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If you’re looking to expand your dessert horizons beyond the fallback ice cream scoops, there are tons of frozen yogurt shops to delight your taste buds. From bold and unusual flavor options to self-serve toppings bars so big they’ll make your head spin, check out some of the most noteworthy places to grab this tasty treat across America, and let us know your favorite froyo joint in the comments.
Known as one of the original frozen yogurt shops to take advantage of the froyo trend, Pinkberry is a shoo-in for this round-up. With locations in 20 countries, it’s nothing short of iconic at this point. The chain offers internationally inspired flavors such as limoncello, cinnamon churro, and tiramisu, making for a menu that sets itself apart from competitors.
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Caramelized pineapple, cider doughnut, Mexican chocolate chipotle, cannoli, and tropical beach cocktail are just some of the flavors of frozen yogurt you can find at Chicago-based Forever Yogurt. The chain also sells smoothies, baked goods, and iced coffee drinks.
While Menchie’s originated in Los Angeles, the chain now operates 540 stores with locations in just about every state. There’s pretty much something for everyone. Menchie’s uses California-certified fresh cow milk in all its dairy offerings, or you can explore dairy-free, plant-based flavors. There’s even sugar-free varieties. Plus, the chain is known for having delicious cake — like ice cream cake, but with frozen yogurt instead.
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Short for “The Country’s Best Yogurt,” TCBY covers some ground to live up to its moniker. The shop has been around for more than 40 years and has grown to more than 250 locations. The menu is separated into health categories including dairy-free, sugar-free, gluten-free, and fat-free. (This year it began promoting froyo made with oat milk.) Also on the menu are banana splits, frozen coffee beverages, cakes, and pies. We can practically feel the sugar buzz from here.
With a team of "flavorologists" developing products using real ingredients, it’s no wonder Yogurtland is one of the most popular chains of its kind. But using real ingredients doesn’t limit the chain’s menu. Patrons can choose from staples such as vanilla and strawberry, or go a little bolder with flavors such as pumpkin pie, black forest cake, red velvet cake batter, maple doughnut, root beer float, and watermelon sorbet — which is made using Sour Patch Kids.
If you find yourself with a sweet tooth in Albuquerque, New Mexico, you’re going to want to head to Olo Dessert Studio. While the restaurant offers cakes, pies, and cookies, the wow factor comes from the frozen yogurt. Customers can choose from a variety of rotating flavors, and toppings abound with go-to items such as sprinkles, fruit, and assorted candies to more eccentric options that include Pop-Tarts, fortune cookies, and Tajin, a chili-lime seasoning.
Yogurtology in South Tampa, Florida, features a pay-by-the-ounce system that many other frozen yogurt shops embrace, but this eatery structures its desserts a bit differently. Customers can satisfy their sweet tooths by putting “bottomings” such as brownies or bite-sized waffles underneath yogurt, which comes in over-the-top flavors such as frosted animal cookie, fluffernutter, and iced lemon pound cake.
Pensacola, Florida-based Wild Honey Frozen Yogurt is not lacking in charm, including a down-home vibe with farmhouse-inspired walls and fresh, local honey for sale. When it comes to variety, Wild Honey makes sure there’s something for everyone no matter what the dietary needs, with dairy-free, gluten-free, low-sugar, and kosher options.
FroyoWorld rotates between 100 flavors at locations in the Northeast. The shop doesn’t just provide options to fill a bowl — patrons can also order a Frookie (a frozen yogurt cookie sandwich) or a Fronino (frozen yogurt doughnut sandwich).
Texas-based Yumilicious has an eclectic menu of yogurt flavors including mango habanero, avocado, rum raisin, and pineapple upside-down cake. The flavors are separated into sweet and tart options, and there are also options for shakes, hot chocolate, and boba tea.
At Arctic Ape Wild Desserts, customers can explore a seemingly endless list of frozen yogurts, ice creams, gelati, custards, Italian ices, and sorbets. With 150 toppings to choose from, this eatery might just be the most customizable dessert experience in all of Texas.
We love a clever and witty store name, and 16 Handles pretty much takes the cake (or frozen yogurt). Aside from its cheeky name — a callback to the John Hughes classic “16 Candles” and how many rotating flavor options are offered — the East Coast chain stands apart with an enticing rewards program. In the flavor department, 16 handles has options such as American apple pie, toasty marshmallow, and birthday cake.
If you’re looking for an entirely self-serve experience, New Jersey’s Let’s Yo! lets you work your own yogurt machines and topping dispensers — and even has self-checkouts, complete with tablets and scales to weigh and price a dessert appropriately. There’s a wide selection of flavors and toppings, with plenty of options on the healthier side.
Who doesn’t love a good themed restaurant? Yogurt Lab’s is science, and it displays its available flavors using a giant periodic table on the wall (pumpkin is Pu, for example). If you want to go all in, there are equations on the wall detailing which flavors and toppings to combine for a tried and true yummy dessert. Yogurt Lab charges by the bowl rather than weight, so customers can feel free to load up on as many toppings as their gluttonous hearts desire.
