43 Best Ice Cream Shops in Washington

“We were so excited to have Mr. Charles of Everyday Sundae be part of our wedding weekend. After we got engaged, we stopped by his ice cream shop that night for a treat, and from that moment, we knew we had to work with him for our special day. Having Everyday Sundae at our pre-wedding park day/cookout was such a fun and personal touch. Everyone was so surprised and absolutely loved the raspberry sorbet and Everyday Sundae’s signature bourbon truffle ice cream. It was a huge hit with our guests! Working with Mr. Charles was super easy—he’s professional, reliable, and was genuinely excited to be part of our wedding weekend. His warm personality and charm added so much to the event, and we couldn’t be happier to have included him in our wedding festivities. We love Mr. Charles and highly recommend Everyday Sundae for anyone looking to add a fun, personal touch to their event!“

“Great service, clean, and delicious! Definitely a great treat!“

“Love the quality of the ice cream the candy apples are amazing The fudge is outstanding.“

“While on a food tour, we went past Yala. We had to come back the next day when we had time and we were so thrilled that we did! Not only is the store beautiful, the story of the ice cream is as well. Got to meet the owner and was served by Daniel- the sweetest and nicest young man who offered us samples! That made the decision even harder!! 🤣 Not only delicious, but made with love. Just sad I live almost 3 hours away (but probably better for my waistline). Run, don’t walk when you’re in Georgetown for this scrumptious ice cream!“

“A friend recommended this restaurant and the waiter was very helpful in choosing our appetizers and meals, and also provided excellent wine pairings. We even had a little chat with the other guests“

“I stopped by Pitango for dessert, and it definitely hit the spot! 😋 I tried two flavors: Stracciatella (vanilla with chocolate chips) and Fondente (dark chocolate). I don't usually eat gelato, so I was pleasantly surprised by the creaminess. The service was excellent; I wasn’t sure what to choose, but the cashier helped me by offering samples and sharing details about each flavor I tried. One of the chocolate flavors I sampled was incredibly rich and chocolatey—it's water-based and vegan-friendly, which was a first for me! The restaurant was nice, clean, and had indoor seating that could accommodate several people, but I decided to take my treat to go.“

“As a former pastry chef I find Jubilee to be an Exceptional tasting ice cream. I was super impressed, and Fell in love with the sweet potato and candy molasses. Crave it even! It was evident to me that they use Quality ingredients, decadent flavor profiles with lots of Creativity.“

“The gelato I had was absolutely delicious! While it wasn't as creamy as Pitango's, I really enjoyed the variety of flavors they offered. I ordered a three-flavor cup and chose Black and White Cookie Batter, Dark Chocolate Fudge, and Dulce de Leche Chip. Each flavor was delightful! The restaurant was quite busy, which was a good sign considering its prime location near shopping stores and not far from Chinatown. There was plenty of seating available for customers to sit and savor their treats or coffee. Despite the crowd, the cashiers did an excellent job attending to everyone and even offered samples.“

“I recently bought the Earl Grey Tea and Berry Cornbread at my local Kroger store and was blown away! The richness and the flavor profiles were out of this world, especially the latter flavor of the two. It’s dangerous to know the Kroger store is only five minutes from my house. I’ll definitely be trying other flavors.“

“The gelato I had was absolutely delicious! While it wasn't as creamy as Pitango's, I really enjoyed the variety of flavors they offered. I ordered a three-flavor cup and chose Black and White Cookie Batter, Dark Chocolate Fudge, and Dulce de Leche Chip. Each flavor was delightful! The restaurant was quite busy, which was a good sign considering its prime location near shopping stores and not far from Chinatown. There was plenty of seating available for customers to sit and savor their treats or coffee. Despite the crowd, the cashiers did an excellent job attending to everyone and even offered samples.“

“I love the hot cocoa from Dolci Gelati at the National Zoo for Zoo Lights. I bought 1 for me and 1 for a friend & went back again for a second night for more on the last night of Zoo Lights. Whipped cream, chocolate & caramel syrup is added to the top. It’s the best treat on a cold winter night or day at the zoo. Thank you!! I’ll keep coming back & bring friends.“

“Love the quality of the ice cream the candy apples are amazing The fudge is outstanding.“

“I just wanted to give a shout out to this great business! They provided ice cream (with all the fixins') to my residents during our educational/wellness event. The customer service was great and the ice cream was delicious 😋. Be sure to treat yourself to them if you're ever in the area.“

“Amazing staff with an amazing mission!“

“Don't miss out on this little gem! The employee was incredibly kind and welcoming. The ice cream was out of this world. You must try out honey graham! There was also an area to buy small-business made items such as cook books, spices, sauces, and jewelry. It is obvious that each item for sale in the little shop was chosen with care and great thought.“

“The vegan options are great!!!“

“Fantastic way for both 2- and 4-legged friends to celebrate a pup’s birthday! Shantee is the best — super friendly and helpful - thank you!“

“I’ve been to Alfreda multiple times now and just recently had the welcome party for my wedding here and it was phenomenal from start to finish. The food was perfect thanks to Chef Russell and the team took great care of my family and me. Highly recommend Alfreda!“

“Top-notch burger. The patty was juicy with crispy edges, the chopped toppings were flavorful and fresh, cutting through the richness of the beef. The bun did not become soggy mess, and was perfectly buttery and toasted.

Edit: The Ube soft serve is worth a second visit. Gorgeous silky texture, not too sweet, deep Ube flavor and the toasted coconut topping is a delicious addition.“

“MDI has the most delicious ice cream and you can really taste the care and quality ingredients that go into the product. Interesting array of flavors, amazing texture and mouthfeel, and I love that this place is not afraid to get adventurous with flavors. Black Sesame--yum! At the same time, their most simple, traditional flavors are among my favorites--Strawberry and Cookies and Cream are absolutely delightful. I appreciate that this place continues to keep their prices very reasonable, especially given how crazy expensive food has gotten in 2024. The staff is helpful and kind and I love supporting this anchoring neighborhood spot! A favorite weekly tradition!“

“Their Ethiopian pizza is incredible! Chewy, crispy crust, loaded with flavorful toppings. It comes with hot honey that is a perfect compliment to the pizza and a green sauce which is really good too. You can get half and half two different styles of pizza if you can't decide.

Service is great too. Order at the counter, the staff are very helpful and so nice. The music can be a little loud inside but they have a great outdoor seating area when the weather is nice.“

“Happy Ice Cream is a small street-side cart serving a limited but fantastic selection of ice creams. I tried the NOLA Coffee, which is a coffee-flavored ice cream with caramel and chocolate cookie.

I absolutely loved it. The coffee flavor was rich and balanced, the caramel added just the right amount of sweetness, and the chocolate cookie rounded up the ice cream really well. The waffle cone was fresh and delicious and brought everything together perfectly.

It was the ideal treat for a hot summer afternoon in DC. I had heard amazing things about this place beforehand, and it definitely did not disappoint. An absolute must-try if you are in the area.“

“I recently bought the Earl Grey Tea and Berry Cornbread at my local Kroger store and was blown away! The richness and the flavor profiles were out of this world, especially the latter flavor of the two. It’s dangerous to know the Kroger store is only five minutes from my house. I’ll definitely be trying other flavors.“

“delicious-quick-friendly!“

“The gelato at Amorino is absolutely delicious! There are so many great flavors to choose from, and everything tastes incredibly fresh. It’s also a fun spot to hang out with friends and family, play board games, and enjoy a sweet treat together. Definitely worth a visit!“

“I stopped by Pitango for dessert, and it definitely hit the spot! 😋 I tried two flavors: Stracciatella (vanilla with chocolate chips) and Fondente (dark chocolate). I don't usually eat gelato, so I was pleasantly surprised by the creaminess. The service was excellent; I wasn’t sure what to choose, but the cashier helped me by offering samples and sharing details about each flavor I tried. One of the chocolate flavors I sampled was incredibly rich and chocolatey—it's water-based and vegan-friendly, which was a first for me! The restaurant was nice, clean, and had indoor seating that could accommodate several people, but I decided to take my treat to go.“

“Seaport, Boston location. Staff MADE SURE I was picking the flavor that I really wanted. They wanted me to feel like a welcome tourist. Mission Accomplished.“

“It's good to very good. Should really be about. 4.3. seriously, Google has to come up with a new measuring system. Had a coffee scoop and a toasted butter something or other. The coffee was OK. Strong coffee flavor. Little bitter. The roasted butter thing was amazing. More of a cold weather ice cream. Not the kind you want on a hot day. Had the waffle cone but should have gone with the cup. The waffle cone is delicate in strength and crumbles easily. It has a strong flavor that overpowered the ice cream. That saying a lot because that toasted butter whatever had a strong flavor on its own. I would go back to try some of the others. It good enough for a visit. Go for the bowl instead of the cone.“

“I recommend the service, fun atmosphere, & the Variety of flavors (though in truth they should have a Dr. Ro’s Fave Flava) somebody tell the mgt.😉.“

“Best gelato we’ve ever had in the States! Truly! This is the real deal. Highly recommend. We’ll be stalking your page with hopes that you’ll be near us again.“

“Date of Visit: Thursday Aug 24th, 2023 Good portions for their ice cream. There were many flavours available. A lot of them had chocolate base/ content. I am not a fan of chocolate and vice versa. I ended up getting pralines and Cream which is my default flavour in these situations. The service was very friendly and helpful. The shop is located right across from the waterfront park – which makes it a great place to enjoy your ice cream. The prices are a bit steep but the volume is high, so I guess it is worth it.“

“While in Georgetown…was in a craving for something sweet and cold. We came upon this delicious ice cream shop and saw this summer flavor of Mango Strawberry Smoothie. When I took a sip of it the flavor was so smoothie with the vanilla ice cream blended with the two flavors. I also have to admit the price was nice and for joining their loyalty program I received 20% off my first order and also a coupon for a mother small ice cream scoop for free. Definitely a summer treat !!!!!“

“Excelente servicio al cliente. Los ingredientes de muy buena calidad y el sabor es delicioso. 100% recomendado.“

“love it there. So much to do and eat. Palette22 drew me there, and I found a great entertainment distinct full of fun times. I plein air painted Morse Alley. Cool spot.“

“So delicious. It stands out from other coffee shops because of its South Asian influence that is manifested in its unique flavors and the overall vibe of the place. Service was very friendly. I recommend the brown butter soft serve (WOW!) or the masala chai. Prices are also better than much of the competition.“

“this has got to be the bedt ice cream I have ever had...the flavors...the cones...the customer service...everything was top notch and I will definitely be back“

“I love Tipsy Scoop, REAL BAD. Ice Cream Cocktail Mixology — 5 stars, I’ll take 100 more classes! Lumiere Ice Cream Cocktail Class was a vibe! We got to meet CEO of Lumiere, Terrence Wheeler, and sampled the vodka and infused ice cream as well. The class is from 11-1 pm so it starts and ends before the shop opens that way we aren’t interrupted during our private session. We were able to try all the flavors that are offered. They have ice cream and sorbet. You make two cocktails in class. The owner Danielle is super sweet! It’s a great class to take with friends. The ice cream is delicious as well! Next class is: ⏳11 - 1pm 💰$65 per person 📍Tipsy Scoop 675 I St NW Washington, D.C. 20001“

“I loved this location and when we got off the boat tour I was so excited to get some gelato and have a view of the water. There was a big selection but employees weren’t super friendly and the gelato wasn’t as creamy as I like. The portions were big but I tossed half of mine“

“We went to the Mono (Georgetown) location and our burgers were excellent. The staff was friendly and the space was clean. There was outdoor seating enjoyed by many, but we chose to sit indoors and people-watch in the charming, bustling area on a Sunday afternoon. Great experience as out-of-towners!“

“I love the hot cocoa from Dolci Gelati at the National Zoo for Zoo Lights. I bought 1 for me and 1 for a friend & went back again for a second night for more on the last night of Zoo Lights. Whipped cream, chocolate & caramel syrup is added to the top. It’s the best treat on a cold winter night or day at the zoo. Thank you!! I’ll keep coming back & bring friends.“

“lunch was delicious and the Gelato was even more delicious deliciouser! 😋 sitting outside across from Kennedy Center was a plus.“

“brought my own baskin robbins ice cream, all 31 flavours, I only got to the 5 flavour at which point 2 men in suits grabbed me, they took me inside the baskin robbins HQ and had a talk with me I came out with a black eye, no toenails, 5 teeth missing and ptsd however the ice cream they serve here I have been told is of excellent quality“