Salt & Straw – Abbot Kinney

Salt & Straw approaches ice cream with the curiosity of a restaurant kitchen. Alongside dependable signatures, monthly menus explore seasonal fruit, local collaborations and combinations that can sound improbable until tasted. The Abbot Kinney shop is compact and often develops a line, but staff encourage samples and keep the queue moving. Use that generosity: compare one adventurous flavour with a quieter classic, then choose a split scoop rather than committing too quickly. Texture is consistently rich, and the handmade waffle cone adds its own toasted aroma. This is an ideal pause during an Abbot Kinney walk, particularly in late afternoon before dinner crowds arrive. Seating is limited, so expect to continue outside with the cone. Salt & Straw is now a familiar West Coast name, yet the Venice branch still feels connected to the street's mix of design, indulgence and playful experimentation.