Best Cold Treats In Los Angeles
June gloom has long since dissipated and Los Angeles' summer heat is in full swing. With excessive temperatures during the day and lingering well beyond twilight, people are staying cool by any means necessary. One of the best ways to lower body temperature is to do it internally. While soft drinks and fruit punches may help, they're hardly satisfying. And with this kind of heat, you need a refreshment that lasts. Ice cold desserts are this summer's tasty weapon in the battle against the sun's relentless rays. Not only will they cool you off, but they'll also bring a smile to your face. Cool off with these five hottest summertime desserts.
Best Banana Foster:
Haus Dessert Boutique
3826 W 6th St
Los Angeles, CA 90020
(213) 388-5311
www.hausdessertboutique.com
Not as common of a menu item as it rightfully should be, the Banana Foster at this K-town dessert eatery is nothing short of bliss. This retro concoction of tender bananas smothered in butter caramel sauce with Captain Morgan's rum and vanilla ice cream is one of many sinful desserts at Haus Dessert Boutique. You can chill out on the shaded patio or lounge inside at one of the comfy sofa booths. The green tea shake and ice cream tempura are also guaranteed to drop your body temperature while raising your summertime spirits. Haus can be a bit pricy, but worth every delicious penny.
Best Popsicles:
Suck It Sweets & Treats
4361 1/2 Tujunga Ave
Studio City, CA 91604
(818) 980-7825
www.suckitsweets.com
Ever been in the mood for something cold and sweet but have no idea what you want until you lay eyes on it? Suck It Sweets & Treats has built a popsicle (or sucksicle) business on that very concept. The owner, or Suckologist, makes these all-natural frozen treats fresh every day so the menu is constantly changing. You can find this shop on Facebook (or follow it on Twitter) to get the daily menu, but with flavors like peanut butter banana chocolate chip, cinnamon bun, grapefruit jalapeño, Vietnamese coffee, baked apricot vanilla bean with pistachios, spicy avocado, black velvet and chocolate chocolate Grand Marnier, you could come all the way from Orange County and still not have made up your mind by the time you got there.
Best Milkshakes, Malts and Floats:
Milk
7290 Beverly Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 939-6455
www.themilkshop.com
Sometimes nothing hits the spot like a big tall glass of ice cold milk. Now, drop the temperature a few dozen degrees, throw it in a blender with a few other ingredients and you've got this summer's hottest refreshment. Milk has some of the best milkshakes, malts and floats in Los Angeles. The key is in the ice cream. Milk makes all of its ice cream by hand and on the premise daily so it's fresh. That's what makes the difference. So whether you choose The MILKIE Way Malt, the Triple Chocolate Shake, the Citrus Vanilla Float or create one of your own, you can't go wrong. Milk is just one more great thing about living in Los Angeles; you can have these milkshakes all year round.
Related: Frozen Yogurt At Its Best
Best Gelato:
Al Gelato
806 S Robertson Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90035
(310) 659-8069
www.algelatobeverlyhills.com
With a dessert list almost as long as the rest of its menu, Al Gelato is a definite stop if you find yourself on a dessert quest. Gelato is the Italian word for ice cream but anyone who has actually had this delightful treat knows that it's quite different than traditional ice cream. Lighter in consistency and made with fresh fruit, gelato at Al Gelato comes in 37 flavors for you to choose from like amaretto, sour cherry, vanilla lemon, pear and pistachio. Pamper yourself in the air conditioning or take your gelato to the sidewalk patio and indulge in celebrity eye candy.
Related: Best Ice Cream In Los Angeles
Best Smoothies:
Sustain Juicery
548 S Spring St, Suite 114
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 488-1989
www.sustainjuicery.com
Healthy people get hot and sweaty too, and when they need to cool down, they go to Sustain Juicery. Fresh, cold-pressed organic juice blend smoothies that feature local, organic-certified produce as well as exotic fruits from around the world can be found at this health-conscious establishment. The Whole Fruit Smoothies are naturally sweet with no artificial flavors or syrups and always made to order. Sure, the Green Monkey (kale, pineapple, banana, orange juice, spirulina), the Endless Summer (raw Ecuadorian cacao, Peruvian maco, coconut, banana) or the Three Blind Spice (persimmon, banana, coconut, cheyenne, honey, nutmeg, lemon juice, cane sugar) will set you back seven bucks each, but the energy boost will last all day.
Kristine G. Bottone is a freelance writer living in Los Angeles. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.
