Lil’ Dipper

To be quite honest there is nothing spectacularly exceptional about lil Dipper but they’re definitely not cutting any corners. When you walk in your can smell the fresh homemade cookies being baked and their ice cream/​cookie variety is quite large. I appreciate that they carry multiple gluten free/​soy/​vegan options in addition to their regular variety.
I tried the coconut milk based salted caramel ice cream and found it almost a little too salty for my liking. Their gluten free chocolate chip cookie hit the spot and was baked to just the right amount so that it was still chewy at the center. What I really love about this place is the owner, barb, who goes out of her way to make customers feel at home in her small business. When given the option for an ice cream Sammy, I’ll be sure to return here and support this local shop doing it right!

Pretty bomb. Stopped by here before my midterm and I can’t remember the name of the flavor, but it was basically vanilla with chocolate chips infused with peanut butter aka my favs. And I also had a scoop of their coffee which was also great because it was fairly strong and I can’t stand coffee ice cream that tastes as if it just has a hint of the flavor.
Super nice employee that helped me out — she was super great and we made small talk.
I only wouldn’t give it four stars because I’ve had better up North.

Love it! Everything was so yummy. We went here three times while in San Diego. The staff is so sweet and the cookies and ice cream are worth the visit.

I had the mint chip and snickerdoodle ice cream sandwich. I would say it was pretty good. The cookies tasted fresh, they were pulled right out of the oven.
Only downside is that there is 1 table for seating inside the little shop. Would have been nicer if there was more room to sit and enjoy the ice cream!

This place is great. It’s always nice when a small business opens up in your area and this place has quality stuff ! Not only are the cookies and ice cream delicious, but Barb goes out of her way to run her business in a sustainable and eco friendly way. She is extremely welcoming and is always makes my late night ice cream run fun! As a vegan, I really appreciate how there are at least two dairy free options available daily. Easy going environment, great service, unlimited samples, and yummy ice cream!

Love this place. Had dessert here with friends after dinner. Great little spot and the woman who was working there was the happiest, most enthusiastic person ever. Flavor-​wise I think it’s right up there with Baked Bear as far as cookie sandwich quality. They even get extra points for being vegan friendly — soy flavors and vegan cookies available. Fun spot and will definitely be back.

Love this cute little place ! Finally an awesome home-​made gelato place in the UTC area. This place is a savior if you want good quality gelato and ice-​cream sandwiches and avoid the traffic and crowds of the UTC mall. Amazing flavors and each one is superb. The ice-​cream sandwiches are great too, but I did not like their cookies as much as their ice cream. They also sell gelato by the pints. Great to store some at home :)… Their mini portions are perfect for a light dessert indulgence on any day of the week without feeling guilty !

Have gone here two times with my wife and could not have been happier. The first time I went, they unfortunately only had peanut butter cookies. Even though I was craving a cookie with chocolate chips or chocolate in it, I decided to go for those fresh PB cookies with some chocolate ice cream and loved every bit of it. The second time around, I kept thinking to myself that if one of my least favorite cookies was so good the first time, how good could the other flavored (with chocolate!) cookies be? I wouldn’t say much better since it’s a matter of preference at this point, but I don’t think I’ve had a bad, average, or even above average cookie. They were all excellent. Not to take away from their ice cream flavors that my wife and I tried (chocolate, coffee, banana nut, peppermint bark), which were just as great.
Definitely a gem to have here, with what I would imagine a constant flow of UCSD students who just want a great stress-​reliever throughout each quarter (even winter, since it doesn’t snow here).

I was really craving some dessert late at night, and out of the places in the area that were still open, this seemed to be the best option. It wasn’t too busy when I got here, and so I got to try a couple flavors from their fairly large selection before settling on a mini cookie sandwich with soy vanilla ice cream and a gluten-​free chocolate chip cookie.
The soy vanilla ice cream was ok — the texture wasn’t as smooth as I would’ve liked, but maybe that’s just because it was soy. I was, however, pretty disappointed by the cookie. It wasn’t warm at all and it was also super hard. In addition, I found it strange that they chose to break the cookie into pieces and stick the pieces into the ice cream… I mean, doesn’t that defeat the purpose of calling it a cookie sandwich?
Overall, this place did not meet my expectations — both the ice cream and cookie were subpar. I didn’t like the «eco-​friendly spoons,» either, which might seem like a trivial complaint until you actually try using them. Honestly, the only reasons why this place isn’t getting just 2-​stars are the chill service and reasonable pricing. But even these redeeming factors don’t, in my opinion, warrant a trip back.

So where do I start?
I’ve grown up with Diddy Riese and Cream and this just did not compare. The lady running the shop was incredibly nice … but that’s about it.
(+1) For having gluten free and vegan options. I’m neither but have plenty of friends who have food allergies that could finally eat here! I am slightly lactose-​sensitive (and have Soy milk products) so it was very refreshing to see a coconut-​milk based ice-​cream.
(-1) For very very hard cookies. I’m talking about rock hard. An ice-​cream sandwhich is virtually inedible if cookies are that hard.
(-1) basically $ 5 for a sandwich. Maybe I’m showing my age — but wasn’t CREAM like $ 2.25?!
Overall — i might give it another shot due to the proximity of the establishment to Regent’s but that’s about it.

Baked Bear, CREAM, or Lil’ Dipper? Which DIY ice cream sandwich shop shall your dessert tummy desire these days?
I appreciate Lil’ Dipper’s effort in trying to break into this market, but sadly the pillar of this product, the cookie itself was substandard. I ordered a standard cookie sandwich (at $ 3.75) with caramel swirl ice cream, a snickerdoodle, and chocolate chip cookie. Unlike Baked Bear’s fresh cookies that are warm and pliable, these cookies were hard, which made biting into the sandwich a colossal mess!
As others have noted, they need to turn on their AC. Even though it wasn’t very warm on my visit, inside it was still very hot and stuffy. The lady working behind the counter was very friendly and offered us samples. In the end, maybe next time I’m in the neighborhood I’ll just get the ice cream and skip the sandwich making.

Okay, I’m sad to take down my rating a few notches, but it had to be done. I’ve visited the shop on two more occasions since my initial review and 3 things have come up, which adversely affect my rating. Here they are in no particular order:
1. The paper spoons and lack of cones are actually a deal breaker for me. Like, it’s really bad, folks. I would even pay 10 cents more or even a quarter if given the option, so that I could have a normal plastic or even wooden spoon. Last
Time I was there, I happened to have an extra plastic spoon from the Whole Foods hot bar and that saved the day! The paper spoon is clumsy and requires you to push up on both sides while scooping it from the cup and into your mouth and then
It just sort of falls open in your mouth with each bite and you have to reassemble it before taking another bite. It really is bothersome to the eating experience. Also, I’m a cone girl since I always am the one driving. I want to be able to enjoy my ice Cream on a sugar cone, and when I can’t do That and I HAVE to use those paper spoons, I get grumpy.
2. I visited the store on three unseasonably warm September/​October evenings. There was no AC inside the shop on any of my visits and it grew uncomfortably warm inside. I’m curious how it will be during the Fall/“winter” months.
3. I’m not sure if this related to the lack of AC on warmer days or if it’s a separate freezer temperature issue, but on my last 2 visits, my ice cream was melting and dripping immediately after it was scooped into the cup. The ones I was carrying for my husband and son dripped all the way to the car and made a total mess inside my car. I found myself inhaling my ice
Cream to avoid making any more
Of a mess, and this is no Bueno! I want to enjoy eating my ice cream, not drink it!
If any of these Things end up changing, I will change my review/​rating.

Unlimited samples, average taste.
You could taste the salt, but not the caramel in Salted Caramel. (This is compared to SF’s Bi-​Rite Creamery).
Huckleberry Heaven tasted fruity, sweet, but lacked natural taste.
I would recommend getting your ice cream with a cookie, not a scoop.
The ice cream at Hammond’s Ice Cream (North Park) has a much better taste.

UCSD kids and La Jolla don’t need to look any further for ice cream sandwiches. Or really, just the ice cream. Baked bear is nice, but this local joint rivals it in convenience and tastiness.
I would recommend this as a light dessert after regents pizza, so their mini ice cream sandwich is a fantastic fit! I’m a big fan of the mint chip and their fudge cookies. Plus the staff is super friendly! An experience you don’t want to miss. Also, check out their sample spoons. Pretty rad stuff.

What an interesting experience… This small ice cream shop is certainly mislabeled on Unilocal,there’s only ice cream no frozen yogurt. I was hoping for some better non dairy options, considering they have an entire separate pricing scheme for non dairy ice cream and sandwiches! We got rocky road/​chocolate chip cookie half sandwich, and I also ordered the coconut vanilla and snicker doodle cookie half sandwich.
Instead of being an actual half a sandwich, they just give you a cup of ice cream and stick two halves of the cookie inside. Definitely not a sandwich!
Not comparable to baked bear or CREAM, they have way more options and better texture of cookies. And the vibe in there is… Awkward. The employees don’t seem entirely trained in talking with people and customer service.
A strange, not particularly satisfying ice cream stop, but it’s always an intriguing gamble when trying somewhere new!

On a recent trip to Un Mundo for some hot burrito action, I noticed that Regents Plaza has a new ice cream sandwich shop. I should say «barely noticed» given how small the sign is; it’s not really readable from the street. Lil’ Dipper’s arrival is exciting because the immediate area was going through an ice cream drought for a while during the time of the frozen yogurt fad. (Down with froyo fascism!) So with this and Sloan’s in the mall, ice cream lovers can return from being second-​class dessert citizens.
Upon walking in, I see «organic» this and «organic» that. Sigh. Eye roll. I won’t dock Lil’ Dipper for this because it’s hardly the only sinner in this regard, but chemistry 101: everything that has carbon is organic. So if there were such a thing as «inorganic» ice cream, I’d be a little frightened. Because it might be ice cream from a planet where life is silicon-​based.
As other reviewers have said, the owner lady is super nice and helpful as are her UCSD undergraduate (I assume) minions. I ordered a sandwich comprised of banana walnut ice cream squeezed between one oatmeal raisin and one snickerdoodle cookie. All three components tasted good and fresh, with the cookies sufficiently soft (unlike competitor CREAM). The fact that both the ice cream and the cookies do not seem to be made in-​house kind of disappointed me however. The ice cream being Double Rainbow (and other brands) is kind of standard for ice cream shops, but I would have hoped that at least the cookies were made on the premises. Nonetheless, an overall solid product that impressed me more than CREAM although not as much as Baked Bear. Consider this 3.5 stars rounded up due to its great price and the fact that its opening eases the acquisition of ice cream for my lazy behind.
Summary: When Lil’ Dips, you dip, we dip.

Awesome dessert place right next to UCSD! Similar to Diddy Riese in LA, and Baked Bear (also in SD), they specialize in ice cream sandwiches. They are open late (til midnight!) and parking is free and easy after 5:30pm since it’s the only thing open late in that plaza. (LOVE that convenience!)
I’m always worried about ice cream sandwiches because they’re either overwhelmingly sweet, or the cookie is just plain hard. It’s also messy and I have trouble with that… NO SUCH PROBLEMS HERE!
I had the seasonal pumpkin flavor with a Snickerdoodle cookie. It was an awesome combination! The cookie was nice and soft, and they had a «mini» option so you get one scoop with one cookie split in half, in a cup. This runs you less than $ 3!
The service was incredible. We had a large group, and the owner was taking on all our sampling requests with a smile on her face the whole time. I was pretty impressed. She’s genuinely very sweet and encourages you to try as much as you want. Definitely check this place out!
Also, plus points for the eco-​friendly spoons! :)

Lil’ Dipper is gourmet ice cream sandwich shop that just opened recently in La Jolla. It is a cute shop in the same plaza as Evian Salon & Day Spa.
Lil’ Dipper is known for their organic ice cream, vegan frozen dessert as well as cookies (including gluten free and vegan). I got the Oatmeal Cinnamon Raisin cookie and the Pistachio Organic Ice Cream. YUM and DELICIOUS!
There’s a plaza across the street that has Regents Pizzeria, Starbucks, and Einstein Bros Bagels. To find out more information about Lil’ Dipper:
— Webpage and Menu —
— Facebook Page —
ENJOY!

Ice cream tastes creamy and there’s a nice variety of flavors. I ordered the mini sandwich (one cookie split in half with ice cream) and felt that the portion was just right; I can’t imagine getting the two cookie sandwich!
I ordered a chocolate chip cookie with a the huckleberry ice cream, and it was a good combination of a simple cookie with the creamy fresh ice cream. However, the cookie was quite hard which led to difficulties in eating the ice cream sandwich as a sandwich without just squashing all of the ice cream out of the sides. Also, the concoction was waaaaay too sweet for my taste. I wish that something would be less sweet (either the cookie or the ice cream) so that I could finish the whole thing without craving milk or coffee.
All in all, it’s closer than PB’s CREAM or Baked Bear, and I think I’ll be coming back. Lil’ Dipper validates 1 hour of parking in their lot, so if you go in the middle of the day it could be a great pickme up before/​after class :)

Fresh baked cookies AND organic ice cream from San Francisco?! I was sold just walking up to the UC’s newest ice cream shop. Their specialty? Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches — pick your flavor and smother it between fresh baked cookies of your choice.
Lots of flavors to choose from — really liked the coffee and the white pistachio (highly recommend). I got to be really lucky that they were giving out free scoops since today is their grand opening. I’ll definitely be coming back — an extremely nice addition to the UC area!