As if you needed an excuse to eat ice cream around the clock in August, savory scoops are popping up on menus around DC (yes, even the dinner ones).
Ice cream grilled cheese at Mintwood Place
1813 Columbia Rd., NW
New pastry chef Stephanie Milne has been experimenting with unique flavors like smoky bacon-vanilla. For the rest of August, she’s serving the pièce de résistance of savory ice creams at the French bistro: a sandwich with melty American cheese-infused ice cream stuffed between slices of toasted brioche bread. Flavors rotate frequently, so try it while you can.
Avocado ice cream sandwich at Milk Cult
Various locations
Forget avo toast—the local creamery rolled out avocado ice cream sandwiches earlier this summer and they’ve made 30,000-plus since. The vegan treat includes creamy avocado ice cream tucked between two chocolate wafers with a chocolate drizzle. In addition to Smorgasburg DC, you can find the treats at Union Kitchen Grocery locations.
Gazpacho with Old Bay sorbet at Kinship
1015 7th St., NW
This fine dining restaurant pays attention to detail—all the way down to the garnishes. Chef Eric Ziebold‘s cucumber gazpacho, made with grilled kohlrabi, marinated cherry tomato, and compressed melon, is topped with a dollop of zesty Old Bay sorbet.
Goat cheese and cherry ice cream at Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams
1925 14th St., NW
The popular ice cream chain has several unique flavors on the menu, though goat cheese with red cherries takes the cake. The creamy scoop gets a tart bite from the cherries, while the goat cheese creates a savory finish.
Parmesan “gelato” at Osteria Morini
301 Water St., SE
Made from heavy cream, spices, and loads of freshly grated parmesan, this appetizer fits better on a meat-and-cheese board than the dessert section. The texture is soft—served cold but not frozen—and is meant to be eaten with crunchy bread like a soft cheese.
Cardamom black pepper at Ice Cream Jubilee
1407 T St., NW; 301 Water St., SE
This seasonal flavor comes and goes from the menu, so try it when you can. Cardamom pods are steeped in a sweet cream base, and then blended with black peppercorns. The result? A spicy flavor with a bit of peppery kick.
Caesar salad ice cream at The Inn at Little Washington
309 Middle St., Washington VA
Chef Patrick O’Connell‘s experimental ice cream isn’t meant to be served in a waffle cone—but it’s delicious nonetheless. Find it on the tasting menu matched with herb-crusted lamb carpaccio.
Kalina Newman is an editorial fellow for Washingtonian. Previously, she covered metro news for the Boston Globe. Her work has appeared in ARLnow, DCist, and the Washington City Paper. Kalina graduated from Boston University in 2019 with a degree in journalism.
