UCLA may have some of the best dining hall options in the country, but even green tea soft serve and Bruin Plate’s chocolate bites can get old. When you’ve had enough of dining hall dessert options, Westwood can provide a much-needed respite.
Fall quarter is a prime time to go off-campus after dinner, when the nights are warm and hardly anyone has started their readings – it’s a no-brainer.
In addition, if you’re looking for a low-key activity to do with friends, dessert in Westwood is a great, time-efficient option compared to other trips around Los Angeles.
Diddy Riese
11 a.m. – 12 a.m.
At $2 per ice cream sandwich, Diddy Riese’s price point is hard to beat. Choose from a large variety of cookie and ice cream flavors: double chocolate chip, candy chip, etc.
My favorite ice cream sandwich is mint chocolate chip with regular chocolate chip cookies. Sometimes it’s a pain that they’re cash-only, but on the flip side they provide a perfect use for those three singles you’ve had stuffed in your wallet since forever.
The hours are late-night-craving-friendly, from 11 a.m. to midnight. While the sandwiches do come in a convenient cup, getting your mouth around the entire thing can be difficult, and the melty ice cream can get messy. Located on Broxton near the intersection with Le Conte, Diddy Riese is about as close as you can get to the apartments and the Hill, making it a standby for many UCLA students.
Elysee Bakery
6:30 a.m. – 11 p.m.
One of Westwood’s lesser-known dessert shops is Elysee Bakery, located on the corner of Kinross and Gayley avenues. While Elysee serves lunch and brunch-style cuisine as well, its most eye-catching offering is the beautiful cakes that are displayed right as you enter the store. Slices of cake are about $6 each, which is a bit pricey compared to other options, but every once in a while they’re definitely worth it.
From carrot cake to red velvet to opera cakes and tiramisu, Elysee Bakery has something for almost everyone, provided you don’t have a restricted diet like gluten-free or vegan.
Pro-tip: Elysee is also a pretty good study spot since it’s open until 11 p.m. with free Wi-Fi and indoor seating. Just make sure you get there early to nab a spot.
Poké Bar’s macaron ice cream sandwiches
11:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.
While better known for its poké than its dessert creations, Poké Bar also boasts a pretty delicious and aesthetically pleasing macaron ice cream sandwich. If you’re in the mood for something with a slightly more polished feel than Diddy Riese, Poké Bar has multiple flavors available.
It’s a bit of a walk from the Hill to Westwood Boulevard just before the intersection with Lindbrook Drive, so it may be a better option if you’re already out.
Saffron & Rose Ice Cream
11:00 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Saffron & Rose is one of the most touted ice cream delicacies of Westwood, known for its unique saffron- and rosewater-flavored ice creams and gracing many UCLA bucket lists. It carries more typical ice cream flavors as well, but is quite a distance from the Hill as it sits on Westwood Boulevard, south of Wilshire Boulevard.
The distance could be a plus, however, if you feel like expanding from the main Westwood Village locale and getting a taste of the so-called Tehrangeles – LA’s Persian district. Although further afield than other dessert locales, the unconventional flavors and creamy textures are well worth the trek, Uber, Lyft or bus ride.
BJ’s pizookies
11 a.m. – 12 a.m.
BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, a nationwide chain restaurant, is not unique to Westwood. However, I count us lucky to be home to one since their pizookies provide a satisfaction that shouldn’t be understated. For the uninitiated, a pizookie is a larger-than-normal-but-not-quite-giant freshly baked cookie served on a pizza tray and topped with scoops of ice cream.
BJ’s has several mouth-watering flavors, such as salted caramel and Ghirardelli’s triple chocolate. At $6.75 a pop and feeding multiple people, they’re quite the deal, but perhaps not as portable, so make sure your party is down to stay a while.
simplethings’ pies
11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
If it’s 3 p.m. and you’re feeling in the mood for a small pie – because low-key, who’s not always in the mood for a small pie – simplethings is the restaurant for you. Their pies come in three sizes – cutie pie ($2.75), simple pie ($5.75) and big pie ($25.00). Cutie pies are big enough for one, and a simple pie can be split between two, or maybe three if each person is a bit altruistic.
Their website boasts 10 different flavors depending on the season, but among my friends, banana cream and key lime seem to be the biggest winners. Bonus: They just got a new blood orange pie, which I’m dying to try (and you probably should be, too).
Native Foods’ vegan cupcakes
11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Well-loved for its delicious vegan fare, Native Foods also has a variety of vegan desserts subject to availability, such as parfaits and creme pies. Personally, I’ve only had their chocolate and carrot cake cupcakes. I’d recommend the carrot cake over the chocolate, and although I wouldn’t say they taste the same as non-vegan cupcakes, if you open your mind a bit they’re just as good in their own way. And obviously, they’re great if you’re vegan.
Native Foods also has a rewards program that sends out emails with special deals, often allowing you to get a free dessert with the purchase of an entree and drink.