Best Gelato in Bull Run

"Navy Yard, Arlington, and U Street With three locations and shelf space in local grocery stores (plus an online shop, where you can get pints shipped nationwide), Ice Cream Jubilee has become a staple since it opened its first DC outpost in 2014. The shop stocks unique flavors like Banana Bourbon Caramel, MarionBerry, and Honey Lemon Lavender, but adds in seasonal offerings and specials for local occasions. For example, coinciding with this year’s Presidential Inauguration, Ice Cream Jubilee launched special flavors to honor the president and vice president, including Biden’s favorite flavor, Vanilla Chocolate Chip, available through the end of July."

"We love a shop with a good story and Ice cream Jubilee is exactly that. The founder, Victoria Lai, would use her spare time on weekends to invent ice cream flavor combinations in her apartment while she was working at the Department of Homeland Security. After following her true passion of creating ice cream, Ice Cream Jubilee was born and now has three locations in DC and several pop up shops in surrounding areas."

"Crisp, clean and fresh, with high ceilings and Adirondack chairs on the front patio overlooking the river, the Yard's Park Ice Cream Jubilee shop makes you feelcool even before you taste the ice cream. Everything is made in small batches, of natural ingredients. Depending on the season, expect mixes such as Mango Habanero, Sweet Potato Pie, Pear and Brandy or Bourbon Caramel."

"This gelato and coffee chain is stylish and delicious, but its stingy servings and cringe-inducing prices landed it at the bottom. Dolcezza has a wide array of earthy, artisan flavors — mascarpone and berries, lemon ricotta cardamom and Thai coconut milk, to name a few — including refreshing sorbettos for the dairy-avoidant. Unfortunately, the largest size amounts to only about two-thirds of a cup of gelato."

"Dolcezza is actually a gelato shop but their coffees just might be better than the cold treats they serve. The beans here come all the way from Stumptown Coffee Roasters in Portland, Oregon and Washington locals absolutely love the taste of those beans. Swing by here for a cup of coffee in the morning and grab a gelato after!"

"Homegrown gelato chain Dolcezza was one of the first shops on the D.C. scene to specialize in unique flavors and artisanal ingredients. Flavors range from the traditional straciatella to black sesame to Swiss tarragon."

"Founder Ray “Pop” Giovanni catered events at the White House and served first lady Eleanor Roosevelt her favorite ice cream. His secret recipes live on in neighboring Alexandria at this classic neighborhood scoop shop."

"Michelin-rated Komi’s vegetarian Greek diner pop-up serves a solid selection of to-go frozen pints from sous chef Ben Brunner that have spawned their own Happy Ice Cream cart. Offerings include freshly spun olive oil gelato with cocoa crumble, strawberry-buttermilk ice cream with polenta crumble, or a Basque cheesecake flavor with strawberry swirl. Order takeout pints Tuesday to Saturday, 5:30 p.m."

"Old Town’s latest sweet spot is Goodies Frozen Custard & Treats, a 1950s-inspired soda fountain serving legendary Wisconsin-style frozen custard and nostalgic treats from Commerce Street’s historic Ice House. Owner Brandon Byrd (pictured above) debuted the brick-and-mortar space in late spring 2021, and he and his team serve up decadent desserts like caramel-drizzled donutwiches from 12 to 6 p.m., Thursdays through Sundays."

"Alexandria and in a food truck around DCIt used to be pretty difficult to track down this roving custard truck. But now that Goodies has settled into a 90-year-old renovated ice house in Old Town Alexandria, you always know where to find Wisconsin-style custard. The shop will sell you its rich custard on its own in a dish or on a cone, but Goodies is really known for its over-the-top sundaes."

"The options are endless, from cookies to cakes to pies—founding chef Christina Tosi was even featured on Netflix’s Chef’s Table for her culinary creations at this award-winning bakery. She is known for putting a playful and cheeky spin on your favorite home-style desserts, where some of the more legendary creations include the iconic Cereal Milk™ soft serve (made with milk, brown sugar, and a little bit of cornflakes which—yes—tastes just like childhood, a.k.a. the milk at the bottom of a bowl of cereal), naked layer cakes (you can actually see all of the moist and spongy layers through the transparent container), cake truffles, assorted cookies, and more!. If you’re celebrating a special occasion, order a chocolate caramel pretzel cake or their famous birthday cake for the road."

"The female-owned award-winning bakery single-handedly made vanilla birthday cake with rainbow funfetti sprinkles an acceptable treat 365 days a year. Christina Tosi is the mastermind behind the delightful treats. If your lover isn’t so big on Valentine’s Day maybe you can make them chuckle by celebrating an entirely different holiday-day – even if it’s not either"

"Momofuku's DC outpost is always poppin, and these swirled up treats are perfect for the Insta and for maximum enjoyment. Check out their birthday cake truffles for some more yums."

"diner chain Ted’s Bulletin opened its first location with a sleekr, modernized design in in Ballston in 2019, pairing it with sibling bakery Sidekick. In addition to treats like Ted’s tarts (aka gourmet Pop-Tarts), cookies, and cinnamon toast crunch banana bread, Sidekick is known for its inventive “fancy croissants.” Example: a Frostee and Fries croissant stuffed with a malt chocolate and french fry cream and topped with a dark chocolate glaze and potato chip pieces."

"Order online for curbside pickup of Sidekick Bakery’s fancy egg sandwiches with asiago and bacon, or treats like root beer floats, cookies, and pop tarts. View this post on Instagram. A post shared by Sidekick Bakery (@sidekickbakery) on Mar 25, 2020 at 7:22am PDT"

"This sibling bakery to Ted’s Bulletin is offering curbside pickup for personal minicakes and soft serve-basd snowdays in flavors like strawberry shortcake, pistachio, and black sesame cookies and cream."

"For more than a century, Swing’s Coffee Roasters has been part of the Washington, DC coffee scene. It offers both pourover and espresso drinks, as well as two cold brews on custom taps sold year-round. Swing’s prides itself on roasting “ethically-sourced coffees with artisan efforts.” Try the spicy and sweet Golden Milk Latte with turmeric, ginger, lemongrass, and a touch of black pepper, steamed together with milk."

"As the world continues to discuss effective ways to decrease their environmental footprint, many brands are looking for sustainable alternatives. With Mother Nature at the heart of this coffee shop's motto, you can expect reusable cups, paper straws and lots of inspiration to love the planet. Reviewers are fans of their draft lattes, which lean on the sweeter and creamier side."

"Swing’s Coffee is located in the heart of Washington, mere steps from the White House. Swing’s is another shop that roasts its own coffee, and the staff is friendly and knowledgeable. They have a small selection of pastries, but that’s not why you come to Swing’s."

"Restaurateur Hakan Ilhan, the man behind Mirabelle, Ottoman Taverna, and Al Dente, gave this aging steakhouse space a dramatic transformation into a contemporary brasserie intended to lure in droves of millennials. The Swatchroom design includes lush velvet drapes and custom chairs upholstered in leather and plaid. The main dining room — a warm palette of pumpkin, crimson, and rich navy — is anchored by a creamy white fireplace invoking the shape of a Moroccan tagine."

"The Paris Brest is spectacular: a pillowy choux pastry sandwiches sweet hazelnut cream and is topped with a light sprinkling of sea salt. The seasonal profiteroles come in a couple of flavor varieties as well and are a nice portion that you could share but probably won’t want to. View this post on Instagram"

"From the globe lights overhead and the wood floors underfoot, to the woven bistro chairs and the curieux that adorn the walls—most everything you can touch or see or even hear in restaurateur-impresario Stephen Starr’s brasserie is literally imported from France itself. Even with so many great raw bars around town, les fruits de mer are not to be missed. Nor is the steak tartare de parc, which features a tender, sweet filet chopped fine and topped with salty capers and a velvety quail egg."

"Logan Circle’s bustling French bistro is back in action, serving up the comforts of a Parisian meal without leaving home. The burger is one of its simplest pleasures, a double patty covered in melty cheese and a mayonnaise sauce and a side of crispy fries. It’s also offered as a make-at-home meal kit, complete with instructions and a side of potato salad.Cost: $18, order through Caviar or Doordash"

"Le Diplomate brings France’s chic bistro culture to D.C.’s trendy U Street Corridor. Upon entering through its bright blue door frame, the high ceilings, antique decor, and bread-cart centerpiece will have you checking for your..."

"We have just four words: made-to-order ice cream sandwiches. Captain Cookie and the Milkman is truly a gift to Earth—you start by choosing two cookies, then you select the ice cream you’d like to serve as the filling for your sandwich. The cookie options are fun and eclectic, like funfetti, ginger molasses, peanut butter, vegan chocolate chip, and snickerdoodle."

"This local DC brand got its name as a mobile bakery doling out its own brand of cookies, local milk, and knock-out ice cream flavors. Go check out its flagship dairy bar shop during your next DC visit and enjoy a simple, divine local ice cream—you can even sandwich it between a pair of your favorite cookies. Captain Cookie & The Milk Man. 2000 Pennsylvania Ave."

"George Washington University students and Foggy Bottom neighbors alike know this cookie counter serves cookies at almost any time of day. Ask for yours while it’s still hot from the oven."

"The options are endless, from cookies to cakes to pies—founding chef Christina Tosi was even featured on Netflix’s Chef’s Table for her culinary creations at this award-winning bakery. She is known for putting a playful and cheeky spin on your favorite home-style desserts, where some of the more legendary creations include the iconic Cereal Milk™ soft serve (made with milk, brown sugar, and a little bit of cornflakes which—yes—tastes just like childhood, a.k.a. the milk at the bottom of a bowl of cereal), naked layer cakes (you can actually see all of the moist and spongy layers through the transparent container), cake truffles, assorted cookies, and more!. If you’re celebrating a special occasion, order a chocolate caramel pretzel cake or their famous birthday cake for the road."

"The female-owned award-winning bakery single-handedly made vanilla birthday cake with rainbow funfetti sprinkles an acceptable treat 365 days a year. Christina Tosi is the mastermind behind the delightful treats. If your lover isn’t so big on Valentine’s Day maybe you can make them chuckle by celebrating an entirely different holiday-day – even if it’s not either"

"Momofuku's DC outpost is always poppin, and these swirled up treats are perfect for the Insta and for maximum enjoyment. Check out their birthday cake truffles for some more yums."