Saffron & Rose, located on a stretch of Westwood Boulevard known as Little Tehran, offers some of the best ice cream in Los Angeles. This Persian ice cream shop makes their frozen treats with quality ingredients, with flavors ranging from chocolate or cookies and cream to the more exotic like cucumber or saffron.

One thing that makes Persian ice cream different from other ice cream is the consistency. It’s a bit chewier in texture, so when you pull your spoon up, the ice cream seems to stretch, almost like a taffy. It’s the addition of ground orchid root that gives the ice cream its unique texture.

If you’re not that adventurous,  you’ll definitely want to try a flavor before committing to one of the more exotic flavors. Luckily, they allow you to sample freely (I saw one woman taste as many as eight flavors before deciding), though I try not to take advantage of this. A small scoop, which costs $4.50, grants you two scoops.

Several of their flavors feature chunks of ingredients, making the ice cream truly exceptional – like the Nutella which was chock full of ground hazelnuts. The Date ice cream had big pieces of dates – I don’t even like dates but found the ice cream delightful.

I’m a bit hesitant when it comes to the more exotic flavors that feature either rose water or saffron, which are traditional Persian flavors, but became instantly sold on the Saffron once I tried it. With its bright yellow hue, the Saffron also has pistachios, making it a unique flavor that I find irresistible.  The fruit flavors are great too – like the passion fruit, totally refreshing on a hot day.

The only negative thing I can say about Saffron & Rose is the difficulty to find parking (yes, First World problems). Even though there’s metered street parking on Westwood, you may need to circle around and parking across the street on one of the side streets. At least you can squeeze in some exercise and not feel the least bit guilty enjoying your ice cream.

Location – 1387 Westwood Blvd., Los Angeles 90024
Website – https://www.facebook.com/SaffronAndRoseIceCream/
Kid-Friendly – Yes
Kid’s Menu – No
Pesco-Vegetarian Friendly – Yes
Vegetarian Friendly – Yes
Gluten-Free Options – Yes