Fro-yo girl here. Sweet Retreat used to have multiple locations in the South Bay (Bay Area). I think the one at 846 Blossom Hill Rd. in San Jose is the last one standing. The first one probably opened in the 1990s. Sweet Retreat is known for soft serve mix-in style frozen yogurt.
The customer picks the size and the mix-ins (candies, frozen fruit, nuts, cookies, etc.). The mix-ins are blended in a Swirl Freeze machine that looks like a drill using Treat Ice Cream’s tart vanilla froyo base. The base is tangy, thick, smooth, and creamy. The use of real fruit also makes it taste natural. It’s expensive (a small is $7.90 + $2 for each add-in), but the portions are very generous.
Former Sweet Retreat Locations
- 15545 Union Ave, Los Gatos was old school. I’m not sure when it opened (before 2006, possibly in the 90’s), but it closed in 2017.
- 6061 Cahalan Ave, San Jose, might have opened in the 1990s, closed in 2016 due to a fire
- 97 E 3rd St, Unit C2-1, Morgan Hill, opened in 2019 and closed in 2023
- 744 S Wolfe Rd, Sunnyvale, not sure when it opened or closed, but all the reviews were all written in 2006
Sweet Retreat also offers hard-scoop ice cream from Treat Ice Cream. Treat Ice Cream had a factory in San Jose, CA. Treat Ice Cream was founded in 1951. It was acquired by Marianne’s Ice Cream in 2021. Marianne’s owners plan to continue to produce Treat Ice Cream. The original owner of Marianne’s, Sam Lieberman, learned the ice cream trade from the original owner of Treat Ice Cream, Al Mauseth.
Mix-in style real fruit ice cream is having a moment right now. Sweet Retreat was ahead of its time.
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.
Fro-yo girl here. Valley Swirl opened a second branch in the Pico-Robertson part of Los Angeles on Friday, July 7. The menu is the same as their La Brea location. It's RCC Kosher (everything is kosher). They have soft serve, mix-in style hand-crafted swirls, puffle waffles, waffle nachos, milkshakes, hand-crafted swirls (with toppings mixed in), boba drinks, smoothies, frappes, acai bowls, and hot beverages.
For the mix-in style, you choose the base, mix-ins and sauce. A hand-crafted swirl starts at $8.20 and includes two mix-ins and a sauce.
Bases: Chocolate, Vanilla, Non-Dairy Vanilla, Frozen Yogurt, Sugar Free Vanilla
Add-ins: Fruit, nuts, cookies, sauces, cookie dough, cotton candy, sprinkles, etc. Some of the toppings are marked as premium.
The vanilla froyo was very rich, smooth, and creamy. It reminded me of frozen custard. It was on the sweeter side but still indulgent and tasty.
The place looks like an ice cream stand with a cute painted patio area on the side. You order from the window and they'll call your name when your order is ready.
You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.
* VALLEY SWIRL: 9516 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90035
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.
Fro-yo girl here. On my recent visit to Cambridge Farms, the kosher market, in Valley Village (a neighborhood in Los Angeles in the San Fernando Valley), I noticed that Valley Swirl’s space was vacant. All the equipment and signs had been removed. The pink paint was still there.
Valley Swirl has their own space now and the new address is 524 N La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036. It’s in the Fairfax District, close to Pink’s Hot Dogs. The new space is very pink – the same pink they painted the old space.
Valley Swirl offers mix-in style ice cream and froyo, boba, milkshakes, waffles, acai bowls, smoothies, and hot drinks. The ice cream or frozen yogurt base is combined with add-ins and hand-cranked till everything is mixed together. Everything is RCC Kosher. Online ordering is available.
Bases: Dairy vanilla ice cream, Dairy chocolate ice cream, Vanilla froyo, Non-dairy vanilla, Non-dairy chocolate, Sugar-free vanilla, Sugar-free chocolate.
Add-ins: Fruit, nuts, cookies, sauces, cookie dough, cotton candy, sprinkles, etc.
You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.
* VALLEY SWIRL ICE CREAM: 524 N La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90036
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.
Fro-yo girl here. Valley Swirl opened up recently inside Cambridge Farms, the kosher market in Valley Village. I noticed the sign said ice cream but I asked if they had froyo. They said they just ran out. I ventured back after calling first to make sure they had froyo.
One thing to note is that they serve mix-in style soft serve ice cream or froyo. You pick the base and add-ins and they put both in a machine that they crank until everything gets mixed together. Also, everything they serve is RCC Kosher. There have been other kosher froyo places like Milky’s and a place on Melrose Ave, but I don’t recall any that have been located in the San Fernando Valley. The style is similar to Humphrey Yogart in Sherman Oaks.
First choose cup or cone, then choose your base, and choose 1 mix-in (75 cents for each additional mix-in). Or they have signature swirls ($7.75) that you can pick. A build your own swirl is $6.75 and comes with 1 mix-in and whipped cream.
Bases: Dairy vanilla ice cream, Dairy chocolate ice cream, Vanilla froyo, Non-dairy vanilla, Non-dairy chocolate, Sugar-free vanilla, Sugar-free chocolate.
Add-ins: Fruit, nuts, cookies, sauces, cookie dough, cotton candy, sprinkles, etc.
They also serve customizable milkshakes, boba drinks, waffles, and hot drinks. Custom ice cream pies and tacos are available but must be ordered in advance.
You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.
* VALLEY SWIRL ICE CREAM: 12431 Burbank Blvd, Valley Village, CA 91607
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.
