Dessert on the Wild Side: Exotic Ice Cream Flavors Hit the San Fernando Valley at Helados Pops

Photo by @DineWithCaroline

Living right in the heart of Hollywood, it’s not too often that I get to make it out to the San Fernando Valley. However over the last several months, several of my foodie friends have been raving about Helados Pops Ice cream shop, and how I needed to get my butt out there to try their unique ice cream flavors. So guess what…. I finally did!

I was first introduced to Helados Pops through Danielle Salmon from the food blog Follow My Gut at a tasting event she threw for them that I wasn’t able to attend. That was the night my camera was stolen out of an Uber completely derailing all my plans, smh! Despite missing the event, she connected me with Damon, manager and brother of the owners Marthin and his wife, and a few months later I made my way out there.

Helados Pops is family owned, and Damon is one of the sweetest people that I have ever met. The shop located in a very family friendly and quaint neighborhood is the perfect place to wander into after a family stroll in the evening or on a hot afternoon. Offering small batch premium ice cream and sorbets in BOTH traditional and exotic flavors; you truly are getting the best of both worlds. Damon let me sample pretty much every ice cream and sorbet flavor, and I was in love with every single one of them! For the traditional lovers, standard flavors like Chocolate, Rocky Road, Vanilla, Strawberry, and Banana are available and while they may be traditional, the flavors of each are so rich and creamy that it stood out in my mind as one of the best ice cream shops in LA! While these are totally worth getting, the unique exotic flavors are really where its at! (BTW, they have the best banana ice cream flavor that I have ever tasted in my life! None of that yellow artificial banana flavor!)The names of the flavors can be a little intimidating, especially when you’ve never heard of them BUT rest assure that you can sample any of the flavors you’d like, and the staff is great at answering questions. Damon took me back into the kitchen, and showing and explaining that he loves to come up with these unique flavors by shopping at local farmers markets purchasing different fruits and nuts. He really knows his stuff too, and even better that ALL of the ice cream and sorbets flavors are organic and made with premium ingredients from local markets (AMAZING!!!!). Some of my favorite exotic flavors where hibiscus, Sartre Guava, Passion Fruit, Mamey, Candy Apple, and Lucama!  Each with such a unique and bold flavor that had me feeling like I was taking a vacation in the Islands! I’m not even a huge sweets person, but my taste buds were in love!

You can order the ice cream or sorbets in a fresh coconut bowl (I love the coconut shavings on almost every flavor) or in regular bowls or waffle cones. I highly recommend ordering the Vegan Banana Split, fresh sorbet flavors of your choice sprinkled with coconut shavings and a drizzle of strawberry! So good…

Helados Pops is worth every bit of the drive out to the San Fernando Valley! With such unique flavors that you really can’t find at any other ice cream shop in LA; once you’ve had it going back to regular ice cream will be super hard!

Where: 450 N. Maclay Ave. San Fernando, CA 91340

Phone: 818-371-3538

Hours: Everyday, 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm