By Heather McClure
January 14, 2008

With all the options in San Diego, agreeing on a location for a late-night frozen yogurt run can be difficult. This guide will help you satiate your next craving while keeping your wallets and your tastebuds happy.

Yogurt Express

Yogurt Express

Everything is self-serve, even toppings and samples! Customers pay by the ounce—for a reasonable price—and choose just how much of each flavor and topping they want. The flavors are high quality, as far as consistency and richness are concerned, but often include strange-tasting flavors like marshmallow and cake batter. Yogurt Express offers a stamp card and a student discount and also accepts any competitor’s coupons. (Yogurt Mill’s two-for-one coupons, for instance, are often used at Yogurt Express.)  Although the gas for a 24-minute drive offsets the low prices, Yogurt Express is the best option in terms of cost.

At 30 cents per ounce, a regular sized yogurt costs usually costs between $2.50 and $3.00.

16 miles from campus, 24 minutes away, in La Mesa
Follow the directions to Golden Spoon, but drive for another half mile. End at 6195 Lake Murray Blvd. (on the right side of the street).

4/5 Spoons

The Yogurt Mill

The Yogurt Mill

A San Diegan original, locals love The Yogurt Mill for its Internet coupons that offer a two-for-one deal on any regular yogurt. The Yogurt Mill also accepts any competitor’s coupon. The Yogurt Mill is even farther off the I-8, but the experience is well worth the drive. Fro-yo lovers can look forward to great flavors and massive portions at a reasonable price. Lines are usually fairly long, but all part of the The Yogurt Mill experience—it’s also a testament to the business’ popularity. Try a child’s size and have them double-drop it for an additional 20 cents. It’s heaven in an oversized Styrofoam cup. Cash only.

The size The Yo Mill calls a medium, substantially larger than most mediums, runs for $3.95.
A double-dropped child’s size: $3.20

21 miles from campus, 28 minutes away, in El Cajon. Take I-8 East to Mollison Avenue (exit 18), make a left onto North Mollison Avenue, then a right onto Broadway. End at 935 Broadway.

4/5 Spoons

Golden Spoon

Golden Spoon

Think quality portions and classic flavors. Just up the street from Yogurt Express, Golden Spoon is a minute closer to school, but still quite the drive from campus. Flavors, which always include recognizable favorites, are rotated frequently. Another Golden Spoon is also located in La Jolla, a quick stop off the I-5 for those driving north. A stamp card is an added bonus and double-stamp Tuesdays are even better.

Regular sized yogurt: $2.90

16 miles from campus, 23 minutes away, in La Mesa
Take I-8 East to Lake Murray Boulevard (exit 11), go right on Alvarado Road, then right onto Lake Murray Boulevard. End at 5640 Lake Murray Blvd. (on the left side of the street).

3/5 Spoons

California Yogurt

California Yogurt

Small portions of poor-quality yogurt make California Yogurt one of the least desired options for fro-yo lovers. The toppings display isn’t too appealing, either. Most look as though they’ve been in the same plastic bin for close to a year. It is conveniently close to campus, though, just about a quarter of a mile farther than Funnies, depending on the route. Other than location, California Yogurt doesn’t have much going for it. No punch cards, no student discounts and no credit or debit cards. Still, students without cars might find California Yogurt to be one of the only options.

Regular size yogurt: $3.45

4.17 miles from campus, 11 minutes away
Take Catalina Ave. to Nimitz Blvd. Take a slight left onto Nimitz Blvd. and then a slight right onto W. Point Loma Blvd. Take a slight right onto Midway Dr. End at 3615 Midway Dr. (in the shopping center with Ralph’s and JoAnn Fabrics).

Funnies

Funnies

This colorful location sells the most expensive of yogurt options, but arguably the most unique. Among its selection of regular flavors, Funnies offers “Toffutti,” a yogurt made from tofu, and “No-moo,” a lactose-free yogurt. Although Funnies doesn’t have the best variety in flavors and toppings, the ones it does have are of good quality. It’s a bit pricey, but the nearest of fro-yo options. The paintings on the wall and comic-strip-covered tables—hence the name—are funky and create a fun atmosphere.

Funnies doesn’t offer student discounts or punch cards. Cards are a no-go here, too. Medium size yogurt: $3.50

Funnies: 3 miles from campus, 10 minutes away. Follow the directions to California Yogurt, but instead of turning onto Midway, stay on West Point Loma Boulevard. End at 3960 W. Point Loma Blvd. (in the shopping center with Blockbuster and Wahoo’s).

3/5 Spoons

Photos by Bethany Leach