Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream, the beloved national chain known for making its ice cream fresh on-site daily since 1945, is opening another location in San Diego, this time in Little Italy at 2100 Kettner Boulevard, Suite #1200.
The company’s newest location is set to open in a new upcoming development that will also feature tenants such as The Boy & The Bear, according to documents submitted to the San Diego Department of Environmental Health and Quality. Franchise owner Josh Barton tells What Now San Diego that he is targeting a Spring 2026 opening, just in time for the summer crowds. Barton tells What Now San Diego that this is the only store he is currently working on, but that doesn’t mean the company isn’t making waves within San Diego.
“Currently not working on other leases or locations, but we just launched our Handel’s Ice Cream mobile food truck and will be prominently featured at Viejas Arena and Snapdragon Stadium this fall as we are official sponsors of SDSU athletics,” Barton tells What Now San Diego.
Barton already operates several other Handel’s locations throughout the San Diego area, including in Chula Vista, Hillcrest, Near SDSU, and La Jolla Village. Known for serving over 100 rotating flavors and crafting each batch in-store daily, Handel’s continues to attract loyal fans with its signature offerings like Graham Central Station, Monkey Business, and Banana Cream Pie.
The new Little Italy locations are expected to offer the same high-quality menu that has made the brand a standout across the country. Handel’s was founded in 1945 in Youngstown, Ohio, and has since grown to over 150 locations in 15 states. The brand was named the #1 ice cream in the world by National Geographic and remains a favorite for its generous mix-ins, creative seasonal flavors, and commitment to small-batch freshness.
