Happy Ice

"Philadelphians know about water ice, or as real Philly natives call it, “wudder-ice.” But for those unfamiliar, it’s a dairy-free dessert that’s half-sorbet, half-movie theater Icee, and a complete summer staple thanks to its soft texture, fruity flavors, and colorful aesthetic. In LA, none do it better than Happy Ice, an extremely popular water ice shop with multiple trucks throughout the city and a brick-and-mortar on Melrose. There are bright, punchy flavors that range from watermelon lush to mango madness, but first-timers should go for the Rainbow Rocket—a blended explosion of color that swirls together every single flavor." - kat hong, garrett snyder, arden shore, sylvio martins

"LA’s coolest, most Instagram-friendly dessert is a vegan-friendly shaved ice. Ice-cold and hyper-vibrant, the joyful frozen treat comes in flavors like Rainbow Rocket, Strawberry Lemon Lush, and Mango Madness, and is the perfect choice for when you’re craving something sweet - but don’t want to return to the bucket of ice cream you bought pre-quarantine and still haven’t finished. Happy Ice now has three locations - two trucks and a brick-and-mortar spot on Melrose Ave. - check their Instagram for the latest updates." - kat hong

"This roaming food truck serves colorful, shaved ice treats. Flavors range from Mango Madness to Blueberry Blast. They also opened their first permanent location in the Melrose district - read our first thoughts here." - brant cox

"Rifling through racks of ironic t-shirts at one store can be exhausting. So imagine how you’ll feel after 16 sunny blocks of that. Cool down at Happy Ice, a rainbow-adorned dessert shop that specializes in water ice (translation: Philadelphia’s name for Italian ice). There are eight different fruit-based flavors, but we like the Rainbow Rocket, which gets you all of them at once. " - nikko duren, brant cox, sylvio martins

"If you grew up in—or have spent significant time around—Philadelphia, you no doubt already know about “water ice” (you probably also pronounce it “WUDDER ICE”). After all, the dairy-free dessert (alert to all vegans) has long been a summertime staple in the city, thanks to its creamy texture, fruity flavors, and shaved ice aesthetic. But for many Angelenos, it’s a fairly unknown commodity. Happy Ice on Melrose is changing that in a big way. The menu has tons of flavors, but if it’s your first time visiting, go for one of the “Favorite Combinations,” and in particular, Rainbow Rocket. It’s a mix of every flavor on the menu, and the perfect introduction into what Happy Ice is all about. It’s also delicious." - Brant Cox