Two New Soft Serve Outposts Bring the Art of Frozen Dessert and a Sense of Community to Palos Verdes

For Julie Anthony and her husband, Jason, the idea for Lunada Creamery sprang from the desire to have a local frozen treat shop within walking distance of their house. Prior to making their home in Palos Verdes Estates nine years ago, the Anthonys frequented one of their favorite Los Angeles establishments, The Big Chill, followed by the former Penguin’s (now known as Wanna Chill?) in Redondo Beach.

“What we’re loving most is connecting with the community… We hope people feel welcome when they walk in and feel satisfied when they leave—already planning their next visit.”

“We are such dessert people,” says Julie. “I joke that I would have dessert over dinner. We just love going to new places, and we always seek out the local creameries.”

Upon moving to the South Bay, they longed for the same ritual and dreamed of opening their own business. When a 380-square-foot former Bank of America ATM space became available in Lunada Bay Plaza, they knew that was it. Over the next 15 months, Lunada Creamery was born, appointed with minimalist, clean-lined décor, woven pendant lamps, wooden benches, a quartz counter and a small area for baseball hats and totes.

“Our flavors both for our soft serve and toppings change every week,” says Julie, who has a background in e-commerce. “I have two little ones and we are a health-conscious family, so we’re trying to be very intentional about the ingredients that we offer. We try to make one flavor in-house each week [like all-natural peanut butter], and our goal is to always carry at least one vegan option. We also carry homemade cookie sandwiches and take-home pints in our grab-and-go freezer.”

The toppings bar is equally intentional, with fresh fruit options, vegan cookie dough sourced from a local baker, and apple pie filling—or cinnamon compote likened to Julie’s aunt’s apple pie.

“What we’re loving most is connecting with the community,” explains Julie. “I had a New Yorker stop me the other day and tell me that everything is better in New York, but that our soft serve is the best he’s ever had. It was such a compliment. We hope people feel welcome when they walk in and feel satisfied when they leave—already planning their next visit.”

In Malaga Cove Plaza, Palos Verdes native Katherine Kemps, along with her mother, Gemma, has just opened Neptune’s Frozen Treats in the former RE/MAX office space. Named and designed as a wink to the Plaza’s famous Neptune statue at the fountain, the shop serves up frozen yogurt, sorbet, custard and gelato in a reinvented space lined with white subway tile, coastal-inspired hues, natural wood accents and subtle metallics. There’s also a massive mosaic tile wall installation depicting Neptune’s logo by Jonathan Cohen of Joseph & Sons.

“In many ways, frozen treats are in our family’s blood,” says Katherine, who graduated last year from Southern Methodist University. “My great-great-grandfather, William Henry Kemps, ran Beverly Dairy in Los Angeles and Kemps Ice Cream in the Midwest, and our family name is still tied to the ice cream industry. I grew up surrounded by that history and always dreamed of creating something that honored it while reflecting who we are today. Creating Neptune’s Frozen Treats feels like coming full circle. After graduating, I was ready to dive into something of my own, but also something we could build together as a family.”

Neptune’s rotating flavors (posted on its website and Instagram) span cookies n’ cream, espresso, non-dairy oat milk vanilla and vegan mango sorbet, while toppings range from hearty cheesecake bites and fresh blackberries to toasted coconut flakes and chocolate wafer straws.

“We want Neptune’s to be a place that feels like home,” adds Katherine, “a place where kids celebrate after soccer, teens hang out after school and families stop by for a treat together. It’s about joy, connection and a sense of belonging. In a world that moves so fast, we wanted to create a space where people can slow down.”