I have only recently hopped on the Halo Top bandwagon, but now that I have, it’s like I’ve developed a strangely specific radar for the stuff. I see it everywhere now. Case in point: I spotted some news today that a Halo Top “secret menu” will be available at the new HT Scoop Shop location opening in Los Angeles this month — and I was drawn to the headline like a proverbial moth to the flame. I couldn’t not click it. Help me, for I am weak. And also a sucker for ice cream.
In any event, here’s the deal: Halo Top will open its second Scoop Shop in the Westfield Century City shopping mall on April 24 — and when it does, it will be unleashing a glorious secret menu upon the world to celebrate the occasion. Of course, one could make the argument that it isn’t really a secret menu, given that they’re, uh, already disseminating information about its existence — but as far as opening day promos go, this one is pretty good. Nothing draws crowds like secret menus, and when you combine that idea with the phenomenon that is Halo Top? Well, it’s probably going to be a winning strategy.
....Or at least, a more winning strategy than that commercial that seriously creeped everyone out.
Anyway.
After quickly becoming a grocery store staple, Halo Top opened its first Scoop Shop in November of 2017. Located at the Westfield Topanga shopping mall in Canoga Park, Calif., the Scoop Shop gave the ice cream parlor experience a Halo Top twist: You can order everything from a single scoop in a cup to an ice cream taco featuring either classic Halo Top or its soft serve cousin. If you go the cone route, you’ve got your choice of cake, sugar, waffle, or puffle cones; there’s also a toppings bar that’s truly a thing of beauty.
It’s true that the flavor variety available in the shop setting is a bit more limited than it is when you’re staring at the wide, frozen expanse of your grocery store’s freezer section, but there’s still something for pretty much everyone: If soft serve is your jam, you can grab Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Pistachio, Peanut Butter, and/or Cake Batter; meanwhile, classic scooped options include Vanilla Bean, Cinnamon Roll, Sea Salt Caramel, Red Velvet, Caramel Macchiato, Peanut Butter Cup, Cookie Dough, and/or Pancakes and Waffles.
Interestingly, though, just as the Scoop Shop concept itself isn’t new, neither is the idea of a Halo Top Scoop Shop secret menu: One was available at the original Westfield Topanga location when it opened in November. Krista Torres and Christopher Hudspeth of BuzzFeed actually went to taste test some of the options available at the time, including a chocolate-flavored black puffle cone with soft serve pistachio, a red velvet puffle cone with chocolate ice cream, and a pink and teal tie-dyed waffle cone with vanilla soft serve; the verdict was generally good, although admittedly, it’s the one item they mentioned, but didn’t get to try that was the most intriguing: Churro-style waffle cones.
However, the new secret menu — the one that’s launching to celebrate the opening of the Century City location — looks to be a bit more… uh… punched up than the old one. In fact, according to The Daily Meal, they’re “designed to be visually stunning” — which, let’s be honest, means they’re basically made for Instagram. Right now, only details about one of the special sundaes that will be on offer (for those who know to ask for them!) have been released; called the Stardust Sundae, it consists of vanilla soft serve dished up in a black, purple, blue, turquoise, and pink-swirled waffle cone and topped with “holographic” vanilla sauce (whatever that means), starry sprinkles, and a “rock candy crystal wand.” Delish described it as a “divine mashup of David Bowie, Lisa Frank, and edible glitter,” and honestly, I have never felt more seen by a food item before in my life.
But although that's all we know now, you can bet that more details about other secret menu options will make their way into the world following the Scoop Shop’s opening on April 24 — courtesy largely of social media, I’m sure.
Oh, and hey, there’s an opportunity for free ice cream in all this, too: According to Elite Daily, the first 50 people in line at the Century City location when it opens on April 24 will get a free Stardust Sundae — but even if you’re not one of the first 50, the location will still be offering free soft serve and ice cream from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. PT that day. Yes, please.
Not in Southern California? No worries; according to Delish, Halo Top has plans to open more Scoop Shops in other cities over the next few years as it expands its frozen dessert empire — and I, for one, can’t wait.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a pint of Green Tea Mochi in the freezer, and it’s calling my name.
