Very Niche, But Where Can I Find: A Choco Taco?

“Very Niche, But Where Can I Find” is a new recurring column where Food & Drink Editor Patricia Kelly Yeo will track down—and in some cases try—hard-to-find food and drink items across Los Angeles. 

Have an elusive dish or drink you’d like to know where to find? Email p.kelly.yeo@timeout.com.

The Choco Taco™ is dead, long live the untrademarked choco taco. It’s been two years since Klondike discontinued the iconic taco-shaped waffle cone filled with ice cream and chocolate, and I’m honestly still not over it. In one fell swoop, the Unilever division brand deprived America of one of the best mass-produced novelty ice cream items ever produced. Not only did the original Choco Taco have the ideal filling-to-cone ratio—you basically get a bit of waffle cone with every bite of ice cream—the story behind the loosely Mexican-inspired dessert is a true testament to the spirit of America.

First invented in Philadelphia by Alan Drazen in 1983, the Choco Taco is the product of one enterprising individual’s ingenuity and ability to trend forecast. According to Eater, the ice cream truck supervisor realized that his company, Jack & Jill, did not have a signature item, and Drazen wanted to change that. One day at the office, as fall approached, signaling the start of his industry’s slow season, an idea popped into his head: a taco-shaped frozen treat. 

“Mexican food was the fastest-growing segment of the food industry, and the taco was the most recognizable shape,” he told Eater. His boss agreed to test out his idea. Eventually, Jack & Jill, which is now owned by Unilever, worked with a Wisconsin-based parent company of Popsicle to modify a pre-existing machine to fold and fill “tacos” made of waffle cones. The rest, as they say, is history.

Once the country learned of the Choco Taco’s demise, chefs and ice cream shops across the country sprung into action, eager to fill the void with their take on a taco-shaped waffle cone filled with ice cream. Here in L.A., Oy Bar in Studio City initially took up the mantle with a homemade version using an Italian pizzelle, though that's been discontinued as well. Two years later, though, can they still be found in L.A.? The answer, fortunately for those among us who still mourn the Choco Taco, is a resounding yes.

On Monday evenings in West Adams, diners can snag one of the best secret menu items in the city: the toasted marshmallow-covered choco taco at Cento, the Middle Eastern-influenced pasta bar led by Bestia alum Avner Levi. Cento’s choco taco uses a pizzelle cookie, dark chocolate and vanilla ice cream to recreate the dessert taco of your childhood, but the swirls of freshly roasted marshmallow fluff take the original idea to the next level. More recently, Carmela Ice Cream in Pasadena launched ice cream chocolate tacos, though they're only available on Tuesdays. (Then again, I also think the quality at Carmela has dropped off in recent years. On my last visit there, both flavors I tried were mealy and possibly slightly freezer-burned.)

 Another, slightly tonier option? Michelin-recognized chef Jonathan Fraser’s choco tacos at the Roof at EDITION, the indoor-outdoor rooftop bar atop the West Hollywood EDITION. Fraser, who’s also the mastermind behind lobby eatery Ardor (which I consider the best restaurant in West Hollywood), uses dulce de leche ice cream and a sprinkle of housemade Tajin seasoning to give the Roof’s choco taco a distinctly Mexican flavor profile. Eaten poolside on a recent 4th of July staycation, it was the perfect way to end the holiday.

While I’ve yet to try these two options personally, you can also find ice cream tacos in a handful of flavors from Sad Girl Creamery, which will be popping up every Sunday at Smorgasburg in the Arts Distrct from now through September 1. SueEllen Mancini rotates through flavors inspired by her Uruguayan Chilean American childhood, including dulce de leche and strawberry tres leches. Sad Girl Creamery typically announces appearances on their Instagram, so follow them to find out where Sad Girl Creamery will pop up next. More regularly, Sliders Bakery and Ice Cream Factory in Burbank also offers a rotating variety of ice cream tacos in a handful of flavors, some of which involve chocolate. 

By far, the most personally disappointing (but still delicious) option is the s’mores cocoa taco at Agnes Restaurant & Cheesery in Pasadena, which predates the demise of our beloved Choco Taco. There is no ice cream in the graham cracker pizzelle “taco,” only chocolate mousse, and the entire thing is slathered in toasted marshmallow and crushed peanuts. Maybe if I’d read the fine print I’d have enjoyed the Klondike-inspired dessert at Agnes more, but in comparison to the other options around town, you’re better off seeking out a Choco Taco riff that actually uses ice cream.

If you’re looking to live más, however, Salt & Straw is slated to release a choco taco you won’t want to miss—eventually, that is. First announced in February, the Portland-based artisanal ice cream chain was slated to release a choco taco this summer in collaboration with Taco Bell, which had a partnership with the Klondike original in the past. If the eventual limited-time item is anything like the one previewed this past winter, the taco will feature cinnamon ancho ice cream and toasted brown rice. When I reached out to Salt & Straw’s publicist for this article, I was informed the Taco Bell choco taco’s launch date has been pushed. Until then, look to these six choco taco spots in L.A. the next time you want to take a trip down memory lane.

Cento Pasta Bar
4921 W Adams Blvd, Los Angeles
Mon, 5–10pm (only day choco tacos are available)

Carmela Ice Cream
2495 E Washington Blvd, Pasadena
Tue noon–10pm (only day choco tacos are available)

The Roof at EDITION
9040 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood (atop the West Hollywood EDITION)
Mon–Thu 11am–10pm; Fri, Sat 11am–12:30am; Sun 11am–10pm

Sad Girl Creamery
Various L.A. locations, including Smorgasburg (10am–4pm) every Sunday through Sept 1

Sliders Bakery and Ice Cream Factory
3118 W Burbank Blvd, Burbank
Daily 10am–10pm

Agnes Restaurant & Creamery
40 W Green St, Pasadena
Tue–Thu 11:30am–9pm; Fri 11:30am–9:30pm; Sat 10am–9:30pm; Sun 10am–8pm