Ice Cream, Gelato, and Frozen Custard Shops Across NOVA and DC

If you only have time for one stop, make it Mimi’s Handmade Ice Cream. A 4.9 rating built on more than 550 reviews is a rare combination in this category — plenty of shops post a high score off a couple hundred ratings, but sustaining that number across five hundred-plus is a stronger signal that the quality holds up scoop after scoop. For a straightforward “where do I go right now” answer, this is it.

The closest rival

Here’s The Scoop is running neck and neck with Mimi’s on rating, also at 4.9, though with a smaller base of 263 reviews. That’s still a serious number, and it means you’re choosing between two genuinely excellent options rather than a clear winner and a runner-up. If Mimi’s is out of your way, this is the one to default to instead — not a consolation prize, just the other top-tier choice in the area.

If you want frozen custard, not ice cream

Custard and ice cream aren’t the same thing, and The Dairy Godmother is the place to notice the difference. It’s built its reputation on unusual flavors of homemade frozen custard and sorbet in a retro-style parlor, and its 4.7 rating across nearly 800 reviews shows that reputation is earned, not just a marketing line. If the dense, eggier texture of real custard is what you’re after, ice cream shops — however good — won’t scratch that itch.

If you want gelato

Amorino is the clearest gelato pick on this list, holding a 4.6 rating over 202 reviews. Gelato’s denser texture and lower fat content make it a genuinely different eating experience from American-style ice cream, so this isn’t a substitute for the shops above — it’s a different category worth choosing on its own terms if that’s specifically what you’re craving.

For flavor adventurers

Most of the shops above win on consistency; Larry’s Homemade Ice Cream wins on ambition. As the flagship of a popular chain, it’s known for gourmet ice cream in flavors like ginger and lychee, alongside cupcakes. Its 4.2 rating is the lowest of the standout options here, which suggests the unconventional flavors don’t land for everyone — but with 605 reviews behind that number, it’s also clearly built a loyal following among people who want something they can’t get elsewhere. Go here when you’re bored of vanilla and chocolate, not when you want a sure thing.

For a sit-down outing

Ice Cream Jubilee - Navy Yard is worth calling out specifically because it’s built for lingering rather than a quick grab-and-go. It’s an airy, high-ceilinged parlor with a patio, serving all-natural ice cream and sorbet in unique flavors, and its 4.4 rating over 827 reviews holds up at real volume. If you’re making an afternoon of it with a group rather than just grabbing a cone, the space itself is part of the draw.

For something out of the ordinary

Two options stand apart from the pack entirely. Tipsy Scoop D.C. makes boozy ice cream — a clear pick for an adults-only treat rather than a family stop, though its 4.2 rating suggests it’s more of a novelty experience than a top-tier scoop. Yala Greek Ice Cream at Conrad Washington, DC takes a different regional approach entirely, serving Greek-style ice cream inside a hotel setting, and its early 4.8 rating is promising — though with only 25 reviews on the books, it’s more of a “worth trying if you’re already downtown” pick than a destination to plan a trip around.

Where the reliable chains fit

If you’d rather have a known quantity than a discovery, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams and Ben & Jerry’s are the two chain options that back up their name recognition with real local ratings — Jeni’s at 4.6 across 1,665 reviews, Ben & Jerry’s at 4.7 across 1,663. Neither is going to surprise you, and that’s the point: they’re the safest bet when you’re picking for a group with mixed tastes, or when you just want the flavor you already know you like.

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From NOVA This Week.