Humphry Slocombe: Unconventional Ice Cream Right at Home in Venice

Sundae with caramel cocoa nib ice cream, frosted peanuts and cornflakes at Humphry Slocombe

Founders Jake Godby and Sean Vahey put it best by describing Humphry Slocombe as a “bizarre, delicious frozen universe.” Since 2008, Humphry Slocombe [the name comes from the 1970’s sitcom ‘Are You Being Served’] has turned heads with flavors that taste as exotic as they’re named.  And where would a place that defines itself by going against the grain be better suited in LA than the heart of Venice?

This humble standing-room only parlor boasts rows and rows of seasonal and evergreen flavors. Strawberry Captain Crunch, Blue Bottle Vietnamese coffee and McEvoy Olive Oil are just the beginning. A lineup of ‘boozy’ creations includes secret breakfast [made with bourbon], black forest white Russian [made with Kahlua] and Jesus Juice [wine and cola sorbet] among others. And then the granddaddy of them all: Harvey milk and honey graham [see what they did there? And yes, that’s a direct quote from the display].

Humphry Slocombe offers unlimited samples for visitors, allowing patrons to indulge their curiosity while at the same time making it even harder to decide on just a few flavors, let alone one.
​
Fresh-made waffle cones and gourmet toppings such as frosted peanuts and custom cornflakes maintain a quality experience. The only area where Humphry Slocombe falls short is their root beer floats, where something more artisan should take the place of the canned A&W currently being used. Milkshakes would be highly desired as well, though patrons can treat themselves to a coffee float or a custom sundae.

Humphry Slocombe has locations across California, Texas, Nevada, Arizona and Hawaii. Venice location is 1653B Abbot Kinney Blvd. Venice Beach, CA 90291. Open 1 – 11p Mon – Thu, non – midnight Fri/Sat, noon – 11p Sunday. Avg. Out-the-door price is ~$8/order. For more information, visit HumphrySlocombe.com