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Plastic, Katsuya-like chairs are populated with people of all age eager to dive in to their tangy, sour delights. A colorful display of fresh toppings await beyond the counter and swirls of white, green, pink or purple easily transcend from dessert treat to artistic expression.

Modern, trendy furnishing dominates the interior décor and lines often extend beyond the entrance doors.

Welcome to the craze sweeping across Los Angeles. In January 2005, Pinkberry first opened its doors in West Hollywood, and since its inception, several franchises have been introduced across the county. In the wake of Pinkberry’s success, others have spawned across Los Angeles in hopes of creating their own kind of craze like their predecessor – Snowberry, Dolci Mango, Red Mango, Rosegreen, Yolicious, 21 Choices, Yogurtland, the list can go on.

Today, frozen yogurt has become another staple of the Los Angeles lifestyle. In fact, it’s become a culture of its own with every corner catering to the rising demand of this frozen delicacy.

Though Pinkberry can largely be considered as the “Starbucks” of yogurt, being the most popular and widely known, there are other stores that challenge its legacy by offering more variety.

Dolci Mango is a new yogurt stop offering 11 flavors – Taro, Red Bean, Chocolate, Peanut Butter, Green Tea, Mango Tart, Plain Tart, Pistachio, Sugarfree Blueberry, Honey Dew and Vanilla. Compared to Pinkberry’s three trademark flavors (Plain, Green Tea and recently added Coffee), Dolci Mango is paradise to any yogurt enthusiast. While their variety surely captures the eyes of many customers, it’s the creamy thickness of their yogurt that captures their stomach.

Their yogurt is rich with flavor and since everything is self-serve – from the amount of yogurt to the amount of toppings – one can enjoy as much yogurt as one pleases. If that has not sold you, Dolci Mango offers chocolate syrup and condensed milk, among other available sauces to drizzle on top of your strawberries, bananas, or kiwi.

With the price for mouthwatering deliciousness given at 37 cents per ounce, Dolci Mango seems the most likely candidate to knock off Pinkberry’s empire. Perhaps the only problem with Dolci Mango is the traffic caused by the inevitable indecisiveness one will face when confronted by the yogurt and toppings.

If 11 flavors are still not enough to satiate your needs, Yogurtland offers 27 flavors! That is if you include the non-sugar options for Vanilla and Chocolate.

Yogurtland also carries far more toppings than Dolci Mango or Pinkberry. With cookie dough, brownie bites and cheesecake bites to s’mores, magic stars and sprinkles, Yogurtland is truly a theme park within itself. The yogurt is less thick or creamy than Pinkberry and Dolci Mango but its varied choices definitely make up for what it lacks.

All in all, being that Los Angeles is its own universe, it’s no surprise that L.A. is home to various yogurt “cafes,” a trend this city has given birth to. Different yogurt shops will cater differently to one’s needs but, the underlying fact remains: yogurts are here to stay, and thank goodness for that.

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