Sweet Cow Cafe - Ice Cream | Bubble Tea | Dessert

Just a heads up this store is open again but seems to be new owners using the old store name and branding, so reviews prior to like Jan 2026 don't apply. They sell a few flavors of ice cream in a single size cup and take only take CashApp or Zelle as payment if you don't have cash. (No card or apple/google pay.) Interior is really barebones compared to what it used to be. No visible menus, flavor labels, or pricing. Decent quantity of ice cream for the money (enough for 2 people,) of average quality (especially compared to Afters, Kinrose, or Wanderlust.)

We used to be regulars at Milk Cow. The soft serve was creamy, decadent, and worth every penny. Then Sweet Cow bought it — and it’s been downhill ever since. First of all, the ice cream? It’s no longer ice cream — it’s ice with a dash of cream, if you’re lucky. Grainy, watery, and disappointing in a way that feels personal. You can literally taste the corporate takeover in every spoonful. It’s like they fired the cows and hired ice cubes. They didn’t just change the name — they changed everything that made Milk Cow special. What was once a hidden gem has now been stripped, rebranded, and sold back to us as a cheap knockoff. And for what? Higher prices and lower quality? The audacity. Honestly, McDonald’s soft serve — yes, McDonald’s — puts this sad Sweet Cow swirl to shame. You could buy two cones there, and they’d still cost less and taste better than the icy disaster you’ll get here. Sweet Cow, if you’re reading this: not everything needs a corporate glow-up. Sometimes, simple and authentic wins. But you didn’t just miss the mark — you lost the map entirely.

A solid spot serving a wide variety of desserts, ice cream, and bubble tea. The soft serve ice cream is good and looks nice. The interior is compact with some seating and very clean. Right across from PCC so lots of students come here at night to hang out and grab dessert. Staff are friendly, and there is even a claw machine too.

This ice cream/dessert/boba shop is a charming little spot across the street from PCC. The shop is clean and tidy, and while there's a kiosk for ordering, we were glad to be able to order from a person. The drinks and desserts are delicious. Overall, a great experience!

The people working here were nice; but they messed up all of our orders 😅. The ice cream was also subpar and cost $12. I asked for less, they made the swirl and then tapped it down for some reason 🥲 unfortunately, not coming back here

Life is like a cup of tea, it’s all about how you make it. ;D With that said let’s begin this review. Milkcow Cafe (est.2013) is a cute little ice cream and tea shop in Pasadena. It’s located along the Historic Route 66 and PCC. Interior design was modern with an eye catching decor and layout. Indoor seats were very limited, but plenty of outdoor seats (back and front). Their menu is mostly flavored ice cream and limited tea drink. I ordered a Mango Green Tea with mango chunks/boba (75% sweetness and ice). It tasted banal and lacks the mango fruity; ice was in small amount that it melted quickly. Therefore, it became a little lukewarm. Next time I will make the necessary adjustment. Server was amiable, patient and professional. Service was on point. They have free wifi. Kiosk order available. Parking was easy. Overall, I had a decent tea drink and I wish I had ordered ice cream instead. I will come back and try other stuff.

Cute little place for some boba and ice cream! Small shop that mostly does pick up orders, there is a bit of seating. Pop ID accepted here like some other businesses, mostly in Pasadena right now. Plenty of street parking. On the pricey side of milk tea. Tried the dirty ube milk hot—it was so creamy and delicious! Would try it less sweet next time. On the pricier side for boba, but pretty high quality. Worth a try.