626 Hospitality Ice Cream

The best soft serve (and ice cream in general?!) in LA. Full stop.

I discovered 626 through their pints which are sold at some shoppy shops around LA and finally made it to their shop in Arcadia last night.

I was blown away, both by the flavors and, aptly, the hospitality! The line was pretty long but moved quickly and there’s a crossword taped to the window with a sharpie hanging beside to pass the time. The staff were warm and generous - they not only let you have samples but encourage you to try all the flavors! A revelation! It makes decision making faster and customers happier. Unlike the pints, the shop is soft serve only (my dream!).

There’s a hodgepodge of seating and packed gallery walls full of employees art and photos of the original Froyo shop that 626 took over which add to the warmth. It felt like a throwback to 90s coffee shops, more about a community gathering spot than a perfectly poured cortado.