Even if you cannot eat dairy (or choose not to), there are plenty of nondairy options to try out as National Ice Cream month wraps up.
Recently, a loved one of mine discovered he has an intolerance to dairy. He grew up a self-proclaimed omnivore with a particular proclivity for meats and dairy, and I’ve watched him lovingly devour the cookies and cream, full-fat dairy goodness version that Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream offers on multiple occasions. Then came his diagnosis … no more dairy?!
This article is dedicated to him. I searched across Orange County for the most delicious nondairy ice cream alternatives I could find, from local shops to surprising up-and-coming chains.
Whether you are a vegan, lactose-sensitive, looking for a healthier way to satisfy your summer craving, or a curious, passionate foodie like me, these treats – affectionately referred to by some as “nicecream” (as an ode to their typically healthier nutritional value) – are sure to satisfy. And that die-hard dairy fan in your life just might discover a new favorite!
Salt and Straw
Salt and Straw hails from Portland, Oregon, and now has locations anchored in Newport Beach and Downtown Disney. Salt and Straw’s virtues have been touted by The Wall Street Journal, Food & Wine, and USA Today to name a few, and it is simply excellent. Salt and Straw features new inventive seasonal flavors regularly, offering both dairy and nondairy ice cream flavors sure to delight both the classic and adventurous palette. Salt and Straw sources their ingredients locally, and new flavor additions are inspired by farmers and chefs in their respective communities. This month enjoy “GoNanas Banana Bread with Strawberry Jam,” Strawberry & Coconut Water Sherbet, Peanut Butter Brittle Caramel Fudge and Freckled Mint Chocolate Chip for alternative ice cream that will send you over the moon.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily (Newport Beach), 10 a.m. to midnight daily (Anaheim)
Cost: $6-$15
Contact: saltandstraw.com
Nékter Juice Bar
Nekter Juice Bar has made a name for itself in Orange County, popular for its juice cleanses, smoothies and health-conscious açai bowls. What it is perhaps lesser known is that back in 2017, Nekter unveiled its newest creation: “Skoop.” Nekter’s Skoop is a dairy-free, soy-free, plant-based fairly nutritious scoop of “nicecream” made from a coconut base, clocking in at a mere 160 calories per hearty Skoop. Nekter’s Skoops are free of refined sugars, artificial flavors and colors. Indulge your inner child (or treat your best-behaved one) to this year’s yummy Skoop flavors: Blue Vanilla Cookie Dough (attaining its signature blue color from blue spirulina), Birthday Cake (naturally cake batter-flavored with a toss of colorful sprinkles) and Strawberry Dream. The sweet, refreshing tastes of Skoop make for a great poolside indulgence.
Hours: Vary by location
Locations: Multiple locations throughout Orange County. At select locations only.
Cost: $5.95
Contact: nekterjuicebar.com
Mother's Market
Mother’s Market is, unsurprisingly, a mecca of nondairy ice cream options. Mother’s Market first opened its doors in the 1970, begun by a group of yogi nutrition enthusiasts, and has since blossomed to 12 well-loved health food markets throughout Orange County. You’ll find all types of milks and products on the diet spectrum here, from the extremely healthy to the delightfully sugar and fat-full (always with all natural ingredients). At the fresh juice bar, you can order smoothies, juices or shakes – available with coconut-based ice cream and blended with your choice of milk for your nondairy pleasure. Current flavors include the Tropical Paradise (with orange, banana, pineapple and coconut juice), Dream Date (with peanut butter, date pieces), Grasshopper (with Newman-O’s cookies – a healthier version of the Oreo-mint, and spirulina for color) and Joyful Almond (with almonds, chocolate syrup and coconut). Plus, check the freezer section for a multitude of milk-alternative ice cream sandwiches, pops and pints.
Hours: Vary by location
Locations: Multiple locations throughout Orange County
Cost: $6-$15
Contact: mothersmarket.com
Orange County Creamery
Orange County Creamery is nestled among popular Dana Point eateries including Carmelita’s restaurant and aPizza Doho. A mere six minutes from Dana Point Harbor, this family-owned ice cream shop is one you won’t want to miss. OC Creamery is currently offering strawberry sorbet, lemon sorbet, peanut butter chip (made with an almond milk base) and coconut pineapple (made with, of course, a coconut base) as its nondairy flavors. Here’s the scoop: A taste test of both the peanut butter chip and the coconut pineapple left neither me nor my die-hard dairy fan assistant dreaming fondly of absent dairy. The peanut butter chip flavor had a satisfying mixture of savory and sweet flavor, and the coconut pineapple was reminiscent of a piña colada – it was coconut-pineapple done right. Both were delightfully creamy, completely devoid of the unsavory icy texture one sometimes encounters with nondairy ice cream. This nicecream gets two thumbs up.
Hours: Noon to 9:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday and Sunday; Noon to 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday
Locations: 34255 Pacific Coast Highway, Unit 114, Dana Point, and 95 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente
Cost: $5-$10
Contact: orangecountycreamery.com
Hug Life
Hug Life is an entirely dairy-free ice cream shop located in Garden Grove. Hug Life offers an upbeat, trendy atmosphere with unique and whimsical flavors like “Love Letter,” a coconut and oat-based red velvet brownie ice cream and “Matcha Monsta,” a coconut and soy-based matcha ice cream with chocolate pieces throughout. You’ll also find tea-flavored ice creams along with “Sesame Street,” which features roasted black sesame flavor, activated charcoal and flecks of dark chocolate. Hug Life was started by a group of friends united by their mission to “(keep) the values of hustling, friendliness, and oneness … Hug Life continues to bring people together no matter their background.”
Hours: 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays; Noon to 11 p.m. Saturdays; Noon to 10 p.m. Sundays
Locations: 14241 Euclid St. St #C115, Garden Grove, and 2707 E. 4th St., Long Beach
Cost: $5.50-$12
Contact: huglifeicecream.com
Active Culture
Active Culture offers healthy meal options including organic, vegan and gluten-free choices, and, most importantly, nondairy soft serve, sorbet and shakes. Stop by during your beach day for a nutritious meal, and top it off with vanilla or chocolate nondairy soft serve, the “razzmatazz” sorbet featuring a delicious blend of pomegranate and raspberry (a personal favorite), or an artfully crafted shake. Don’t forget to add toppings. The “Honey-Lavender Bloom Shake” is a true gem for lavender lovers: It features blueberries, honey, lemon, lavender syrup, oat milk and an edible flower garnish. The addition of blueberry lets the lavender flavor sing, well-balanced with the sweetness of honey and touch of lemon for a subtle tang. The floral garnish adds the perfect finishing touch to complement the floral aroma. Order it with the coconut base and sip yourself into dairy-free bliss.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily at Laguna Beach and San Clemente locations; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily
Locations: 1006 S. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach; 111 S. El Camino Real, San Clemente; and 6420 Pacific Coast Highway Suite 170, Long Beach. Free parking is available behind Active Culture in Laguna Beach.
Cost: $5-$11
Contact: activeculturecafe.com
Stella Jean's Ice Cream Costa Mesa
Stella Jean’s Ice Cream Costa Mesa is a perfect destination for your comfort food dreams. Enjoy the aroma of freshly-baked pies from Pop Pie Co. right next door in the shared restaurant space as it mingles with the sweet aroma of house-made waffle cones. Right now, try these flavors: mango sticky rice, pineapple POG, chocolate covered banana, and, our favorite, the strawberry oat crumble flavor with strawberry pieces and oat crumble that tastes just like homemade strawberry crumble in nondairy ice cream form! Stella strives to use locally-sourced ingredients, and offers globally-inspired ice cream that evolves with the seasons.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday
Locations: 270 E 17th St., Suite 16, Costa Mesa. A second location coming soon at 2930 Bristol St. Suite A103 at The Lab, Costa Mesa.
Cost: $10-$20
Contact: stellajeans.com
Saffron and Rose
Saffron and Rose Persian Ice Cream specializes in the unique and authentic ice cream flavors inherent in Persian cuisine, utilizing globally-sourced, organic ingredients locally crafted in small batches for optimal quality. The menu is primarily milk-based, but it offers a dairy-free specialty worthy of the adventurous foodie: faloodeh. “Faloodeh” is a traditional Persian treat dating back centuries, and consists of a rosewater sorbet base that is enriched with slender rice noodles for a subtle crunch. The treat is light, refreshing and surprisingly multifaceted, with a potent rosewater flavor running almost parallel to the chewy, delicate texture of the rice base. It is best served with a squeeze of lime juice for a unique and timeless summer delicacy.
Hours: Noon to 10 p.m. daily
Locations: 4523 Campus Drive, Irvine
Cost: $4
Contact: saffronrosepersianicecream.com
Bacio di Latte
Bacio di Latte is an Italian gelato shop with U.S. and Brazilian locations that makes its ice cream daily at each store. Bacio opened at Fashion Island in 2019, and will welcome a second Orange County location soon following its success. Step into Bacio di Latte and discover a stylish, European-inspired shop with a stunning display of “gelati” and “sorbetti” grinning from behind the counter. The flavors taste authentically Italian, reminiscent of the sweltering days I spent under the Tuscan sun where my only refuge was chilled bottles of water and gobs of artisanal gelato. Bacio’s pesca (peach) sorbet tastes fresh, vibrant and contains pieces of peach and peach skin woven throughout, just like you’d find in true Italian sorbet. The sorbet is not overly sweet like the American heavy-handed sorbets often are. Bacio also offers fragola (strawberry), lampone (raspberry), and a vegan Belgian chocolate gelato option (cioccolato belga vegano).
Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily
Locations: Fashion Island, 133 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach. Second location coming to Irvine Spectrum Center soon at 508 Spectrum Center Drive, Irvine.
Cost: $1-$10
Contact: baciodilatte.us
Pressed Juicery
Pressed Juicery was created by three friends bonded by wanderlust and a shared belief that “fundamental nutrition is the cornerstone of health and wellness,” according to their website. Pressed Juicery offers juices, juice cleanses, shots, açai bowls and its signature “freeze” – a delicious and healthy alternative to ice cream. Pressed’s freezes have fruits, nuts and vegetables blended into their swirled goodness, and adopt their sweetness from natural sugars such as dates. The result is a refreshing treat that satisfies a soft-serve craving without sending one into sugar overload. Current flavor offerings are vanilla (made simply with water, almonds, dates, vanilla extract and sea salt), chocolate, açai and the new Tropical Protein Freeze (made with pineapple, banana, coconut milk and oat milk, agave and pea protein). Choose from curated sundae combinations like almond butter cookie or chocolate strawberry, or create your own custom combo. I recommend copious granola butter, cookie pieces and pretty chocolate “gems.”
Hours: Vary by location
Locations: Multiple locations throughout Orange County
Cost: $5.50-$12
Contact: pressed.com
