Where can I find the best ice cream in San Diego?

North Park is your best starting point for quality small-batch scoops. For something more unique, hit University City for Asian-style desserts like shaved snow and mochi. If you're already at the beach, Pacific Beach and Mission Beach have solid options that nail the casual, sun-soaked vibe.

What's the best neighborhood for dessert in San Diego?

North Park for craft ice cream and rotating seasonal flavors. University City for Asian desserts — shaved snow, mochi, and boba-forward spots. Pacific Beach if you want something cold and unpretentious right after the ocean.

Are there good Mexican-style ice cream or paleta spots in San Diego?

Yes, and this is where San Diego earns its stripes. Look for spots doing proper paletas with tamarind, chili-mango, and hibiscus, plus churro-adjacent desserts with clear Baja influence. The border is close, and the best spots take that seriously.

How much does ice cream cost in San Diego?

Expect $4–$6 for a single scoop at artisan spots in North Park, and $3–$5 for soft serve or paletas at beachside joints. Gaslamp Quarter tends to run higher — $6–$9 — without necessarily delivering better quality.

What are the best ice cream spots near the beach in San Diego?

Mission Beach and Pacific Beach are your go-tos for post-surf treats. The options lean casual — soft serve, dipped cones, cold drinks — and that's perfectly appropriate. Don't expect artisan; do expect something cold and satisfying within walking distance of the water.

When is the best time to visit ice cream shops in San Diego to avoid crowds?

Weekday afternoons are your best bet. Beach-adjacent spots in PB and Mission Beach get genuinely packed on weekend afternoons from noon onward, especially in summer. North Park spots tend to have shorter waits overall, even on weekends.

Best Ice Cream & Dessert in San Diego (2025)

Best Ice Cream & Dessert

Explore San Diego's best ice cream & dessert — from the classics everyone knows to the neighborhood spots that deserve more attention.

San Diego doesn't need an excuse to eat ice cream — the weather does that work for you every single day of the year. With 101 spots spanning everything from Mexican-inspired paletas and churro-dipped soft serve to Japanese mochi and properly scooped artisan ice cream, this city has quietly built one of the more interesting dessert scenes on the West Coast. It helps that the SoCal produce game is serious here: expect real fruit, local dairy, and flavors that actually taste like the thing they're named after.

The scene clusters in predictable but reliable spots. Mission Beach and Pacific Beach run hot on nostalgia and volume — good soft serve, cold treats after a long day in the sun, no pretension. North Park is where the more interesting stuff tends to happen: small-batch operations, rotating seasonal flavors, the kind of joint where the person scooping your cone made the ice cream that morning. Gaslamp is fine if you're already there; University City punches above its weight thanks to a strong Asian dessert influence — shaved snow, mochi, boba-adjacent everything.

One honest caveat: San Diego isn't doing anything that will make Los Angeles jealous. But that's almost the point. The dessert scene here is confident without being showy, and on a 75-degree evening in February, a well-made scoop of something cold hits different.

Must Know

•Baja influence is real — look for tamarind, chili-mango, and horchata flavors done with actual intention.
•Asian dessert spots in University City are legit; shaved snow and mochi here rival anything in LA.
•Beachside spots in PB and Mission Beach get slammed on weekends — go early or expect a line.
•North Park has the most interesting small-batch operations; worth the drive from the beach.

Best for:Post-beach cool-downDate nightWeekend afternoonsBaja-inspired flavorsLate-night cravings

Local Tip

Skip the Gaslamp Quarter after a Padres game unless you enjoy paying tourist prices in a line that wraps the block. Head north to North Park instead — same post-dinner energy, better ice cream, half the wait.

The Stories Behind the Scoops

Some of San Diego's best frozen desserts traveled a long way to get here. The backstories behind a few of the standouts.

La Jolla · organic, small-batch

Bobboi Natural Gelato

Bobboi makes its gelato in small batches with organic milk and real ingredients — no powders, no shortcuts. What started as a single La Jolla shop now scoops in Little Italy and Mission Beach too, and the obsessive sourcing is the whole point.

Portland, Oregon · inventive flavors

Salt & Straw

Salt & Straw built a cult following in Portland on flavors nobody else would dare — think olive oil, or a rotating menu that leans weird on purpose — all from farm-sourced ingredients. The San Diego shops bring that same swing-for-the-fences approach.

São Paulo, Brazil · Italian-style gelato

Bacio di Latte

Bacio di Latte is a São Paulo gelato powerhouse — born in Brazil, rooted in Italian technique — that grew into a global name before landing in San Diego. The result is dense, creamy gelato that takes the craft seriously.