Special Moments: The Joy of Family Dessert Outings

Sunday evenings in our house have a reliable structure. Brad cooks dinner, the girls do homework or fight about it, and after the dishes are cleared there is always the question of dessert. Sometimes it’s something from the freezer. Sometimes it’s delivery. But on the Sundays when everyone is in a reasonably good mood and no one is too tired, we drive somewhere. These are the dessert runs that have become one of our family’s favorite rituals — and over the years, we’ve developed a pretty strong list of go-to spots on the Westside. This is that list, with the honest version of what’s worth it and what isn’t.

Why the Outing Matters as Much as the Dessert

Before I get into the spots, I want to say something about the ritual itself. The dessert run is structurally simple — you’re in a car, going somewhere, getting something sweet. What makes it into an actual moment is the conversation that happens in the car on the way there and the way home. Madeline has told me more about her social life in the back seat on a Sunday evening than at any dinner table. I don’t fully understand why — maybe it’s the dark car, maybe it’s the low stakes of an outing with no specific agenda — but it’s real, and we protect it. No screens in the car. No commentary on anyone’s order. No health talk. These are the rules. I made the mistake of editorializing once about Charlotte’s choice and the drive home was not pleasant. The dessert outing works because it’s a judgment-free zone, full stop.

Ginger’s Divine Ice Cream — Our Most Recent Discovery

Ginger’s Divine Ice Cream at 12550 Washington Blvd is a place we stumbled into because we happened to be nearby — and I’ll be honest, it would be a schlep to go out of your way for it. But the ice cream itself is genuinely excellent. The seating situation is limited (not really a linger-and-eat-inside kind of place), but the quality of what’s in the cup more than makes up for it.

On our visit, Brad had the Sour Cherry Cheesecake, Madeline went with Mint Chip (her classic — she rarely deviates), and I had the Panna Cotta Raspberry. All three were genuinely great. I had mine in a cone; Brad and Madeline went with cups, no toppings. It came to around $30 for the three of us, which is on the expensive side for ice cream but tracks with the quality. They also have these elaborate ice cream pops in the case that looked absolutely incredible — I didn’t get one this time but they’re first on my list for the next visit.

Sweet Rose Creamery — A Westside Staple

Sweet Rose Creamery is one of those places that has earned its reputation over time through consistency. The pricing is comparable to Ginger’s — premium, but the quality justifies it. What has me particularly excited right now is that they’ve just started making ice cream cookie sandwiches using Levain cookies, and I haven’t tried them yet but I intend to. A Levain cookie paired with good ice cream is a combination I feel strongly about. If you’ve been to Sweet Rose before and think you know what to expect, that new addition is worth revisiting for.

Salt & Straw — Great for Adults, a Harder Sell for Kids

Salt & Straw is a place I genuinely love and Charlotte genuinely tolerates. Their rotating flavor program is creative and sophisticated — the kind of combinations you’d never predict but that somehow work — and as an adult who enjoys being surprised by food, I find it endlessly interesting. Charlotte is not on that page. She will eat it because it’s ice cream, but the unusual flavor combinations don’t excite her the way they excite me. Madeline is slightly more adventurous. If your group skews adult, this is a strong choice. If you’re bringing kids who want their mint chip without any surprises, temper expectations accordingly.

McConnell’s — A Loss Worth Mentioning

I have to mention McConnell’s in the Palisades because it was one of my favorites and it closed after the fire. Their See’s Candy–inspired ice cream was something truly special — the kind of flavor that you think about afterward and wish you could have again. If you haven’t experienced McConnell’s, I hope they reopen and you get to. It belongs on this list even in its absence because it set a standard worth knowing about.

Diddy Riese — The Best Cheap Dessert on the Westside

If you want to spend almost nothing and still leave completely satisfied, Diddy Riese in Westwood is the answer. Their ice cream cookie sandwich is $5.00 — five dollars — and it is hands down the best dessert value on the Westside. You choose your cookies (they have multiple options), choose your ice cream flavor, and they assemble it right there. Charlotte and Madeline create combinations I would never come up with myself — two different cookie types, some flavor of ice cream wedged in between — and somehow it works every time. I wouldn’t do it, but I respect the commitment.

Diddy Riese also sells cookies by the dozen at $11.50 per dozen, which is remarkable. We’ve ordered them for bake sales, class parties, and gatherings of all kinds. Brad and I even used them as our wedding giveaway — every guest got Diddy Riese cookies, and it was exactly right. If you need cookies for any occasion and you want them to be good without spending much, this is your place.

Bacio di Latte — The Adult Favorite

Bacio di Latte is consistently excellent and consistently one of my top recommendations. If you go, order the pistachio. Don’t overthink it, don’t get distracted by the other options — just order the pistachio. It is the reason to be there. This is the kind of quality Italian-style gelato that makes you reconsider every other ice cream decision you’ve ever made. If I’m ranking purely on personal preference for adult taste, McConnell’s and Bacio di Latte are tied at the top.

Turn Dough — For When You Want Something Completely Ridiculous

Turn Dough in Santa Monica is a dessert experience in the most theatrical sense of the word. They do chimney cake ice cream creations — these enormous, over-the-top constructions loaded with toppings that are genuinely absurd in the best possible way. One order runs about $20, but the size is such that three or four people can share it comfortably. It’s the kind of dessert you order for the visual spectacle as much as the eating. Unique, fun, and worth trying at least once for the experience alone.

Ghirardelli — The Classic That Never Fails

Ghirardelli in Santa Monica is the traditional option — and sometimes that’s exactly what you want. Classic ice cream flavors, chocolate fudge sauce, whipped cream, the whole sundae experience done properly. It’s expensive for what it is, and two people can comfortably split a sundae. But it’s Ghirardelli chocolate, which means the quality of the chocolate component is never in question. For older family members or anyone who finds the creative-flavor trend exhausting, this is the comfortable, reliable choice that delivers every time.

The Family Rankings (Unofficial)

If I had to rank these purely by personal preference: McConnell’s and Bacio di Latte are my top two — both skew toward sophisticated adult palates and both are exceptional at what they do. For Charlotte and Madeline, the answer is immediate and unambiguous: Diddy Riese. The $5 cookie sandwich with their own custom combination of cookies and ice cream flavors is their perfect dessert, and honestly, watching them construct those orders is one of my favorite parts of the outing. The joy of a kid who gets exactly what they want for five dollars is hard to beat.

Westside Dessert Guide — Need to Know