The best place for ice cream in Washington, D.C. in 2024, according to Yelp reviews—plus, see the rest of the top 26 spots

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Highest-rated ice cream shops in Washington, D.C. by diners

Ice cream is a treat that can be enjoyed all year round, although the volume produced during the hotter months signals otherwise. The majority of ice cream and other frozen desserts in the U.S. are made between March and August, with July being the busiest month of all, according to the Department of Agriculture.

Many Americans have memories of their pastel green mint chocolate chip scoop dripping down their waffle cone at the height of summer or cooling down with their sprinkle-covered chocolate and vanilla soft-serve twist. Ice cream tends to scream nostalgia, but the range of available flavors has evolved since the days when the dessert was mainly limited to vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry.

Of course, that doesn't mean those aren't still top-tier choices. According to a May 2024 survey of 2,200 American adults by the International Dairy Foods Association and Morning Consult, the top 10 ice cream flavors today are still the three classics (vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry, in that order) followed by butter pecan, cookie dough, cookies and cream, mint chocolate chip, chocolate chip, rocky road, and peanut butter or peanut butter cup.

Nowadays, many ice cream shops offer fresh combinations and ingredients you may never have imagined could be made into ice cream, concoctions like black sesame cookies and cream or honey lavender. Some ice cream shops boast flavors with even more unheard-of ingredients and combinations, like the savory tarragon olive oil or pineapple with pink peppercorns.

Ice cream creators have also expanded into rethinking frozen yogurt, soft serve, and vegan options. Dairy-free folks no longer have to order the only sorbet on the menu. There are nondairy milk ice creams made from plant-based milks like oat or almond and other plant-based products like avocado or sunflower butter.

And then there are the toppings, one of the best parts about getting a scoop at your local shop. Pour on the condensed milk or dulce de leche. Sprinkle bits of honeycomb or your favorite childhood cereal.

Ice cream shops everywhere have made it their job to serve up the smoothest, creamiest, and most crave-able options. To find out who's doing the best job of it, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated ice cream shops in Washington, D.C. using data from Yelp . Data is as of June 14, 2024.

Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself. Only businesses with at least 10 reviews were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with more than five locations nationally, based on the Yelp data, were not included.

Read on to determine where you'll get your next cup or cone from!

Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily depict the specific ice cream shops listed or the items they serve.

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#26. Malai

- Rating: 4.2/5 (25 reviews)
- Address: 1407 T St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

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#25. The Orange Cow

- Rating: 4.2/5 (59 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, food trucks, sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

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#24. 1789 Restaurant & Bar

- Rating: 4.2/5 (793 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1226 36th St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: american, ice cream & frozen yogurt, bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#23. Pitango Gelato

- Rating: 4.2/5 (1008 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 413 7th St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: coffee & tea, ice cream & frozen yogurt, gelato
- Read more on Yelp

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#22. Captain Cookie and the Milk Man Food Truck

- Rating: 4.3/5 (359 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: desserts, food trucks, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

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#21. Bacio Pizzeria

- Rating: 4.3/5 (353 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 81 Seaton Place Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: pizza, italian, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

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#20. Altani Gelato

- Rating: 4.3/5 (59 reviews)
- Address: 202 M St. Southeast Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: gelato, ice cream & frozen yogurt, bakeries
- Read more on Yelp

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#19. Gemini x Happy Ice Cream

- Rating: 4.3/5 (31 reviews)
- Address: 1509 17th St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, pizza, beer, wine & spirits
- Read more on Yelp

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#18. Van Leeuwen Ice Cream - Adams Morgan

- Rating: 4.3/5 (29 reviews)
- Address: 2421 18th St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

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#17. Ice Cream Jubilee

- Rating: 4.3/5 (647 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 301 Water St. Southeast Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

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#16. Ice Cream Jubilee

- Rating: 4.4/5 (383 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3333 M St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

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#15. Dolci Gelati

- Rating: 4.4/5 (255 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1420 8th St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: gelato, desserts, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

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#14. The Creamery

- Rating: 4.4/5 (30 reviews)
- Address: 1309 5th St. Northeast Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

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#13. Mount Desert Island Ice Cream

- Rating: 4.6/5 (172 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3110 Mt Pleasant St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: coffee & tea, ice cream & frozen yogurt, desserts
- Read more on Yelp

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#12. Lulabelle's Sweet Shop

- Rating: 4.6/5 (62 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 847 Upshur St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: coffee & tea, ice cream & frozen yogurt, candy stores
- Read more on Yelp

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#11. Joia Burger

- Rating: 4.7/5 (34 reviews)
- Address: 3213 Mt Pleasant St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: burgers, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

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#10. Happy Ice Cream

- Rating: 4.7/5 (19 reviews)
- Address: 1509 17th St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, street vendors
- Read more on Yelp

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#9. Spot of Tea - Union Market

- Rating: 4.7/5 (136 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1309 5th St. Northeast Inside Union Market Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: bubble tea, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

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#8. Street Cream

- Rating: 4.7/5 (22 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, food trucks
- Read more on Yelp

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#7. Ice N Slice

- Rating: 4.7/5 (37 reviews)
- Address: 3937 Georgia Ave. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: pizza, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

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#6. All About Burger Chinatown

- Rating: 4.7/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 501 H St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: breakfast & brunch, burgers, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

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#5. Capital City Creamery

- Rating: 4.7/5 (23 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3023 Martin Luther King Jr Ave. Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

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#4. Here's The Scoop

- Rating: 4.8/5 (85 reviews)
- Address: 2824 Georgia Ave. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, desserts
- Read more on Yelp

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#3. Alfreda

- Rating: 4.9/5 (13 reviews)
- Address: 2016 P St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: pizza, salad, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

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#2. Maracas Ice Pops

- Rating: 5.0/5 (20 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

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#1. Everyday Sundae

- Rating: 5.0/5 (87 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 713 Kennedy St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Chia-Yi Hou, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 237 metros.