was kind enough to let me sample some of the chocolates and patiently explained each of the products I asked about. I will definitely be stopping by again soon!“

“Many ice cream flavors, all delish!“

“Delicious gelato. The free samples outside were great, and then going inside and them still offering free samples was awesome. The salted caramel and the banana + dulce de leche were incredible. Also the pricing for the sizes was great too, was very full.“

“Great spot for the perfect evening treat 🍦“

“The main thing to call out about this salt and straw (although I'm almost scared to) is that parking is plentiful and the line is much shorter compared to the one in little Italy! Other than that, try their take on cookie dough—it's great“

“Hey guys, I just turned a corner in San Diego and ran into this gelato shop and I realize this is my favorite gelato shop in all of San Diego. It’s been here since I was an student at UC San Diego in 1998 and I love this gelato shop it’s right on the corner of India Street so close to the airport And I highly recommend you guys check out this gelato shop. It’s so delicious and it’s been here for a long time for a reason because it’s literally the best gelato shop in all of San Diego. They have a new gelato shop over there in Little Italy and it’s all right, but it’s too corporate and weird and it doesn’t have this old school vibe that this one does so it’s like literally if you come to San Diego. This is really close to the airport. I would say get off and take an Uber to this gelato shop. Get your self a gelato and it’s like you enjoy the best thing of San Diego ever. I’ve been driving down India street for years looking for it and I finally found it. Yay- adding a bookmark to my favorites“

“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.“

“Phenomenal gelato! Glad that they moved into the local community and decided that they are boycotting creepy and ugly Christmas decor that makes children scared and refusing to decorate. A community member asked why they haven’t decorated for Christmas & was told they decided this location was going to “anti Christmas”. Wonderful news! An’s is a marvelous treat no matter the location, thank you all🫶“

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

“Shamwomazing. Love the atmosphere. The super friendly service. The ingredients are amazing and that definitely plays a role in the taste which is awesome*!

My only regret is I'm just here for a few days for a conference so I need to make the most of it here in 'Diego!

*This is coming from a guy familiar with Foothills Creamery in Alberta which has the best cows in the world. Sorry, not sorry for bragging.“

“This was my first time visiting and I loved it. The atmosphere of the store is so cute and aesthetic. The ice cream itself is delicious! I tried the Red Bean & Taro and was amazed at how delicious it was. I will definitely be sure to visit again and try various flavors. Highly recommend!“

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

“They have great flavors and toppings.“

“Stumbled upon this lovely little place while walking on Little Italy area. On stepping in you are greeted by the several paletas from fruit to milk based flavors on the counter. Place has a nice vibe and is spacious. They also have customizable topping options available for a surcharge.

Coffee flavor was amazing and had a center of leche, which nicely balanced out the strong coffee flavor. Loved the pistachio paleta.. it wasn’t overpowered by sugar, had a nutty flavor that let pistachio shine! Highly recommend the place.“

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

“I loved this place!! Very spacious, beautifully decorated, and clean.

Here you can find all kinds of chocolates and it's also a café. We tried the hot fudge sundae and the Dubai sundae, a real treat!!

The service was good and very fast.“

“Thank you Woofpac for dropping off some Advent calendars at our veterinary hospital! These are honestly the first treats that every single one of my dogs loved! I will be stopping by Irvine Spectrum soon to get them more goodies 🐶❤️“

“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!“

“Yummay cookies 🥰🍪🥰 Looking foward to having this in the future 🥰“

“Great hat shop with lots of great hats come here if you want a custom made hat o ya you can grab some delicious gelato also while you wait great service parking not so good but a little walk doesn't hurt. Especially in your cool new hat“

“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! 🐷“

“SO YUM YUM TO YOUR TUM TUM🍧❤️🍧❤️🍧 SO MANY FLAVORS TO CHOOSE FROM... BEST WHEN YOU ADD THE ABUNDANCE OF TOPPINGS ❤️🍧❤️🍧❤️“

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

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