Best spots for sundaes and banana splits in Los Angeles
What is a sundae? Ice cream, of course, but what else? As the Food team compiled our favorite decked-out frozen desserts around the city, we couldn’t seem to reach a consensus.
It should have syrup or sauce, fruit and some sort of crunchy topping, I declared with unearned authority. Deputy Food editor Betty Hallock pointed out the iconic McDonald’s sundae with just vanilla soft serve and rich chocolate fudge. Another colleague mentioned layered parfaits while others hailed the banana split as a worthwhile variant that includes all the named elements.
We decided to take a broad definition to the dessert that was first created at a soda fountain in Two Rivers, Wis., in the late 19th century. (Hot fudge was invented in 1906 by L.A. candymaker Clarence Clifton Brown, whose son opened legendary ice cream parlor C.C. Brown’s in Hollywood.)
You can opt for classic or over-the-top versions at a carhop diner in Burbank or a Route 66 soda fountain, or build the sundae of your dreams at a French-Californian bistro or an open-air Italian restaurant with a roving gelato cart. There are plenty of creative takes that pull inspiration from many cuisines, like a Thai gelato maker in Torrance and an Ethiopian restaurant in Eagle Rock serving a brûléed banana split with Ethiopian coffee-infused chocolate sauce.
Here are 20 of our favorite sundaes and banana splits around Los Angeles. — Danielle Dorsey