Support for LAist comes from
Local and national news, NPR, things to do, food recommendations and guides to Los Angeles, Orange County and the Inland Empire
Stay Connected
Listen

Share This

This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

Food

Photos: We Tried The Delicious Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams In Los Feliz

Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.

"Another ice cream shop," you say with a sigh. It seems like every other week a new ice cream shop is opening up in sunny Los Angeles, and eye-rolling would be warranted if the ice cream we've been scoring weren't so fantastically top notch. In the past couple of years—adding to our own prestigious crop of such home-grown brands as Scoops, Carmela, Sweet Rose Creamery, and Quenelle—L.A. has become home to some seriously premiere out-of-towners, like Salt & Straw, McConnell's, Big Gay Ice Cream, and Three Twins. Now comes Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams from Ohio, and trust me, it's a good get.

()


(Photo courtesy of Jeni's Splendid Art & Design)
Here's the scoop: The Midwest company, founded by Jeni Britton Bauer, has been around since 2002, racking up locations from Cleveland to Atlanta. The newest spot in Los Feliz opened last Friday. The space is a sleek and bright with white walls, black accents, marble counter tops, and modern lighting fixtures. The long glass freezer case is filled with over 20 ice creams, sorbets and yogurts with interesting combos of ingredients, which are are described on little white cards.

()
Support for LAist comes from


Isa Abdulhaskin helps a customer navigate the flavors. (Photo by Valentina Silva/LAist)
As expected these days, most everything at Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams is made by hand. The sweet smell of waffle cones being pressed on site hits you the minute you walk in the door, and the "whooped cream," as they call it, is whipped up in large metal bowls behind the counter. The ice creams are made in small batches with products from local (meaning Ohio) farms, amounting to some rather nice textures and deep flavors—the signature Salted Caramel is sweet and smokey, tasting like straight-up frozen caramelized brown sugar while the Toasted Brioche with Butter and Jam has ripple after ripple of tart black currant jam and crumbles of brioche (yes, you can taste the butter) throughout.

Along with the Salted Caramel, the most populars flavors a week in, according to the shop, include Brown Butter Almond Brittle and classic vanilla bean. Made especially for the Los Angeles store, there's also the Wheatgrass, Pear & Vihno Verde sorbet, but personally, I'd rather have the L.A. Somedae sundae, featuring Wildberry Lavender and Pistachio-Honey ice creams done up with bananas, honey-butterscotch sauce and hot fudge. Ice cream sandwiches and floats are also available.

()


(Photo by Valentina Silva/LAist)
At the back of the store, there's a mini marketplace stocked with four-packs of Dry soda, Britton Bauer's books on ice cream making, jars of hot fudge and butterscotch, Krema peanuts, and more. There's also a freezer full of pints and ice cream sandwiches for take home. There are plenty of benches for sitting.

()


(Photo by Valentina Silva/LAist)
Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream is located at 1954 Hillhurst Avenue; 323-928-2668, Hours are currently Monday to Sunday 11am-11pm. Prices are $5.50 for a small; $6.50 for a trio.

Valentina Silva is a freelance food and culture writer. You can follow her via Instagram and Twitter.

As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.

Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.

We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.

No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.

Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.

Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.

Chip in now to fund your local journalism
A row of graphics payment types: Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay and PayPal, and  below a lock with Secure Payment text to the right
(
LAist
)

Trending on LAist