Competition for Instagram-worthy ice cream treats creates an explosion of delicious O.C. options.

Eiswelt Gelato
@eisweltgelato
9605 Bolsa Ave., Westminster
657‑245‑3141

Flavor stars→ durian, Thai tea, mixed berries

These scooped characters came to owner Vyvy Hoang in a daydream, and business exploded once she posted them to social media. A childhood eating gelato in Germany influenced the not-too-sweet flavors and quality preparations made with only natural coloring.

B. Candy
@bcandy_oc
3100 E. Coast Highway, Corona del Mar,
949‑675‑3910; coming soon to Pacific City

Flavor stars→ chocolate-covered potato chips and caramel, Frosted Flakes, Whoppers

Don’t bypass this PCH landmark thinking it’s just a candy store. Owner Brandy Valdez worked with an engineer friend to create a case full of frozen fantasy flavors. Our favorite is cookie monster, with generous bits of house-made cookie dough, fresh chocolate chip
cookie pieces, and loads of Oreo chunks.

Churned Creamery
@churnedcreamery
Union Market Tustin, 2493 Park Ave.
714‑203‑5226

Flavor stars→ black cookie (think Oreo), chocolate hazelnut, whiskey cream

Sixteen flavors of ice cream are scooped from a display of constantly churning buckets—an Italian concept for which they have exclusive stateside rights. The perpetual movement makes for an extra smooth texture that’s perfect tucked into a crispy croissant. Look for more pastry offerings and additional locations in the coming months.

Milk Bar
@milkbaroc
16051 Brookhurst St., Fountain Valley
714‑884‑4269

Flavor stars→ ube, cookie overload, banana walnut

Owner Nathan Nguyen left a career in IT to pursue his ice cream dream. Customer requests and food trends drive the flavors and offerings at his nearly 2-year-old shop where Fruity Pebbles sandwiches are the stars of the show.

 
Snow Monster
@snowmonsteroc
Locations in Westminster, Huntington Beach, and Irvine

Flavor stars→ Matcha green tea, Colombian coffee with Oreos, horchata

Co-owner Kathy Vu tinkered with about 20 batches of macarons before hitting on just the right texture to complement the ice cream. Cookies are baked in-store daily and are sandwiched to order—never frozen in advance. Staffers are trained in presentation,
so every confection is camera ready.

Cauldron
@cauldronicecream
1421 W. MacArthur Blvd., Santa Ana
657‑245‑3442

Flavor stars→  Earl Grey lavender, green tea pistachio, sea-salted caramel crunch

Owners Desiree Lee and Terence Lioe adapted the puffle cone idea from Lioe’s childhood waffle snack in China. A month after opening last summer, cosmopolitan.com covered the creation, and the resulting viral response led to lines around the plaza. Waffles are made to order, as is the ice cream churned in liquid nitrogen.