Glacier Ice Cream & Gelato

Only open a short time in Manhattan Beach, Glacier Ice Cream & Gelato has picked up a big following in Colorado and to a somewhat lesser degree in Las Vegas. The space is fun and funky, which fits in with the beachy atmosphere just a few steps away.

The staff is very friendly and generous with samples. They have many flavors available at any one time most of which seem to have either chocolate, caramel or Oreo’s in the mix. Donald, the co-owner, is super friendly and wanted to know how we heard about them. I told them that they have gotten very good reviews on Chowhound. He came over and talked to us for a while, and even offered us a free cup of coffee and gave us some coupons for free scoops of ice cream in the future. He reminds me a lot of Dan at Fredo’s Phillys, a real nice guy who is very appreciative of the recognition that their product is receiving. Asked why they have a lot of ice creams contained Oreos, he said he though that it went well with a lot of their flavors. In addition to being co-owner, Donald, is also the “chef” of all their ice creams and gelatos. You can tell he takes pride in the ice cream and gelatos he makes daily.

The Banana ice cream tastes like a frozen banana that I used to enjoy as a kid. Lots of real bananas are infused into the ice cream, which is very refreshing on a cool summer day. The ice cream is not too sweet, as the bananas used are at their peak of flavor.

The Chocolate Peanut Butter ice cream is a mix of dark chocolate ice cream with peanut butter swirled into the mix. This is a very rich ice cream, but is a little bit on the sweeter side. The peanut butter helps to cut the sweetness as does the bitter after taste of the chocolate. This is a great combination, and when eaten in conjunction with the Banana ice cream is a heavenly mixture.

The Banana Caramel Crunch combines caramel and banana ice cream with the crunchy texture of Oreos. The caramel comes to the forefront while the banana plays a supporting role. The texture contrast of the Oreos is a nice surprise.

The Funky Monkey is a base of banana ice cream with peanut butter and chocolate bits. It’s reminiscent of Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey with the addition of peanut butter. The light and refreshing banana ice cream is offset with the peanut butter and chocolate, but this is also a winning combination.

Overall, the ice cream at Glacier is top notch. The ice cream is creamier and denser than that of Fosselman’s but is also a little sweeter. While Fosselman’s has a lot of fruit flavors and those that are more subtle, Glacier has much bolder flavors on their menu. If you’re in the area, definitely try Glacier out.

Glacier Ice Cream & Gelato
1605 N. Sepulveda Blvd.
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
(310) 545-9730