The long, lazy days of summer provide the perfect opportunity for parents, babysitters, or nannies to take the kids out for an ice cream date. As the mercury rises, there’s nothing more refreshing than a big glass of your favorite ice cream blended into a smooth, sippable milkshake.
We’ve got the scoop on the 10 best milkshakes in and around Los Angeles. Whether you prefer your milkshakes traditional, adventurous, or vegan, L.A. has an option for every taste!
Cassell’s Hamburgers
Address: 3600 W. Sixth St., Los Angeles, CA 90020
Hours: Sunday – Thursday, 7 a.m. – 11 p.m. | Friday & Saturday, 7 a.m. – 2 a.m.
Phone: 213-387-550
The original Cassell’s Hamburgers opened in 1948, and the new incarnation in the Normandie Hotel stays true to the original spirit. The food is outstanding (especially the Fried Chicken Sandwich), but the homemade milkshakes are the real stars. Cassell’s is old school, so there are only three flavor choices: chocolate, vanilla, and a seasonal shake — currently Nutella. The shakes are so thick, it’s often hard to get them through the straw, but wait patiently and you’ll be rewarded with a perfectly smooth sip of sweet goodness. Cassell’s offers a full bar, which means parents can also enjoy a shake with a shot of their favorite liquor.
Honeymee
Locations:
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120 Japanese Village Plaza Mall, Los Angeles, CA 90012 | P: (213) 908-8019
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11301 W. Olympic Blvd., Ste. 104, Los Angeles, CA 90064 | P: (424) 442-9302
Hours: Click here for specific location hours.
I love, love, love Honeymee’s soft serve ice cream, not only because it’s delicious, but also because it’s sweetened with raw honey, which means less of a sugar high for my kids. Honeymee’s selection of milkshake flavors are definitely some of the most unique ones I’ve encountered, and a nod to the company’s Asian roots. If you’re feeling adventurous, try a Misuguru (multi-grain) or a Matcha shake. Prefer something more traditional? Honeymee has you covered, with classic flavor options like strawberry, chocolate, and sea salt caramel.
Fosselman’s
Address: 1824 W. Main St., Alhambra, CA 91801
Hours: Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. | Sunday, 11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. Phone: 626-282-6533
Fosselman’s is a true, old-fashioned ice cream parlor with cafe tables, a full soda fountain menu, and a huge selection of homemade ice cream flavors available for scooping. The Fosselman family has been making ice cream at the same shop in Alhambra since 1941, and their milkshakes are legendary. They were named by The Guardian as the best place in the world for a milkshake, and I promise you won’t be disappointed. The Guardian swears by the malted chocolate milkshake, but with the selection of unique ice cream flavors on offer — including taro root, black sesame, and chocolate dipped strawberry — you can create your own “world’s best milkshake” contender.
Fosselman’s is reasonably priced (milkshakes cost $5.55), but they don’t accept credit cards, so don’t forget to bring enough cash to support your family’s milkshake habit.
McConnell’s
Locations:
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12073 Ventura Place, Studio City, CA 91604 | P: 818-308-7789
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317 South Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013 (Grand Central Market) | P: 213-346-9722
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4634 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90027 | P: 323-407-6245
Hours: Click here for specific location hours.
When McConnell’s opened its ice cream shop in Santa Barbara a few years ago, I used to make my brother-in-law bring me one of their milkshakes every time he came to visit. Thankfully, I can now get my shake fix locally, now that McConnell’s has opened shops here in Los Angeles. McConnell’s always lets you customize your own milkshake from whatever they’re scooping (I like mint chip), but their unique seasonal flavors are definitely worth trying, if only because the names are so creative. My husband likes the Insomniac, which is made with Turkish coffee ice cream and house-brewed cold brew coffee. The Nutter Better — a blend of peanut butter chip and sweet cream ice cream mixed with cow chow (similar to a Muddy Buddy) — is a seasonal summer flavor that definitely warrants a trip to the closest McConnell’s.
Watson’s Soda Fountain
Address: 116 E. Chapman Ave., Orange, CA 92866
Hours: Sunday – Thursday, 7:30 a.m. – 9 p.m. | Friday & Saturday, 7:30 a.m. – midnight
Phone: 714-202-2899
Watson’s, which has been around since 1899, is an old-fashioned drugstore with a soda fountain inside. Located right in the middle of old town Orange, Watson’s is well-known with locals for classic diner food and killer milkshakes. Watson’s is one of the few places left that offers a full soda fountain menu, complete with traditional offerings, such as ice cream sodas and egg creams, and my mom swears their chocolate ice cream soda is the best in Southern California. My kids love the traditional vanilla milkshake (order one and split it!), which is thick, delicious, and the best way to cool off on a broiling hot summer day.
Hadley’s
Address: 47933 Morongo Trail, Cabazon, CA 92230
Hours: Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m | Saturday & Sunday, 8 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Phone: 951-849-5255
A road trip to the desert wouldn’t be complete without a stop at Hadley’s Fruit Orchard for a date shake. The roadside stand has been serving travelers since the 1950s, and the recipe for the date shakes hasn’t changed. Finely chopped dates, vanilla ice cream, and milk are blended into a soft, rich shake that’s unlike anything you’ve ever tasted. Hadley’s also offers a banana date shake, as well as a full lunch menu and all the dried fruits, nuts, jams, and (of course) dates, you can imagine. Kids will love all the free samples, and it’s a great place to stop for a nosh and a rest before hitting the outlet mall or continuing on into the desert.
Beeps Diner
Address: 16063 Sherman Way, Van Nuys, CA 91406
Hours: Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 9 p.m. | Saturday, 7:30 a.m. – 9 p.m. | Sunday, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Phone: 818-781-0830
There’s nothing like a classic diner milkshake, and Beep’s does not disappoint. The selection of milkshake flavors at Beeps is one of the best in town, because the menu features all the traditional choices — vanilla, chocolate, strawberry — as well as more unusual flavors, such as pistachio, pineapple, and Rocky Road. I’m totally head-over-heels for the butterscotch shake, which tastes like butterscotch pudding blended with ice cream and milk. It’s SO GOOD.
Cafe 50’s
Address: 11623 Santa Monica Blvd., West Los Angeles, CA 90025
Hours: Sunday – Thursday, 7 a.m. – midnight | Friday & Saturday, 7 a.m. – 1 a.m.
Phone: 310-479-1955
This retro restaurant was voted “most kid-friendly restaurant in Southern California” by L.A. Parent Magazine. Cafe 50’s has one of the best kids menus I’ve seen, and I love that they offer “Junior Milkshakes” in chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry. The smaller size shakes are less expensive ($2.95 each), which makes it possible for every kid in the family to have his or her own shake without parents worrying about wasting half of it. It’s also worth mentioning that kids eat free on Wednesdays, with the purchase of an adult meal. If you have a child who loves more adventurous milkshake flavors, the regular shake menu features such unique items as an Apple Pie Shake, Chocolate Turtle Shake, and a Strawberry Cheesecake Shake.
Hot Hot Food
Address: 654 N. Hoover St., Los Angeles, CA 90004
Hours: Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. | Sunday, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Phone: 323-522-6927
All of the shakes at Hot Hot Food are vegan. Hot Hot Food, a relatively new spot located in an up-and-coming area of Hoover Street, specializes in fried rice, but the selection of vegan milkshakes is outstanding. Don’t let the term “vegan milkshake” turn you off, because Hot Hot Food is serving up shakes that are so delicious, you won’t miss the dairy. The toasted marshmallow, coconut milk, and strawberry is topped with toasted vegan marshmallows, and you’ll definitely want to snap a photo of this beauty before you inhale it. Other flavors include Bananagrams (banana and almond); Lemon, olive oil, and sea salt; and Mexican Chocolate. They aren’t listed on the menu, but plain chocolate or vanilla vegan shakes are available, as well, and they are delicious. For kids and parents who are sensitive to dairy, this is the place to go to satisfy your milkshake craving without getting an upset tummy.
Shake Shack
Locations:
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8520 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069 | P: 323-488-3010
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6201 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028 | P: 323-593-7763
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252 S. Brand Blvd., Glendale, CA 91204 | P: 818-858-1612
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10250 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90067 | P: 424-218-0076
Hours: Click here for specific location hours.
Shake Shack lives up to its name by delivering some of the best milkshakes in town. I literally dream about the chocolate malted shake. Not only is it the perfect consistency — thick, but easily drinkable — it’s also not overly sweet, which makes it the perfect finish to a salty burger and fries meal. If you’re not a chocolate person, there are plenty of other flavors to whet your whistle, including vanilla, chocolate, caramel, black & white, strawberry, peanut butter, or coffee. Making it malted is optional, but I think it gives the shake a richer flavor. Although, malted milk does contain wheat flour and barley, so avoid those if you’re allergic to gluten.
