Fosselman's Ice Cream Co. - Alhambra

Butterfat makes ice cream rich and creamy. At Fosselman's Ice Cream Co. in Alhambra, they put 16% butterfat in their ice cream. That 16% means their ice cream is considered "premium." Butterfat gooooood.

Fosselman's has been in business since 1919, and at the Alhambra location since 1941. It is located off the main drag of Main Street, on the opposite end from the car dealerships, and next to a Wells Fargo. The third generation of Fosselmans have taken over the business. Fosselman's Ice Cream Co. still seems as quaintly old-fashioned as before. Ice cream is still made in the back. The owners are often in the shop, still scooping out flavors to customers. Signs are still hand-drawn and hand-written.

At any given time, there are about 50 flavors of ice cream, sherbet (only 1 1/2% butterfat), and sorbet (no dairy). The mango sorbet tastes like a ripe, juicy mango. Fosselman's has seasonal flavors such as date, peach, cinnamon, rum raisin, black walnut, pumpkin, and egg nog. The seasonal flavors are posted on the front windows in an old-fashioned sign, drawn by hand with a small picture. Fosselman's has also responded to Alhambra's largely Asian and Latino communities and features green tea, lychee, ube, taro, red bean, ginger, and dulce de leche flavors.

This night we indulged in dark chocolate, banana walnut, pistachio, and I can't remember the other two flavors. A single scoop (large!) is $2.35 on a cake or sugar cone.

Fosselman's also has malts, shakes, rootbeer floats, banana splits, and ice cream cakes. Select flavors can also be taken home in half-gallon containers. There's also a candy counter with various jelly beans, gumdrops, and homemade saltwater taffy.

Fosselman's routinely wins gold medals at the L.A. County Fair. And appears on the L.A. Times' list of best eats year after year. But trust me, 16% butterfat ice cream. Goooood.

April 11, 2007 Update:

So to make it up to lil' sis's friend for the bad dessert we had at NBC Seafood Restaurant (Dim Sum) - Monterey Park, we went to Fosselman's Ice Cream Co. in Alhambra.

My mango sorbet was refreshing and not too sweet. $2.15 a scoop.

Lil' sis chose blackberry-raspberry sorbet. Sing it with me now! (Apologies to Prince.)

"She ate a

Raspberry sorbet

The kind u find in an ice cream store

Raspberry sorbet

And if it was warm she would eat much more

Raspberry sorbet"

Update: December 31, 2007

Just some photos I've had sitting around for a while. During the heatwave this summer, I bought a half gallon of the mango sorbet.


October marked the return of pumpkin pie ice cream.

And licorice! My friend was waaaay excited about this since she hadn't eaten this flavor in about 20 years. Her tongue and lips were stained black but she was in heaven.

Taro ice cream.



Other ice cream shops:
Bert & Rocky's Cream Company - Claremont
Fair Oaks Pharmacy and Soda Fountain - South Pasadena
Scoops - Los Angeles
Saffron Spot - Artesia (Little India)

Fosselman's Ice Cream Co.

1824 W. Main Street

Alhambra, CA 91801

626-282-6533
Open Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sunday 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.