The Story Behind Little Damage’s Perfectly Pitch-Black Soft Serve
Tasty desserts are marvelous, but ones that also look perfect on Instagram are even better.
Little Damage's gorgeous soft serve ice cream cones fit both descriptions. Located in Downtown Los Angeles, they're all about serving up not just ice cream, but an experience, with attitude.
We reached out and got to speak with Little Damage marketing director Melinda Salvatera about what makes their desserts so Insta-Worthy, and why every visit to their shop is one worth remembering.
The Inspiration
Melinda Salvatera: Founder Jenny Damage's favorite dessert is ice cream. She wanted to market her favorite dessert with a new and unique approach, hence black ice cream. A lot of the ice cream flavors stem from our childhood and are inspired by various cultures. We have a wild imagination. Our menu is based on our moods. We choose what we feel is right at the time.
The Vision
MS: We envision Little Damage to be a place where treasured memories are made. Whether it be a first date, family outing, or your go-to lunch break, we wish every visit to be a memorable one. We allow you to capture all of the best moments with our free photo booth inside. We want all ice cream lovers to rejoice and have fun with while eating ice cream. We wanted to incorporate important aspects of DTLA, such as food and dessert, fashion, culture and more.
The Quality
MS: It's fresh. Preparing our ice cream is a labor of love. We accept only the best taste, and to ensure the quality you deserve, we prepare ice cream daily in small batches, using local ingredients supplied by organic dairy farmers. Our signature black cones are naturally colored with activated charcoal, and hand-rolled minutes before you get one.
The Neon Signs
MS: "I Licked It, So It's Mine" was inspired by adorable kids who are territorial with their ice cream. "Cute But Psycho, But Cute"—well, we all know we all have a little crazy in us. And "I Like Love You" shows how powerful the word love can be. Let's spread love!
Most Insta-Worthy Dessert
MS: Our dark-colored black ice cream and waffle cones are what make us stand out. Both are naturally colored with activated charcoal.
Tastiest Dessert
MS: Rather than offering a conventional selection, we offer unique recipes that allow you to step outside of your comfort zone and get a little adventurous. We rotate our flavors seasonally, so I'd say all of them since they are fresh and unique flavors. We also always offer at least one vegan option to accommodate those who are dairy-free. Currently, we have four flavors. Coffee Caramel is black ice cream with a rich, creamy coffee caramel taste. Kiki & Cream is a light blue ice cream that tastes like cookies and cream. Red Velvet Cupcake looks and tastes like its name suggests. And our Vegan Cookie Butter is light brown ice cream that tastes similar to Cinnamon Toast Crunch.
The Mission
MS: Downtown L.A. is known for its cultural diversity. We wanted to bring our ice cream to this city for everyone and every culture to experience. Most importantly, we'll keep you on your toes by rotating our flavors seasonally and adding featured flavors throughout the year.
To keep up with Little Damage's latest desserts, be sure to follow them on Instagram @little.damage.