Frog
Fro-yo girl here. It’s always sad when a froyo shop closes, but some closures are more painful than others. These are the shops that I’ll miss most in alphabetical order. I’ve visited all the shops on this list.
Active Culture, 6240 E Pacific Coast Hwy, Suite 170, Long Beach, opened at the attractive 2nd & PCH shopping center in 2022. Active Culture is a natural foods health café that started in Orange County. The Long Beach branch was their first and only branch in Los Angeles County. While the original location in Laguna Beach has self-serve froyo, the one in Long Beach had counter-serve froyo. The grain bowls and nachos were very tasty.
Cantaloop, 7095 Hollywood Blvd, Ste 106, Los Angeles, was one of the older froyo shops in Los Angeles. This was the first location; it opened in April 2007 and was similar to Pinkberry (i.e., counter-serve, tart froyo specialist). In 2008, the owners decided to add coffee, oatmeal, and waffles and convert to self-serve. The menu continued to expand over the years. Additions included shaved ice, smoothies, slushies, ice blended drinks, and boba drinks. In 2022, Cantaloop began offering Ethiopian food, first out of a mobile van parked in the parking lot and later in the actual storefront. Ownership changed a few times. I wasn’t a fan, but it reminded me of the early days of froyo, and it managed to survive for 18 years.
Frog Frozen Yogurt Bar, 1550 N Cahuenga Blvd, Los Angeles, opened in 2012. The self-serve froyo shop had a nightclub feel with original artwork from Plasticgod and rainbow-colored lights. It was open late. The froyo had great texture. The shop is shown in The Kominsky Method, Season 2, Episodes 4 and 6.
Toppings Frozen Yogurt, 872 Via De La Paz, Pacific Palisades, and The Yogurt Shoppe, 873 N Swarthmore Ave, Pacific Palisades, were both lost in the Palisades Fire in January 2025. They had the same ownership. The Yogurt Shoppe first opened in 2011. Toppings Frozen Yogurt opened in 2012. The owners are hoping to rebuild.
Farewell, old friends. You are missed.
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. Active Culture just turned three in Long Beach. To celebrate, there was a special 50% off menu items on March 5. The discount included froyo, bowls, salads, acai bowls, burritos, burgers, soups, smoothies, shakes, and more. The Long Beach branch is the fifth. Not Your Mama’s Nachos Tortilla chips, organic black and red beans, melted cheddar cheese, tomato, red onion, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, cilantro, seasoning, OG sauce | GF
During my first visit three years ago, I was impressed with how tasty the Not Your Mama’s Nachos dish was. This time, I took home some Wholesome Bowls (organic brown rice, organic black and red beans, cheddar cheese, green cabbage, salsa, avocado, cilantro, seasoning, OG sauce) and those were also very wholesome, satisfying, fresh, and delicious. That OG sauce is seriously good. It tastes like curry, turmeric, lemon, and more.
The froyo machines are still in the back, out of sight. There are four flavors a day. During my visit, these were organic chocolate, organic vanilla, POG, and NY cheesecake. There is always a vegan option.
Prices: Jumbo ($8.99), Regular ($6.99), Cone ($4.99), Mini ($4.99). The mini is pretty big. The froyo toppings were on the main counter, so they seem to be self-serve. There were four toppings: Oreo crumbs, sprinkles, Fruity Pebbles, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch crumbs.
I’m hoping to visit the other locations. The Orange County locations have more froyo machines.
You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.
* ACTIVE CULTURE: 6420 Pacific Coast Hwy, Suite 170, Long Beach, CA 90803
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.
