Food

5 Great Ice Cream and Frozen Custard Shops

Ice Cream Jubilee. Courtesy of Facebook.
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The Dairy Godmother

Herb-infused sorbets and Wisconsin-style frozen custard are the draws at this Del Ray hangout. When it comes to the custard there’s always chocolate and vanilla, plus a more creative flavor that changes by the day. Our standby: chocolate custard with rice krispies, marshmallow sauce, and whipped cream. 2310 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria.

Goodies Frozen Custard & Treats

At this food truck, the vanilla-bean-flecked frozen custard—served in a Chinese takeout-style box—is pretty excellent on its own. Or you can get it in doughnut-wich, float, or sundae form.

Ice Cream Jubilee

Victoria Lai shows a mastery of a whole range of flavors at her Navy Yard shop. It says something that we love the comfort stuff (cookie-and-cookie-dough; blueberry pie) just as much as we do the assertively boozy creations (dark n’ stormy; gin-and-tonic sorbet).  301 Water St., SE.

Westray’s Finest Ice Cream

You may have noticed Westray Paul’s cute, wood-paneled food truck—it’s one of the prettiest mobile vendors around. Paul’s homemade-tasting ice cream, made from Trickling Springs milk, is pretty terrific, too. Lately, we’ve been digging the chocolate-and-peanut-butter variety.

Trickling Springs Creamery 

We’ve forgiven this Pennsylvania dairy collective for doing away with our favorite flavor when they set out to eliminate unnatural ingredients (RIP chocolate-marshmallow). Its Union Market stall still serves some excellent scoops and shakes. 1309 Fifth St., NE.

Ann Limpert
Executive Food Editor/Critic

Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.