Vegan ice cream often gets a bad rap, but Awan, a coconut-based ice cream specialist, seems to have cracked the code. The Indonesian coconut cream that serves as a vehicle for its flavors delivers the rounded fattiness you want from ice cream while offering more nuance to scoops like Balinese Vanilla Bean (its base comes from Indonesian coconut water and coconut cream). The vibey storefront feels somewhere between a green mermaid’s grotto and Grecian cave, which somehow heightens the experience, similar to the effect of dining in the cavelike Cento Raw Bar in West Adams.
The business is connected to Dayglow coffee; at the Venice location, you can get an espresso shot from the Dayglow next door to make an irresistible DIY affogato. Find its other locations in West Hollywood and Larchmont.
Vegan ice cream diehards who miss the real thing; non-vegan ice cream lovers who want to try some of the most unique flavors in town. My toddler actually danced when he had his first taste of Awan’s Gaviota Strawberry.
Dining and Cooking