There are some things in life worth waiting for.
Last fall, everyone in town was waiting for the new PTA movie, Licorice Pizza. I watched on Instagram as it became a trend to post pictures of the marquis and memorabilia at The Village Regent— the first theatre to show the film here in LA. Those in the various Hollywood guilds were invited to early screenings, and their IG stories received extra strong attention, leading to the FOMO of fans desperate to see the film in 70mm before the print got dirty.
I have to say, I quite enjoyed the early screening myself…
But I just couldn’t stay for the Q&A.
If you haven’t already gathered— I am a pretty hungry guy.
And after watching Licorice Pizza (a movie literally named after food), I really couldn’t ignore my sweet tooth any longer.
Rather than suffer through the unintelligible ramblings of a wannabe film critic in the audience, who will undoubtedly begin their “question” with a list of bragging rights about seeing the director’s entire filmography on celluloid….
I decided I’d rather be waiting in line across the street at Diddy Riese, interested in the more apt proposition:
“Cup or Cone?”
And trust me— you’ll be waiting. This quintessential Westwood ice cream spot has been a staple of the UCLA neighborhood since its construction in 1983, and despite the extremely efficient service, there always seems to be a line out front that stretches down the block.
But your wait will not be in vain:
Diddy Riese offers some of the best, most affordable handmade cookies in town.
Whereas most ice cream shops in LA will charge you upwards of $7 for a chipwhich, Diddy Riese offers you a sizable cookie sando for only four bucks! If you feel like more of a glutton, single cookies are for sale a la carte at a staggering $.50 a piece.
Let me be clear: this is not the fancy, giant, $4 chocolate chip cookie you’ll find at Go Get Em Tiger.
These are grandma’s cookies. They’re sweet, a little tough, and made with love. A cookie like this is the perfect pair with a sugary store bought ice cream like Dreyer’s, which happens to be the type of ice cream Diddy stocks in-house.
I had a great time watching Licorice Pizza— but the real enjoyment came from watching my intuition pay off. As a hoard of PTA fans fresh from the Q&A meandered to the back of the already growing line at Diddy Riese, I Kobe’d my crumpled up waxpaper into a nearby trashcan, got in my car, and drove back to the east-side.
Diddy Riese
926 Broxton Avenue
Westwood, CA 90024
M - T Closed
W - Th 12PM - 11PM
F - Sat 12PM - 12AM
Sun 12PM - 11PM$
Parking: Street (digital meter), Paid lot (cash)
My Order: Cookie Sandwich - 2x Chocolate Walnut cookies, Cookies and Cream
Pro Tip: They also make Hawaiian Shaved Ice, which makes it easy to take someone with you who can’t do dairy.
Pairs Well With: Regency Village Theatre (128 feet), Ahhs! The Ultimate Gift Store (.3 Miles)
For all the times I've gone to the Village Regent, I've never gone to Diddy Riese????