On a hot, summer’s day, there is nothing more refreshing than cold, deliciously sweet ice cream. This treat is especially delectable during an arid day in Los Angeles and when the ice cream is from Wanderlust Creamery.
Wanderlust Creamery has several locations throughout the sunshine state, but the Glendale Avenue location in Los Angeles in the recommendation of this writer. Nestled between several vintage clothing stores, this Wanderlust location has a wide variety of ice cream flavors such as Earl Grey, Mango Sticky Rice, and Tinder Bueno. If these flavors sound unique and internationally inspired, they are and may give you a clue as to the name Wanderlust. There is a wide variety of flavors that hail from several different continents and countries making for a fascinating, albeit, tough decision.
Wanderlust
Wanderlust co-founders, Adrienne Nicole Borlongan and Jon-Patrick Lopez are both graduates of California State University Northridge. Borlongan’s degree is in food science and takes her inspiration for creamery flavors from hers as well as others’ travels. They began the operation in 2015 and now four years later have four different locations throughout the southern California region. It became clear to Borlongan that the world of ice cream creation ran through her blood when she learned from her aunt at the early stages of her ice cream shop that her grandfather was a flavor chemist for Magnolia Ice Creams in the Philippines. In total, Borlongan has created 175 flavors, inspired from the cold of England to the warmth of her family’s ancestral home in the Philippines. It is not just the sweet flavor profiles Borlongan and her team are interested in either, often using spicy pepper, sweet tubular vegetables and more. It may sound unappealing, but they are expertly mixed and therefore beyond palatable and like nothing you have ever tasted.
Photo Courtesy of Wanderlust Creamery, Glendale California
Wanderlust is more than a trip to your favorite earthly location, there is also occasion to take your taste buds on an adventure to an otherworldly destination. Are you or someone you know big fans of Game of Thrones? Lucky for you, so are Wanderlust’s owners and employees. In 2018, Wanderlust introduced Game of Cones, a delicious take on an otherwise grisly show and book series. Much like for season seven, Wanderlust is bringing back their GOT themed ice creams for season eight. These Westeros-esque flavors include A Flavor of Ice and Fire, a dairy fee option made with blood orange, dragonfruit, and spicy ancho chili, Growing Strong a lemon verbena ice cream with a scrumptious combination of crystalized roses, marigold and candied Seville orange. The most popular Game of Thrones’ flavor seems to be Winter is Here, oatmeal ice cream spiked with Islay single malt scotch and a honey caramel. But beware, these are limited batches and are often gone by the middle of the season.
Glendale Avenue
Tastings are allowed, as Wanderlust’s flavors are so unique, but please be kind to the patrons behind you and limit yourself to only trying a couple as the line is often long at the Glendale location. If you really can’t decide, treat yourself and order the flight around the world, experiencing each unique flavor in its very own mini cone served to you on an artist’s palette shaped platter. While you’re there, take a walk down Glendale Avenue, enjoying the many high-quality vintage shops and several cute, very Californian boutiques. Strive for a Saturday and go to the Glendale Farmer’s Market and only a few blocks down is the Wanderlust Creamery fit with outdoor seating. Hopefully you have family or friends that live in the area as you will want to come back time and time again, travelling to every continent and trying every new flavor.
