The fall semester has begun, but the summer heat is still going strong. If ice cream is your go-to to beat the heat, let me introduce you to one of my new favorite spots: Frostbites Crepes & Frozen Delights in Long Beach.
Frostbites offers Italian shaved ice, frozen custard, and other desserts at a highly convenient location: Circle Center West, just minutes away from the surrounding student apartment communities and a short drive or bus ride from Long Beach State.
Frostbites opens at noon every day, making it a great option if you’re looking to escape the midday heat. It’s also a solid choice for date nights, group outings and late-night treats.
My boyfriend and I went on a Monday night, and it was pleasantly quiet in the store. There were a handful of other college-age folks and a small family in front of us, but I was grateful for the chance to pore over all the flavor options. They had classic Italian ice flavors like strawberry and mango, as well as unique choices like taro and peanut butter.
Frostbites has a sorbet sundae option that allows you to mix and match as many Italian ice flavors as you please and layer with chocolate or vanilla frozen custard for extra richness. You can also add up to four toppings for a dollar, which is much more fair than other ice cream shops, like Cold Stone, which charges an extra 75 cents for every topping after your first.
We ended up gawking at a monstrous raspberry and passionfruit sorbet sundae layered with chocolate syrup, strawberry syrup, and freshly chopped strawberries. It was awesome to watch our sweet experiment come to life, especially at a price that was actually fair.
Overall, the relaxed atmosphere, convenient location and friendly service made our first time at Frostbites a delightful experience. If this summer heat keeps up—which it will, of course—I will surely be back soon.
Frostbites Crepes & Frozen Delights is located at 1827 Ximeno Ave. and is open from 12 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 12 p.m. to 12 a.m.., Fridays and Saturdays and 12 p.m to 11 p.m on Sundays.