Each year, we ask Orange County Register readers to choose their favorite places to shop, dine, play and do business in OC.
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Here are the top picks for Best frozen yogurt/ice cream:
1. Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream & Yogurt
Multiple locations; handelsicecream.com
The news is old but always welcome at Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream, which once again is a favorite among local ice cream aficionados.
“It’s super-meaningful: the appreciation of high quality ice cream and that we’ve made a positive impact in the community,” said Zach Leffers, an owner of several Orange County franchises. “To be recognized like that, we don’t want to take for granted.”
With 10 locations in Orange County and more than 150 nationally, Handel’s has been a fixture in the high-end, fresh-made, small-batch ice cream industry since Alice Handel began mixing her signature creations in Youngstown, Ohio, more than 80 years ago.
Noted for always having 48 flavors available on any given day, Handel’s consistently unveils crazy and delicious concoctions — sometimes with appropriately goofy names — while simultaneously retiring others. So, get your favorites, because they may not last.
This year, as a seasonal summer treat, Handel’s unveiled Pink Lemonade, with sour candy bits and strawberry ripple. And Knot Your Average Dough, with salted pretzel and cookie dough pieces in cookie dough ice cream, is back by popular demand.
Leffers says Handel’s has also rolled out several oat-milk flavors, including a coffee truffle with chocolate and peanut butter brownie pieces.
Another core aspect of Handel’s, according to Leffers, is commitment to charities and nonprofits, including sending mobile units that visit schools and community events.
“Fortunately, ice cream is a product that makes people happy,” Leffers said.
— Greg Mellen
2. Yogurtland
Multiple locations; www.yogurtland.com
Celebrating its 20th year since Phillip Chang founded the company in Fullerton, Yogurtland continues to draw raves as a destination. With more than 20 Orange County locations, the shops are easy to find and busy.
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The company has invented about 250 flavors since its inception and continues to tweak the menu with a team of “flavorologists,” bringing in new seasonal, holiday and mystery tastes.
On any given day, customers at the self-serve stores can find 15 or more flavors and about 30 toppings with which to dress them. With tastes that range from perennial favorites, such as plain tart, to chocolate and vanilla variations, to something like green tea, the possibilities abound. Add in the array of candy, fruit and cookie toppings and it becomes about imagination.
Yogurtland hooks into popular cultural trends and fads to boost visibility, most recently a partnership with the Toy Story franchise, not to mention inviting influencers to chip in.
3. Joghurt Frozen Yogurt Haus
17395 17th St., # C, Tustin; 714-573-0100
Tucked into Tustin’s French Quarter, Joghurt Frozen Yogurt Haus continues to make the top of the “Best of” list thanks to a fervent local following.
While frozen yogurt may be a New England invention, Joghurt pushes multicultural palate variations by adding toppings and flavors such as All-American Red Velvet, Latin dulce de leche, Japanese rice mochi and Asian popping mango boba tea.
If you want to go more traditional at the self-serve shop, the 15 or so flavors and about 40 toppings are plentiful with all kinds of chocolate, brownie, caramel, candies — such as gummy worms — cookie pieces, nuts and syrups.
The small shop is also noted for continually washing, cutting and restocking fresh fruits throughout the day.
As Yelp reviewer Kristen H. exclaimed, “They were the freshest, best made toppings we’ve had. Where has this place been all my life? And I’m a born and raised OC girl.”
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