174700 Fri Jun 24 19:04:30 -0700 2005 32 14 Washington DC & Baltimore Area 0 939419 So I'm relocating to D.C at the end of the summer, and I have gotten used to the abundence of local homemade (well, on premices made) ice cream and local brewers and brewpubs. Do people have any recommendations for good local D.C. area Ice Cream and Beer? Thanks... Micha Fri Jun 24 19:04:30 -0700 2005 0 Micha 1 939420 I love good ice cream, and the painful truth is that there is very little good ice cream in DC, certainly when compared to Boston (where, frankly, you're spoiled). I've heard that Two Amys (an excellent pizza place) has *great* ice cream (maybe it's gelato? don't know, been a few years since I've been and I don't remember ordering dessert there before). But, that's not what you're looking for (e.g. a walk in scoops place). There's also supposed to be a good gelato place in Georgetown on WI Ave. Icee Ice or something? I've never been, but there was a spate of strong recs for it a year or so ago. They seem to have died down, and I'm not sure why. As for beer, I'm not much of a beer person, so will let others address that. In spite of the sad lack of abundant, good quality ice cream, there's a lot to enjoy here, some of which might not be readily available in Boston. Try seeking that out! Fri Jun 24 20:10:13 -0700 2005 939419 0 smokey 2 939423 Icey Icey is now called something else. I only tried it once, and was very not impressed, but I think they were having a bad week. Fri Jun 24 21:18:01 -0700 2005 939420 0 foodgeek 1 939424 See the link below. On Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray/Alexandria, there's a place called The Del Ray Dreamery that serves Wisconsin Style Frozen Custard. Good stuff. I highly recommend it. While it may not be a traditional ice cream parlor, their product is top notch and it's a unique food experience. Link: http://www.delraydreamery.com Fri Jun 24 21:25:07 -0700 2005 939419 0 The Doctor 2 939682 I second the Del Ray Dreamery rec. The woman who owns it is from WI and attended the CIA. They only have two flavors at a time: vanilla and one that rotates every few days. My favorites have included pineapple upside down cake, strawberry cheesecake (amazing!), and kulfi. Also, during the summer, they have "brat night" once a week (they grill brats, Wisconsin style). It's a great community gathering place. Several good restaurants in Del Ray that you should check out too if you make it over there... Wed Jun 29 11:05:11 -0700 2005 939424 0 Molly B. 1 939427 As for the local beer scene, the major local brewers (in addition to national brewpub chains like Gordon Biersch and Rock Bottom) are Old Dominion (whose brewery and brewpub are in Ashburn, Va.) and Capital City (whose brewpubs are downtown, on Capitol Hill and in Shirlington, Va.). Old Dominion is the only one whose beers are bottled and widely distributed, and several of their offerings are excellent (try the Oak Barrel Stout, their barleywine and their seasonal beers (the last one was a yummy "Imperial Pilsner")). OD is putting on a beer festival this weekend in Ashburn, which would be a great introduction to the local brewers (plus plenty of others). Check out their websute for details. There's also Founder's in Alexandria, which I've yet to visit, but about which I've heard good buzz. If your willing to stretch "local" to include Baltimore, there's Clipper City, several of whose beers are good. I've enjoyed their DIPA (can't remember the name) and Balto-Maerz-Hon (a maerzen). As for beer bars, I recommend the Brickskeller and RFD in DC and Dremo's in Arlington, Va. Sat Jun 25 09:55:38 -0700 2005 939419 0 bill4242 2 939436 The worst service I've ever had in DC and its surrounding environs was at Brickskeller. Given a choice between the two, I'd always go to RFD (even if Brickskeller keeps De Dolle Ara Bier on hand). RFD is also the location of the only buyback I've ever received in DC (get them all the time in NY...) Sat Jun 25 17:09:04 -0700 2005 939427 0 big o 3 939453 You're right about the service at Brick (and at RFD sometimes, too), and they also often don't actually have beers listed on the bottle menu (which, admittedly, has literally more than a thousand choices), but, as you alluded to, it is the only place to get so many of the more "exotic" Belgian and German imports that I tend to be somewhat forgiving. Of course, with the retail selection at several places in town (Whole Foods (generally, but in particular the one in Vienna)) and Chevy Chase Liquor), you can find a lot of great beers to bring home nowadays, where the service is always acceptable... Sun Jun 26 11:53:01 -0700 2005 939436 0 bill4242 4 939454 Incidentally, "Jim the Beer Man", who I was introduced to through this board, no longer works in Vienna. He's now at the Alexandra Whole Foods (which is supposed to be relocating closer to Old Town). The selection isn't quite up to par with Vienna yet, but -- as you say -- the guy pouring the drinks at home is someone I trust to never leave me dry. Sun Jun 26 12:43:59 -0700 2005 939453 0 big o 2 939536 And while we're mentioning Baltimore, I've got to put in a plug for the Brewer's Art. Great beer and food and atmosphere. I also like the Wharf Rat. Their Manchester cream ale is very good, and right now they have a cherry beer that's pretty good. I prefer the Brewer's Art's sour cherry ale, but that's out of season right now. Mon Jun 27 21:21:44 -0700 2005 939427 0 Karen G 1 939431 Welcome to DC! My favorite ice cream places are in the near suburbs, not downtown, but it may be worth the trip for you. In Silver Spring, on Gerogia Ave. right by 495 exit, there is York Castle Tropical ice cream. Fantastic flavors you don't commonly find. In Rockville, 355 and Wooton Parkway, there is Sam's Market which makes homemade small-batch gellato. In Herndon, there is Milwaukee Frozen Custard on Elden Street. (So, these two are technically not ice cream but it's great stuff.) As for beer, I agree with other posters that Brickskeller in Dupont is a good place to go. I personally like brews from Old Dominion and Frederick Brewing Company. Sat Jun 25 11:31:25 -0700 2005 939419 0 Deb 2 939432 I don't like Sam's much. I think the flavors in their gelato (all 3 or 4 I've tried) taste terribly artificial. I want to like it (it's quite near where I live), but I just don't see the appeal. Smokey Sat Jun 25 12:54:08 -0700 2005 939431 0 Smokey 2 939437 York Castle! whoo-hoo! I definitely second the recommendation. But I sympathize; DC area doesn't understand ice cream the way Bostonians do. Sat Jun 25 18:37:31 -0700 2005 939431 0 ermine 2 939443 When I read "ice cream and beer" the first thing I thought of was the Guinness ice cream at York Castle, and started drooling. (Although it's not to everyone's taste, but they have other awesome flavors. Try the lychee!) Sun Jun 26 00:08:04 -0700 2005 939431 0 little audrey 2 939482 I second the rec for Milwaukee Frozen Custard... although if Ritter's opened an outlet here, my loyalties would shift in a second... Ironically, I think Boston's ice cream culture is promoted by the cool weather -- it just doesn't make sense to create an ice cream to savor when one has to gulp down the cone in 90 seconds. Mon Jun 27 07:30:36 -0700 2005 939431 0 TravelFan 1 939444 I'm going to second (or third) York Castle for their tropical flavors. They have their own storefront on Georgia Ave. in Silver Spring. But they also distribute to various Latino places around the area. Since mamey is just about my favorite ice cream flavor, I will recommend theirs, but unfortunately they give it another name! You can easily recognize it, though, because it is the unique color of mamey (a kind of ruddy orange). There is nothing better than a mamey shake. Sun Jun 26 00:18:55 -0700 2005 939419 0 Steve 1 939445 A few resources for DC-area beer drinkers: Mid-Atlantic Brewing News, sister publication to Yankee Brew News, which you've probably seen. Ale Street News is also seen around town. DC-BEER mailing list (link below) Link: http://www.brauhaus.org/mailman/listinfo/dc-beer Sun Jun 26 06:16:50 -0700 2005 939419 0 Jim Dorsch 2 939473 For ice cream. I am partial to Cold Stone Creamery. They are a chain, but the ice cream is SO good! Very rich. Very creamy. I love the cake batter flavor. They also have a special flavor each month and this month is fresh peach and it is so good. I highly recommend Cold Stone. My location is the one at Eisenhower Ave. in Alexandria, but I think there are also a couple in the District. Welcome to DC. I enjoyed your city last summer for the DNC Convention - you all did it right! Sun Jun 26 21:50:43 -0700 2005 939445 0 DC Gal 1 939500 I like Max's on Wisconsin in Glover Park for a traditional ice cream parlor. You know...the kind where the whole Little League team stops by after their game across the street :) They make an awesome pumpkin flavor - admittedly it's not quite the season, but come October I can't stay away! Mon Jun 27 11:16:39 -0700 2005 939419 0 AlliK 1 939505 Lots of good info, and now I've got a whole list of things to check out. Max's looks like it might be perfect, with all the strange sorts of flavors I've gotten used to here (If up in boston, head to Christina's in Inman square. amazing fresh mint ice cream - you can taste the mint leaves!, and a great spice store next door), and is right in the area I'll be living in. Perfect quick walk for a hot day! The beer suggestions look great as well. I passed a few of the places while walking around, and good to know that they meet with chowhound standards. Micha Mon Jun 27 12:48:43 -0700 2005 939419 0 Micha 2 939532 Micha--Do report back on what you think of Max's. I tried it twice and found the ice cream a bit bland--nowhere near as exciting as the flavors would make you believe. All in all, I found it disappointing. Smokey Mon Jun 27 20:39:38 -0700 2005 939505 0 smokey 1 939515 The best ice cream in DC is at Thomas Sweet in Georgetown. This is the definitive ice cream shop in the area. They are famous for their bittersweet ice cream (a chocolate lover's dream), and always have a large selection of homemade ice creams . The line is out the door most days -not something you see with most of the ice cream places around here (shows how popular it is) Mon Jun 27 15:58:14 -0700 2005 939419 0 vivian 2 939524 On more than one occaision, I've gotten hard freezer-bruned ice cream at Thomas Sweet. Mon Jun 27 18:15:45 -0700 2005 939515 0 Jay 2 939529 Tried the bittersweet at Thomas Sweet based on a rec here. I'm not so high on it. my chocolate dreams are better invested at Leonidas up the street. Mon Jun 27 20:12:22 -0700 2005 939515 0 Steve 3 939542 Where is the Leonidas shop located? I love their chocolates and used to have friends ship from Belgium. Mon Jun 27 23:32:00 -0700 2005 939529 0 Diana 4 939549 I believe the Leonidas shop is at 1531 Wisconsin Ave, NW. It is certainly on Wisconsin, south of where Red Ginger is. The NYC Leonidas shop will ship. For several years, I've had them send a bunch of ballotins to me at holiday time for office gifts. They have been flawless in their deliveries for the holidays as well as for the birthdays of other relatives. I wish I could say the same for other chocolate shops I've tried. Tue Jun 28 09:15:57 -0700 2005 939542 0 PollyG 5 939832 You can also find a good selection of Leonidas at the Chocolate Moose downtown. Fri Jul 01 12:29:00 -0700 2005 939549 0 MSL 2 939531 I'm with Steve. The bittersweet is ok, but certainly doesn't make me swoon. And as for the lines out the door, I see lines at McDonalds, and it don't make me want to eat there! Smokey Mon Jun 27 20:38:21 -0700 2005 939515 0 smokey 2 939691 Thomas Sweet is a complete disaster. Utterly horrible. The very fact that anyone would go there demonstrates how incredibly far DC ice cream is from Christina's, Toscanini's, etc. I am moving from Boston to DC as well, and ice cream will just have be something I give up. Wed Jun 29 13:11:16 -0700 2005 939515 0 Alex S 1 939535 If you want to venture into the MD suburbs for ice cream, there's Summer Delights in Takoma Park and the Dairy on campus at the University of Maryland. Summer Delights sometimes has a Jack Daniel's chocolate that I like; it's not overly sweet, and it has a nice whiskey kick at the finish. It's been a few years since I've had the Dairy's ice cream, but I loved it when I was attending UMD. I was always partial to the toasted almond. For gelato, I like the cafe under the National Gallery. Mon Jun 27 21:17:10 -0700 2005 939419 0 Karen G 1 939547 If your in the Clarendon area of Arlington stop by Boulevard Woodgrill for some of the best Tap beer selections around and then a couple doors up is a good ice cream place but I forget the name. Tue Jun 28 08:54:17 -0700 2005 939419 0 OceanPt 2 939673 The name of the ice cream place in Clarendon is Lazy Sundae. It's good but I am not an ice cream connoisseur so I don't know how it rates with the other places that have been mentioned. To me, good ice cream is having ice cream. Wed Jun 29 10:35:42 -0700 2005 939547 0 Clarendon Chowgirl 1 939570 I really enjoy the ice cream at I-See Icy, also in Georgetown, right across the corner from Thomas Sweet (how rude!) It is Argentinian, and is so good (albeit expensive). Tue Jun 28 11:24:21 -0700 2005 939419 0 Marina