YoloBerry Yogurt to open location at the Silo
The frozen yogurt vendor will fill the space left vacant by the Crêpe Bistro
By AALIYAH ESPAÑOL-RIVAS — campus@theaggie.org
After the closure of Crêpe Bistro in summer 2025, students were left without a place to indulge their sweet tooths. However, the Silo is preparing to welcome a new tenant to fill that niche: YoloBerry Yogurt.
The popular frozen yogurt stop, located in Downtown Davis on C street, offers “gourmet frozen yogurt using the finest high-quality ingredients, ensuring every bite is smooth and creamy,” according to their website.
A public bid for the Crêpe Bistro’s old storefront was posted for potential vendors, according to Kraig Brady, dining services executive director at UC Davis Student Housing and Dining Services. The sole condition was that only cold food service could be provided.
“A year ago, [Crêpe Bistro] gave us notice [that they were closing],” Brady said. “So when we looked at the space, and the opportunity to fill that space, we did not have the means to make it a hot kitchen, so we had to go for a vendor that could only provide cold food service.”
Opened by Lee Pflugrath and Ryan Brand in 2008, YoloBerry Yogurt has become a Davis staple over the years, with Pflugrath and his wife Laura Winton now running the establishment. In November 2024, the couple would go on to open Açai Fresh, which offers both classic açai bowls and customizable bowls for patrons.
Brady explained that in addition to the cold kitchen concept, student input also played a role in choosing the Silo’s new tenant, leading the university to consider healthier options for students.
“From just listening to students and getting feedback from our student employees, they were really talking about missing some sort of what they called a ‘healthy dessert concept,’” Brady said. “We do have some smoothie trucks and other food trucks that participate on campus that are very popular when they roll in. That's how we crafted this from a vision standpoint.”
YoloBerry will offer both frozen yogurt and açai bowls at their Silo establishment. However, unlike the original YoloBerry location, the restaurant will be entirely full-service with electronic kiosks for ordering, instead of self-serve yogurt bowls. Brady attributes this change mainly to space constraints.
“You'll pick the flavor of yogurt, pick the toppings that are available, and then they'll [employees] make it for you, and then they'll give it to you.”
Patrons will have the option between an 8 oz. and 16 oz. bowl that includes three different toppings. They will also get to choose their base of either frozen yogurt (dairy) or açai (non-dairy), and their toppings of choice.
Students will have the option to pay with Aggie Cash at the Silo location only, similar to other food offerings across campus. Students will also have the opportunity to work at the new location, but will be hired through YoloBerry and not UC Davis. Students can apply online on YoloBerry’s website.
YoloBerry did not make itself available for comment before publication. The Silo location is targeting an opening date of Saturday, April 18 (Picnic Day).
Prior to Crêpe Bistro’s opening in 2017, the space was formerly filled by Taco Bell, among other chain restaurants that were previously located in the Silo. In 2016, UC Davis announced they would be ending their contract with Sodexo, a food services and facilities management company that owned many of the restaurants located in the Silo. At that time, the Silo transitioned to university-managed food services.
YoloBerry’s arrival marks the first time since 2016 that a franchise has opened on campus, excluding UC Davis’ partnership with Peet’s Coffee.
“In the future, do we see more national brands coming or more franchises? I don't think so,” Brady said. “I think we're still going to try to continue supporting local businesses. Anytime we have a chance to partner with a local business that works with what our need is, we try to pursue that.”
Written by: Aaliyah Español-Rivas — campus@theaggie.org