Smorgasburg Ice Cream Alley 2026 Report

 

Fro-yo girl here. Happy National Ice Cream Day! Ice Cream Alley is back at Smorgasburg Los Angeles on Sundays from now through September 6. The lineup of vendors changes every year, though it’s definitely smaller than it used to be.

This year’s line-up:

• Moom Maam: Artisanal Thai gelato, including mango sticky rice
• Sad Girl Creamery: Latin-inspired ice cream sundaes, ice cream tacos, ice cream scoops
• Bernie’s: shaved granita ice with toasted meringue
• Boutcha: tea-infused gelato
• Swrlies: real fruit ice cream and froyo, blended to order. YES, froyo is back at Smorgasburg.
• Sweet Lady Jane: I thought it was just cupcakes, but they have a new gelato

Smorgasburg is celebrating National Ice Cream Day with The Great Ice Cream Fair on July 19.

The event is free. Parking is also free. Smorgasburg LA is open from 10 AM – 4 PM.

SMORGSABURG LA: ROW DTLA, 777 Alameda St., Los Angeles

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.

Free Froyo Event for Descendants: Wicked Wonderland at Menchie’s

 

Fro-yo girl here. Thanks to Disney+, Descendants: Wicked Wonderalnd, and Menchie’s for today’s free froyo event. I went to Menchie’s in Burbank, CA, for the event, because I know that they’re always organized. One employee handed out 50 slips of paper to the first fifty guests. It was a hot day, and people were lined up well before 3 PM. The first five ounces were free.

They had the new red and blue Menchie’s spoons too.

Descendants: Wicked Wonderland is now streaming. It’s a teen fantasy series.

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.

Ice Factory Strawberry Sorbet Ice Bar Review

Fro-yo girl here. While China first popularized ice bars in cute shapes, the trend spread to South Korea. Ice Factory launched a line of fruit-shaped ice bars that claim to be

the first disposable mold packaged ice cream). The bars are individually wrapped. I spotted watermelon, peach, mango, blue lemonade, and strawberry sorbet bars at H Mart in Arcadia. The bars are $3.99 each.

Strawberry sorbet bar: The bar is 67 ml or 2.27 fl. oz. It comes in a plastic mold. You remove the bar and put together the paper holder. It’s made with strawberries and contains strawberry seeds. One bar is 74 calories, 1g total fat, 16g total sugars, and 0g protein. The bar was hard (like a block of ice). I liked the flavor – it tasted like strawberry lemonade. It was tart and sweet. Once it started melting, it did get messy. It’s not as good as the bars you can get at TJ’s because it’s too hard, but it is cuter.

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.

Go Greek Opens in Brentwood, Los Angeles

 

Fro-yo girl here. Go Greek is in expansion mode again and is now open in Brentwood, my old Westside neighborhood. It is modeled after a classic yogurteria that you'd find in Greece, serving classic yogurt and frozen yogurt. The mostly white shop with blue accents also looks like something you’d see in Greece.

During my visit, they had Kiehl’s bowls to promote the Kiehl’s collab. The Kiehl’s Better Summer Swirl bowl is banana froyo with pineapple, Greek cookie crumbs, toasted coconut, and cacao drizzle. I didn’t see most of those toppings. You must have to ask for them.

The Greek froyo is self-serve with six flavors a day (though during my visit, the strawberry wasn't available) and healthier toppings for $1.35/oz. Toppings include fresh fruit (more varieties than usual), cookies, dates, mochi, cacao nibs, chocolate chips, yogurt pretzels, nuts, granola, etc.

The menu also includes classic (non-frozen) Greek yogurt that's imported from Greece, sweet and savory Greek yogurt bowls, and smoothies made with Greek froyo.

Some of the toppings cost extra, including the Greek spoon sweets, honey, shaved chocolate, toasted coconut, hemp seeds, and even peanut butter. It seems stingy to me when the yogurt is almost twice as expensive as the average froyo shop. The toppings aren't that special. Even worse, they do not provide any samples.

Their best flavors are plain and Greek honey. Each is rich, creamy, smooth, quite tangy, and thick. Much as I do enjoy both, they are overly sweet.

This is the third Go Greek to open in California this year. It’s also one of two froyo shops in Brentwood.

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.

Meadow, a Greek Froyo Walk-Up Window, Opens in Venice

Fro-yo girl here. I’ve been noticing a new trend, froyo walk-up windows, and Venice Beach just got one this week. Meadow is a walk‑up Greek frozen yogurt window that just took over the old Jeni’s Ice Cream space. It’s a stylish-looking window and a prime location, but the execution isn’t quite there yet. The menu is extremely limited, which would be fine if the quality matched the minimalism. Unfortunately, it doesn’t.

Menu & Pricing

The menu lists three froyo creations, and one of them is specifically for kids. You’re not restricted to the creations though. You can customize flavors and toppings. The adult cups are $14, toppings included. Definitely ask for samples before you decide.

The Bases

Tart (dairy): Made with Greek yogurt. The texture was loose and icy, not the dense, creamy Greek froyo people are craving right now. It wasn’t smooth, melted fast, and lacked that satisfying richness you expect from Greek-style froyo. The texture was simply off.

Matcha (vegan): Surprisingly, the vegan matcha was creamier and thicker than the tart, so the texture was better. I’m told that the base has probiotics. In my opinion, the coconut was too strong,, overshadowing the matcha. It also tasted quite sweet, possibly from stevia or another alternative sweetener. I wanted more matcha depth and less sweetness.

Toppings

Strawberries, strawberry purée, pistachio crunch, sprinkles, sea salt, pistachios, dark chocolate drizzle, granola.

You can’t see the toppings. There’s no visual appeal of the toppings, no colorful toppings bar, no moment of froyo joy where you pick your favorites. Everything is hidden away.

The granola was disappointing — very plain, mostly oats, no clusters, no nuts, no texture contrast.

Service

Service was excellent — friendly and helpful. I had many questions, and she answered all of them.

Meadow has potential, but the product needs work. Better texture, stronger flavors, and a more appealing toppings experience would go a long way. Meadow is a pop-up. It should be open for a few months.

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

MEADOW, 64 Windward Ave, Venice, CA, 90921

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.

Don’t Forget to Enter IFYA’s Summer Froyo Color Challenge for a Chance to Win a $150 Froyo Gift Card

Fro-yo girl here. Froyo fans, here’s your friendly reminder: there’s still time to enter the International Frozen Yogurt Association’s Summer Froyo Color Challenge Contest. If you haven’t created your colorful froyo bowl yet, you still have time. The prize is a $150 froyo gift card to any froyo shop that sells gift cards online.

How to Enter

The challenge is simple and fun. Pick a summer color (bright, sunny, tropical, beachy—whatever says “summer” to you), and make a froyo bowl inspired by that color. Then take an original photo or video of your creation.

To enter, post your photo or video on Instagram with the hashtags #summerfroyocolor and #froyoassociation. Make sure your profile is public so IFYA can see it. You can enter as many times as you’d like, and entries are due by midnight PST on July 22, 2026.

You can also email your original photo or video to info@internationalfrozenyogurt.com by the same deadline.

The contest is open to U.S. residents 13 and older.

The Prize

One winner will receive a $150 froyo gift card, and the best part is that you get to choose the shop (as long as the gift card can be purchased online). It’s a great excuse to treat yourself to your favorite froyo spot.

Full contest rules.

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.

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.

Summer Froyo Color Challenge Contest Now Open, Win a $150 Froyo Gift Card

Fro-yo girl here. The International Frozen Yogurt Association just launched a brand new summer contest, and the prize is a $150 gift card to the froyo shop of your choice.

Here's how to enter:

1. Pick a summer color (think bright, sunny, tropical, or beachy), and create a froyo cup or cone inspired by that color. It can be monochromatic or a blend of shades, as long as it feels like summer. 
2. Then snap an original photo or make a video of your creation and post it to Instagram with the hashtags #summerfroyocolor and #froyoassociation. Make sure your profile is public so IFYA can see your entry. 
3. You can enter as many times as you’d like, and entries are due by midnight PST on July 22, 2026.

If you prefer email, you can send your original photo or video to info@internationalfrozenyogurt.com with the same deadline.

The contest is open to U.S. residents 13 and older.

The Prize

One lucky winner will receive a $150 froyo gift card—and the best part is that you get to choose the shop.

How the Winner Will Be Chosen

Entries will be judged on creativity, aesthetic appeal, visual impact, emotional impact, and message appeal. The winner will be announced on IFYA’s Instagram account, @froyoassociation, on or before July 27, 2026. If the winner submitted the image or video using email, the winner will be notified by email.

Full contest rules are available on the IFYA website.

Summer is the perfect time to play with bright fruit, fun toppings, and refreshing flavors. Show off your love for froyo, and you could win a lot of froyo. Good luck!

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.