Yogurt Express on Lake Murray Boulevard in La Mesa claims the title of San Diego's first self-serve frozen yogurt shop, crafting every flavor in-house from proprietary recipes rather than sourcing from a national soft-serve distributor. The Lake Murray location operates independently of any franchise system, a distinction that allows the kitchen to rotate experimental flavors like Carrot Cake and Salted Caramel alongside staples, contrasting with the fixed menus at national-chain dessert counters near Lake Murray anchors like Brigantine Seafood & Oyster Bar. Customers choose up to four flavors per cup across small through quart sizes, then select from one of La Mesa's largest topping bars, with each add-on portioned into individual 3.25-ounce containers rather than scooped from a shared bin. The shop earned the La Mesa Courier's 2020 Gold designation for best ice cream and frozen yogurt, reinforcing its position in the Lake Murray dessert corridor alongside the sandwich-and-salad lunch programs at Lunch Box Cafe & Deli. The mixing process blends real fruit, chocolate, and nut-butter ingredients directly into each batch before freezing, producing a denser texture than standard aerated soft-serve machines.