Froyo Milestone: Visiting Every Froyo Shop in Los Angeles County

Active Culture, Long Beach

Fro-yo girl here. I reached an important froyo milestone: visiting every froyo shop in Los Angeles County! Well, almost. I’ve covered the area from Santa Clarita to the north (e.g., Menchie’s, Tutti Frutti), Agoura Hills to the west, Pomona to the east (e.g., Yogurtland), and Long Beach to the south. However, I haven’t covered Palmdale and Lancaster. While they are part of Los Angeles County, they’re 60 miles away. I’ve pretty much been to every place that serves froyo, even non-froyo shops like Amazon Go in Whittier and Woodland Hills. It’s taken me years to reach this milestone.

I haven’t been to every Costco in Los Angeles County because I don’t have a Costco membership, but I have been to every IKEA. Anyway, Costco stopped offering froyo in 2020.

I also tried going to Yogo Farm, 3704 W 3rd St, a few times but it was always closed. It seems like it was only open for a very short period of time. It must have closed for good.

I’ve also been to many froyo shops in Ventura County, Orange County, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Santa Barbara County but nowhere near all of them. 

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Anita Gelato Opens in Los Angeles and Here's What I Thought of the Froyo

 

Fro-yo girl here. Anita Gelato, which serves froyo, finally opened in Los Angeles! Anita Gelato was founded in Tel Aviv, Israel in 2002; their first US location was in NYC. They're known for their froyo and of course, premium hand-made gelato. They also serve coffee drinks and milkshakes. I heard that they were coming to LA a few months ago.

The grand opening took place on September 2 in Tarzana, a neighborhood in Los Angeles (San Fernando Valley). I called before heading over there but no one answered the phone. I made the trek and wandered in…only to be told that the frozen yogurt was not available. My next thought was that they might make yogurt gelato but alas, they didn’t have that either. I visited again last weekend and they had froyo.

They have one soft serve machine which they use for their froyo and acai. Froyo and acai swirls are also popular. They have one flavor of froyo, plain/original. The price includes unlimited toppings and topping refills. That is, once you start eating your froyo, if you want more toppings, they’ll give you some!

Froyo: Small ($7.50)/ Medium ($8.50)/ Large ($11)/ Small take away ($18)/ Large take away ($27)

The toppings include homemade sauces, homemade jams, cookies, candies, nuts, chocolate, coconut, granola, sprinkles, marshmallows, fresh fruit, and more. They’re known for their jams and sauces. Sauces: Date honey, white chocolate, honey, tahini, cherry, pretzel, cookieman, white chocolate and cookies, caramel cookies

Jams: Passion fruit, strawberry, mulberries, mango

The frozen yogurt was silky smooth, dense, rich, and mildly tangy; a high quality froyo. It’s as rich as frozen custard. Mr. Froyo found it too rich and I also missed the refreshing and light aspect one usually finds in plain froyo. The toppings were excellent – a cut above. The tahini sauce was thin and nutty. The cherry sauce added some tang.

I ordered a small yogurt and the portion was generous. They were generous with toppings too.

The shop looks beautiful and luxe with gold accents against pink and green. Find free 90-minute parking in the covered garage. There’s plenty of seating but the outside tables are not shaded.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Tutti Frutti Montebello Has Closed

 

Fro-yo girl here. It’s been almost two years since my last visit to The Shops at Montebello (I haven’t been since the pandemic) in Montebello, California. It’s not a great mall but it did have two froyo shops: Tutti Frutti and Yogurtland. The Tutti Frutti, which was upstairs, has closed for good.

The equipment and signs are still there. The cup for pens is still by the register. The pens are still in the cup. The froyo machines are still there too. But they’ve been closed for months, according to guest services. I was surprised there wasn’t a gate or something to block off access to the interior of the shop.

Tutti Frutti is still listed on the mall online directory and the directory on site as well.

Guest services told me that Ice Cool in the food court has froyo. I checked and it does – but it’s Dreyer’s. They only have one froyo machine. I really don’t like Dreyer’s froyo, so I couldn’t make myself order any.

I could not find any closing announcement…RIP, Tutti Frutti Montebello.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

The Hidden History of Froyo in Southern California

Photo credit: Marilyn M., Yelp

Fro-yo girl here. Did you know that Yogurtland got its start inside a boba shop in Fullerton? Phillip Chang, Yogurtland’s founder, owned a boba shop called Boba Loca near Cal State Fullerton. In 2006, he added froyo machines. The original location is still a Yogurtland but they no longer serve boba drinks.

When froyo was all the rage in Southern California, you could find frozen yogurt in donut shops, Korean coffee shops, Asian bakeries, boba shops (e.g., It's Boba Time chain) and more. Later, froyo would make its way into restaurants, movie theaters, convenience stores, drug stores, supermarkets, and airports. Many of those places no longer offer froyo, but if you take a close look, you can still see remnants of those froyo days, e.g., cutout walls, old signs, old machines, etc.

AM Donut & Yogurt, 305 W Huntington Dr, Monrovia, CA 91016 

The Google Places description still calls it a donut and frozen yogurt shop, but they no longer carry frozen yogurt. The wall still has cutouts though, 3 of them, for 3 froyo machines. They used to have self-serve froyo from 2011-2013. People still go there looking for froyo since its in the name and on the signs.

Rose Donut & Sandwiches, 6276 Rosemead Blvd, Temple City, CA 91780

Rose Donut added self-serve froyo in 2010 and kept it till 2013 (?). There were 8 flavors day. There’s still a sign for ML Yogurt inside. The owners own Rose Donut & ML Yogurt in Bell, CA.

Cloverleaf Bakery, 9475 Las Tunas Dr, Temple City, CA 91780

Cloverleaf Bakery is an Asian bakery that opened in 2009 with Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt inside. It was self-serve with four machines. They stopped offering froyo in 2011.

Loha’s Fresh Mart, 300 W Main St., Alhambra, CA 91801

Loha’s opened in 2015 with the vision of being a healthy, organic Asian food market. The deli offered bento boxes, salads, fresh soy milk, fresh juice and at one point, organic frozen yogurt. The market closed in late 2019. They had another location in Arcadia that didn’t offer froyo. That location also closed.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Favorite Locations of Froyo Chains, 2020 Edition, Los Angeles

Fro-yo girl here. It’s been four years since I posted my favorite locations of several froyo chains in Los Angeles County. I recently reread my post from 2016 and realized that none of the locations that I mentioned in that post are still on my list of favorites. Since not all chain locations are the same, I thought it would be helpful to share the best ones in the area.

Though a considerable number of froyo shops have closed since 2016, it’s still true that the chains with the most locations in Los Angeles are Menchie’s, Pinkberry, Tutti Frutti, and Yogurtland. Red Mango has one location, while Yogen Fruz, Orange Leaf and sweetFrog have no locations in Los Angeles. sweetFrog has a few locations outside of LA county.

2016 Favorite: Yogurtland Pasadena (Lake)

Ownership changed in late 2018 and the shop quickly went downhill. There were multiple price increases which made it one of the most expensive Yogurtland locations. Quality and service declined. The old employees left. They weren’t keeping up with promotions.

2020 Favorite: Yogurtland, 927 E Las Tunas Dr D, San Gabriel, CA 91776

I remember when the San Gabriel location first opened in 2013. Service is good, they keep the place clean and they keep up with current promotions. Sometimes I can find the new flavors here early (earlier than the scheduled start of the promotion), which is always a nice surprise. They tend to have more Asian flavors and they have chocolate shell. Prices are average compared to the other Yogurtland locations in the area. Since they sold coupon books, you can get monthly deals on froyo that aren’t available at Yogurtland locations that chose not to participate in the coupon books promotion.

2016 Favorite: Menchie’s Monrovia

Sadly, the Monrovia location closed in 2018. The signs were still up for two years but they’ve finally been removed. A new business will probably open there soon.

2020 Favorite: Menchie’s, 4849 Laurel Canyon Blvd, Valley Village, CA 91607

It’s a tough call because there are so many exceptional Menchie’s locations in the Valley (SFV), including Menchie’s Encino, Northridge, and Valley Village. The Valley Village location is the very first Menchie’s and it feels different. The décor is a bit different and the service is something that every Menchie’s should strive towards. Even the cheerful phone manner makes this location different. It’s always clean and well-stocked. Too bad it’s not closer to where I live.

2016 Favorite: Pinkberry Glendale

I was pretty devastated when Pinkberry closed the Americana (Glendale) location in 2018. It was the best location. The owner took pride in the shop. In 2018, the California Pinkberry shops in Azusa, Original Farmers Market (Los Angeles), Playa Vista, Santa Barbara and San Jose also closed. What a tough year.

2020 Favorite: Pinkberry, 2829 Hyperion Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027

I’ve had mixed experiences at the Pinkberry locations in Monrovia, Burbank and Los Angeles (Los Feliz) and I haven’t gone to the Sunset and Beverly Hills locations often enough to judge consistency. Sunset has the most flavors and Beverly Hills used to be the innovation kitchen. If I had to choose between the locations I’ve been to on a regular basis, I’d choose Los Feliz. They’re pretty good about keeping up with promotions and the texture has been better than Burbank and Monrovia.

2016 Favorite: Tutti Frutti La Crescenta

Tutti Frutti La Crescenta closed in 2018 and then moved to a new location in downtown Montrose. The new location opened in August 2019. The new location didn’t have the soy froyo that I liked at the old location. I’ve only been there once.

2020 Favorite: None

I don’t go to any Tutti Frutti often enough to be able to choose a favorite location.

Looking back at the old favorites, I noticed that 2018 was a turning point for all four of them. Two have closed for good.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Future Froyo Shop Pictures: Froyo Returning to Glendale Galleria

Fro-yo girl here. I reported on the opening and closing of Go Greek Yogurteria in previous posts. Go Greek’s Glendale Galleria location closed last year. The kiosk is still there but it hasn’t been occupied since Go Greek vacated the space. Well, I noticed new signs at the old Go Greek kiosk. The signs are for Prinkipia Frozen Yogurt.

Prinkipia has several self-serve froyo shops open in shopping malls throughout Southern California. They also have boba tea shops that don’t serve froyo.

It looks like they’ll have six flavors of self-serve frozen yogurt like Go Greek had. The kiosk is on the second floor near the center of the mall.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

* PRINKIPIA FROZEN YOGURT, 100 W Broadway, Glendale, CA 91210

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

West Los Angeles Froyo Update

Fro-yo girl here. I recently heard that Frozen Land opened, taking over the old Yogurtland space in Westwood Village, across from the UCLA campus. I never had the chance to go to that Yogurtland, since I figured it would be open for a long time. It was there for ten years, so that is a long time.

Interestingly, there is no self-serve frozen yogurt left in Westwood Village. What’s left? Frozen Land is the only froyo option in Westwood Village proper and it’s no longer self-serve. If you go down Westwood Blvd., you’ll run into Bon Bon Berry, Penguin’s, and The Bigg Chill. Frozen Land offers 10 froyo flavors a day, along with scoopable ice cream and gelato. Bon Bon Berry replaced Frost Frozen Yogurt in 2014 and is known for acai bowls. The Bigg Chill and Penguin’s are old school, from the 90’s. Ralph’s the supermarket in Westwood Village, had self-serve froyo for awhile, but they no longer offer it. I was surprised to see the soft serve machines were still there and the empty toppings bar.

This move away from self-serve is surprising, when self-serve was all the rage for years. You can still get self-serve froyo in West LA but you have to go to Century City. Culver City, Brentwood, and Santa Monica. West Los Angeles was an important place for froyo, but it no longer feels like froyo central. Red Mango opened its first US location in Westwood Village, Pinkberry’s first location was in West Hollywood, and Pinkberry HQ was in Santa Monica. On the other hand, Westwood Village has a lot of empty storefronts, so it’s not just froyo that’s suffering.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt in Huntington Park Has Closed

Fro-yo girl here. I didn’t know that Huntington Park had a downtown area but I found it when I was looking for Tutti Frutti. Downtown is centered around a stretch of Pacific Blvd. It had a few older movie theaters and lots of stores and restaurants. There are some nice older looking buildings. The dominant Latino population, the working class feel, and the buildings give the area the look and feel of Broadway in downtown LA.

Unfortunately, by the time I made it to Tutti Frutti, it had closed permanently. The sign was still there and the space is available for lease. Tutti Frutti opened in 2012. I’m not sure when it closed but it was either this year or last year.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

* TUTTI FRUTTI FROZEN YOGURT: 6811 Pacific Blvd., Huntington Park, CA 90255

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Pinkberry Little Tokyo (Downtown Los Angeles) Has Closed

Fro-yo girl here. Sad news, froyo fans. Since Pinkberry introduced a new flavor, I started seeing which locations near me carried Pinkbee's Salted Butter Caramel Reduced-Fat, Milk Ice Cream. I found out that the Pinkberry Little Tokyo location, the only downtown LA location, just closed. The Pinkberry sign has already been removed. And the windows were covered up. Somi Somi, the soft serve and taiyaki shop, will take over the space. 

Pinkberry Little Tokyo first opened in 2007. I visited a couple of times, since I like Little Tokyo. I met friends there. Sadly, I had a feeling it might be closing for good. The last time I went, I was looking for the new flavor, which they didn’t have even though it had been out for a few days. It seems like they started closing earlier too. RIP, Pinkberry Little Tokyo.

Yogurtland is still open in Little Tokyo. I doubt Somi Somi will last for 12 years, like Pinkberry did. Somi Somi is good but I just don’t crave soft serve ice cream as much as I crave tangy froyo.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

* PINKBERRY LITTLE TOKYO: 332-A East 2nd St., Los Angeles, CA 90012

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Tiki Tiki Frozen Yogurt Takes Over the Green Apple Yogurt Space in El Monte, CA

Fro-yo girl here. Somehow it took me a long time to realize that Green Apple Yogurt in El Monte, CA had closed in late 2017. In December 2017, they closed for “remodeling” and they never reopened. They were never active on social media and their Yelp listing hadn’t been updated. Tiki Tiki Frozen Yogurt and Ice Cream took over the Green Apple Yogurt space in April 2019. I missed the soft opening and the grand opening.

So what’s new? Tiki Tiki added a case of ice cream and took away a few of the froyo machines. At this point, they’d better hope that their ice cream is really good because the froyo is worse than it used to be. They have eight self-serve flavors a day and toppings for 51 cents an ounce. It’s in a Mexican neighborhood, so the toppings reflect that (they have some Mexican candies). Toppings include sauces, nuts, fruit, cookie dough, jellies, marshmallows, candy, sprinkles cereal, coconut, etc. The strawberries were fresh. The yogurt tasted artificial and not fresh. I could not finish my froyo, which almost never happens.

The tiki theme is definitely cute. There are paper pineapples at each table, a totem pole, a beach scene, etc. It’s a spacious place with easy parking and free wi-fi. I think they kept Green Apple’s Wellspring soft serve machines and furniture.

They also have coffee, tea, shakes, and packaged snacks. The menu board mentioned crepes, but I’m not sure if they actually have crepes.

Tiki Tiki has a Facebook page that hasn’t been updated since they opened. They also have an Instagram account, @tikitikifrozendesserts, that hasn’t been updated since April.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

* TIKI TIKI: 10811 Valley Mall, El Monte, CA 91731

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

SWRLIES, A New Froyo Pop-up in Los Angeles

Fro-yo girl here. SWRLIES just started their froyo pop-up this month in Los Angeles. They’ve popped up in Eagle Rock and Highland Park so far. They set up a trailer with a freezer filled with frozen fruit and frozen yogurt bars, a hand-churned machine that blends them together, and some toppings and sauces.

They call their frozen yogurt Jalisco style. It’s all-natural frozen yogurt (they made their own yogurt base and formed it into blocks; I was told the yogurt was not sweetened) blended to order with your choice of fruit. Choose your size (Small, $4.25 or Large, $5.00), your fruit (you can pick more than one kind), and your toppings and sauces. They use organic frozen fruit. If you’d like a sweeter treat, they can add sugar or Splenda before blending or you can choose a sweet sauce. The price includes toppings and sauces.

* Frozen yogurt blended with strawberry, raspberry, and blueberry topped with mixed nuts and granola ($4.25): The frozen fruit made the yogurt icy but it also gave it a thicker texture (seeds, skins) and flavor. Since it was freshly churned, the texture was softer. It’s a simple treat that tastes natural and healthy. However, I’ve made better froyo at home. If they used a higher fat yogurt, maybe the texture would be creamier? It’s less creamy than Yogen Fruz, Loving Cup and the other mix-in froyo places that I’ve tried.

I was curious about Jalisco style frozen yogurt. I looked at places serving frozen yogurt in Guadalajara, the largest city in Jalisco, Mexico. There were shops that serve soft serve frozen yogurt dispensed from soft serve machines (some were self-serve, some weren’t) and the mix-in style frozen yogurt. Interestingly, there were multiple Yogen Fruz locations in the area.

You can find Swrlies by following them on Instagram, @swrlies.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

* SWRLIES FROYO: 4956 York Blvd, Los Angeles (Highland Park), CA 90042

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Menchie’s Sycamore Hills Grand Opening in Upland, CA on May 25, 2019

Fro-yo girl here. I’m back from the Menchie’s Sycamore Hills (2085 West Baseline Rd., Suite 200, Upland, CA 91784) grand opening celebration today. They’re giving away free froyo all day today. Guests received a small cup which they could fill up with as much froyo and toppings as desired. They also received a BOGO coupon good at the Sycamore Hills location until the end of the year. I saw the balloon artist, but I didn’t see Menchie.

This location has 12 self-serve flavors a day and the usual Menchie’s toppings and syrups for 55 cents an oz. They also had a freezer with froyo cakes and prepacks and a fridge with bottled drinks.

Menchie’s Sycamore Hills first day of business was Tuesday, May 21. It’s in a new shopping center close to the 210 with Whole Foods 365 as the anchor and on the Claremont/Upland border (North Upland).

The grand opening celebration is today only.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

* MENCHIE’S SYCAMORE HILLS: 2085 West Baseline Rd., Suite 200, Upland, CA 91784

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Signs and Machines Removed from Tutti Frutti La Crescenta

Fro-yo girl here. Back in December 2018, Tutti Frutti La Crescenta posted a message on Facebook that they were temporarily closed and to check back for updates. There haven’t been any updates on their Facebook page since then. I was hoping that it would reopen but it seems unlikely now that they’ve taken the signs down, emptied the interior, and removed all equipment. 

The space is listed as available now on Loopnet.com. Interestingly, I spotted one of the old Wellspring soft serve machines inside Reborn Coffee. The La Crescenta Reborn Coffee is in the same strip mall as Tutti Frutti and has the same owner. Reborn Coffee used to offer some type of soft serve but I was told that the machine broke and it hasn't been fixed.

The La Crescenta location used to be my favorite Tutti Frutti location. I had a good chance of finding soy frozen yogurt there. It was clean, carried interesting flavors, and had cute froyo spoons. The shop opened in 2013. RIP, Tutti Frutti La Crescenta.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

* TUTTI FRUTTI FROZEN YOGURT: 3731 Foothill Blvd, Unit E, La Crescenta-Montrose 91214

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

The Best Frozen Yogurt in Los Angeles Is Not Where You Think It Is

Fro-yo girl here. When someone asks, where’s the best frozen yogurt, do you automatically think of a frozen yogurt shop? I know that I did, for many years. But that’s partly because froyo shops were the only place to get frozen yogurt and coffeehouses, bakeries, convenience stores, and other places that added frozen yogurt seemed to do so as an afterthought. Frozen yogurt wasn’t their main business, so they didn’t seem to invest much time or effort in creating a high-quality product. Even many frozen yogurt shops served mass-produced, overly sweet frozen yogurt because it was easy and cheap.

The popularity and mainstreaming of frozen yogurt had the benefit of attracting a diverse group of entrepreneurs, some of which wanted to put their own spin on frozen yogurt. Specifically, there was a trend towards chef-driven fast-casual restaurant concepts in the late that emphasized convenience, affordability, and quality. And some of these chef-driven fast-casual concepts started offering frozen yogurt, but not mass-produced frozen yogurt. The recipes were developed by chefs and the yogurt was made in small batches. The end result is fresher, healthier (typically they use less sugar), higher in quality and all around tastier.

You may be wondering where to get your hands on this type of frozen yogurt. In the Los Angeles area, I recommend:

Spread Mediterranean Kitchen (334 S Main St., Los Angeles): Spread opened in downtown LA in 2016, offering one flavor (plain), of housemade Greek frozen yogurt. Their froyo has actually gotten better over time and I’ve always loved their creative toppings like beet salt & citrus powder and sour cherry. I also enjoy the food, especially the falafel over hummus, cheesy & spicy style.

Pita GR (9905 Paramount Blvd., Downey): Pita GR (the GR stands for Greek) is a fine-fast casual Greek street food eatery that opened in late September 2018. The chef is Greek. They make their own frozen Greek yogurt with their own recipe. There's only one flavor, plain. It can be topped with sour cherry syrup, lemon preserve, housemade baklava, or wildflower honey. Everything about this frozen yogurt is incredible – the texture, the flavor, the toppings.

Yoga-urt (1407½ W Kenneth Rd., Glendale): Yoga-urt was the first plant-based, gluten-free, kosher, soy-free, organic “froyo” shop in Los Angeles. They make their own froyo (it’s probiotic) from scratch. The main base is almond and cashew milk. Their flavors are unique and often intriguing, e.g., Purple Power has beets, Ganesha’s Sweet Greens has spinach. Their yogurt is so fresh and delicious that you don't miss the dairy at all.

LA isn’t the only city with froyo created using chef recipes. Souvla in San Francisco, CA definitely falls in this category. There are other places throughout the country, including fine dining establishments in New York, Boston, Chicago, Portland, etc. I haven't tried froyo at the fine dining establishments. If you're wondering where those are, there's a Pinterest board dedicated to froyo at fine dining establishments. Call ahead, because their menus do change.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

LA Weekly’s 10 Places to Get Your Fro-Yo Fix, the Update 10 Years Later

Fro-yo girl here. Back in 2009, LA Weekly published an article called Top 10 Places To Get Your Froyo Fix. Since ten years have elapsed, I thought I’d take a look at the places that made the Top 10 list.

• Golden Spoon Frozen Yogurt: It’s not the same Golden Spoon that was founded in 1983. In 2012-2013, Golden Spoon experimented with converting stores to self-serve and ultimately decided not to convert any other locations. In 2017, seven locations closed, along with the corporate office. There are no longer any Golden Spoon franchisees or a corporate office to oversee Golden Spoon locations. However, there are still Golden Spoon locations. 
• Pure Naked Yogurt: I believe all the locations have closed: Encino and Westfield Century City. They only had one flavor of yogurt, tart, and only had healthy toppings. 
• 21 Choices: 21 Choices started in Pasadena in the 90’s. Later, they expanded to Claremont and USC. The USC location closed. The Pasadena location was going strong after being closed for months, because their building needed earthquake retrofitting. 21 Choices decided to move their Pasadena location to the corner of Fair Oaks & Union. The new shop is still under construction. They're known for their mix in style froyo, creative flavors, and wide toppings selection. 
• Studio Yogurt: Studio Yogurt opened in Studio City in 1997 and closed in 2014. The location was taken over by Yogurtland. It was an old school yogurt shop known for generous portions. 
• Humphrey Yogart: Humphrey Yogart almost closed when they lost their lease in 2016, but at the last moment, they found a new space, inside Gelson’s in Sherman Oaks. The menu has been pared down, but you can still choose your frozen yogurt base and mix-ins. 
• Yogurtland: Yogurtland basically took over self-serve froyo in California and they expanded to other states and countries. There are more than 320 locations. 
• Pinkberry: Pinkberry started the froyo craze in 2005 and was acquired by Kahala Brands in 2015. 
• Menchie’s: Menchie’s started in Valley Village, CA and grew to become the largest self-serve froyo franchise in the world. It now has over 530 stores. 
• New Zealand Natural: New Zealand Natural was the only place on LA Weekly’s list that I never tried. It is a global franchise network based in Auckland, New Zealand. All the locations in Southern California have closed. They served scoopable frozen yogurt that could be blended with fruit and turned into soft serve. 
• Red Mango: Red Mango had 8 SoCal locations when the article was published in 2009. Only one location remains in Southern California, the one near Staples Center. It opened in 2013. 

Two of the top 10 went out of business: Studio Yogurt and Pure Naked Yogurt. That’s impressive, considering ten years have gone by, and not many frozen yogurt shops or restaurants last ten years. Studio Yogurt was replaced by Yogurtland and Westfield Century City, where Pure Naked Yogurt was, has multiple froyo options (Bloomingdale’s Forty Carrots, Yogurtland). New Zealand Natural still has locations in Asia, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand (but none in the US). 

I’m surprised the Bigg Chill didn’t make the list, since it was open at the time the article was written and has quite a following. Only two of the top 10 were self-serve, though Red Mango added the self-serve format in 2012. That's because the list is old and self-serve hadn't taken over yet.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

New Flavor at Yoga-urt: True Tahini

Fro-yo girl here. Yoga-urt introduced a new flavor on April 16 – True Tahini. It’s a sesame seed flavor that’s sweetened with dates. Think halva, only less sweet than the halva I’ve had. Mr. Froyo suggested the flavor to Yoga-urt! He’s been dreaming of sesame froyo for years! We are hoping that others will love the flavor too. Like all Yoga-urt flavors, True Tahini soft serve is organic, probiotic, vegan, non-GMO, kosher, soy-free, and all natural.

True Tahini: Like other Yoga-urt’s flavors, the texture was super thick, dense, and creamy. There’s nothing watery about Yoga-urt’s soft serve. It’s a richer flavor and it tastes like what you’d expect, tahini. The tahini flavor is strong and not too sweet. Sweetening with dates gives it a healthier, more interesting flavor. Recommended toppings: pistachios, turmeric granola, housemade chocolate shell, cacao nibs. We might even bring our own olive oil and baklava.

I also spotted some True Tahini pints in the freezer.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

* YOGA-URT, 1407 ½ W Kenneth Rd., Glendale, CA 91201

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Yogurt Haven Closing Soon in Eagle Rock, Los Angeles, CA

Fro-yo girl here. The rumors are true. Yogurt Haven (2256 Colorado Blvd., Ste 101, Los Angeles) is closing at the end of this month. You still have a few days to go there and grab one last cup of frozen yogurt and use your gift cards. Tonight is their final Open Mic night, from 5 PM – 8 PM.

Yogurt Haven Eagle Rock would have turned 10 years old this August, but it is closing at the end of this month. It was the first froyo shop in Eagle Rock when it opened in 2009. Their first location was actually in Studio City. That location opened (and closed) in 2008. In 2011, Yogurt Haven opened a third location in Valley Glen (Los Angeles) in 2011.

I got my last cup of froyo, peanut butter frozen yogurt with peanut butter sauce, whipped cream, Butterfinger, and a cookie divider. It was 52 cents/oz.

After Yogurt Haven closes, Eagle Rock will have two froyo shops: Yogurtland and Menchie’s.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

N2 Lab Now Open in Monrovia, CA

Fro-yo girl here. I’ve seen N2 Lab before – in Azusa, CA where it replaced Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt (N2 Lab is now closed in Azusa). They make fresh ice cream or frozen yogurt with liquid nitrogen. The menu also includes crepes, boba tea, shaved snow, smoothies, dragon’s breath, and egg waffles. It looks like they just opened in downtown Monrovia.

The grand opening is scheduled for February 8-9 and will include 50% off drinks, and buy 1, get 1 half off for ice cream.

N2 Lab also has locations in Commerce and Whittier.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

* N2 LAB: 131 S Myrtle Ave., Monrovia, CA 91016

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

21 Choices to Move to Another Location in Pasadena, CA

Fro-yo girl here. 21 Choices is moving soon to a new location, not far from their current location in Old Town Pasadena. The new location will be the corner of Fair Oaks and Union – in a new food hall that’s currently under construction. Expect the move to take place in early 2019.

I love the current location – it’s so central. It will be hard to see it become something else…

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Future Froyo Shop Pics: Yoga-urt #2

Fro-yo girl here. The news broke in early October that Yoga-urt is opening a second location in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. The actual spot was just revealed, 2211 W. Sunset Blvd., and I just drove by to see it. It’s between a shop that I’ve been to a few times, Memento Mori, and a candle store, near the busy intersection of Sunset Blvd. and the 2 (N Alvarado St.). The signs are up. There are pictures of froyo and smoothies in the window.

The first shop opened three years ago in Kenneth Village (Glendale, CA). Mr. Froyo and I are regulars there and it’s the only froyo that he will eat. Yes, it’s organic, vegan, kosher, probiotic, and soy free. It’s LA’s first all organic, non-dairy froyo place. We love it because it tastes so fresh and natural. It’s handmade in small batches. They make their own almond milk. It’s the freshest, best froyo you can get. The gluten free cones are so good. The housemade sauces are fabulous. The shop has a particular scent that we love. Mr. Froyo even likes the music that they play. And the amazing woman behind Yoga-urt, Melissa Schulman, has poured her heart and soul into this business. She radiates positivity and sincerity (might be the yoga training coming through).

Expect to see Yoga-urt #2 open in Spring 2019. Of course, you should visit Yoga-urt #1, especially if you haven’t already tried it. Bring friends and anyone who loves froyo.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

* YOGA-URT #1: 1407 ½ W Kenneth Rd., Glendale, CA 91201, http://www.yoga-urt.com/, IG: @yoga_urt
* YOGA-URT #2 (opening in 2019): 2211 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90026

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.