Avocado ice cream in Da Lat: where to try kem bo and how to order

Before ordering, ask about serving sizes and extras. If you prefer it less sweet, say so before the avocado is blended. Start with a shop near where you’re already spending time, then decide on extras such as durian.

Where to find avocado ice cream in Da Lat

Vietnamese media call the stretch of Nguyen Van Troi near the market (Xuan Huong - Da Lat ward, formerly Ward 2) the “avocado ice cream street,” and older reports describe several long-established shops here. It’s an easy walk from Da Lat Market. For main meals, see where to eat in Da Lat.

Avocado ice cream inside Da Lat Market

Before the Nguyen Van Troi shops, kem bơ was sold at small stalls inside the market. A 2018 profile described Cô Huyền’s stall there; its current location and menu need checking. If you’re already shopping, ask at the dessert stalls. Before making a special trip, check whether Cô Huyền’s stall is still operating. If you come across a stall or cart selling kem bơ while you’re at the market, ask the price before you order.

How do you order?

• The basic glass: just ask for “một ly kem bơ” (one avocado ice cream): blended avocado below, a scoop of ice cream on top. Some places add shredded dried coconut or roasted peanuts.
• Ice cream flavor: coconut is the usual choice, and some places use vanilla. Ask what they have if you want a change.
• Durian: kem bơ sầu riêng adds durian, either blended in or as a scoop of durian ice cream. It isn’t always available, so ask first.
• Sweetness: the avocado is usually blended with condensed milk. For a less sweet version, ask before the avocado is blended (“ít ngọt”).
• How to eat it: stir the avocado and ice cream together, or dip spoonfuls of ice cream into the avocado to taste each separately.

How much does a glass cost?

Reports from 2022-2023 gave VND20,000-30,000 depending on glass size; that is not a current menu price. If you add durian or an extra scoop, ask what it costs when you order. To plan your whole trip, try our Da Lat trip cost calculator.

Dairy-free or allergies: what to ask before you order

It is usually not dairy-free: the avocado mixture often contains condensed milk, and the ice cream may contain dairy too, even coconut ice cream at some places. If you avoid dairy, ask about both the blended avocado and the ice cream.

If you have allergies, ask about dairy, coconut, durian and any peanuts sprinkled on top. For tips on ordering and asking prices at casual eateries, see the ordering, prices and vegetarian section of our food guide.

When should you go?

If you’d rather not eat something cold in the evening, stop by after lunch near the market; for an evening visit, check the shop’s hours first. Lunch ideas are in the lunch section of our food guide.

If you want to linger, ask the shop when it’s usually quiet; reports from 2019-2022 describe people waiting for tables on weekend evenings. Da Lat nights get chilly, so bring a warm layer for ice cream after dark; typical temperatures are in our guide to Da Lat weather in October.

Which avocados, and when is the season?

Not every glass in Da Lat uses Da Lat-grown fruit: in 2022, Phụng said it bought avocados from Bao Loc and Dak Lak. The avocado harvest in Lam Dong runs roughly from April to November. To find out where a shop’s avocados come from, ask when you order.

Buying avocados to take home

• Ripeness: don’t go by skin color or the stem alone. To eat it right away, pick fruit that yields slightly when you press it gently in your palm, and skip any that feel mushy. For a long journey, tell the seller which day you plan to eat it so they can pick the right ripeness.
• Storage: let firm fruit ripen at room temperature, out of the sun. Once ripe, keep it in a sealed bag in the fridge and eat within about 3 to 4 days. Ask the price per kilo and per variety, since prices shift through the season.
• Flying abroad: see what travels well and what customs may stop and check your destination’s rules.

For gifts that keep longer, see our guides to Da Lat dried persimmons and the night market’s dried goods stalls.

If a shop has closed, moved or changed its hours, let us know through the contact page.