Dolci Gelati — Restaurant in Washington

Nearly seven years ago we went on a holiday from New Zealand to the U.S. We'd spent the better part of a day travelling to D.C, and arrived just before midnight.

As I normally do, I woke up at around six thirty, and as I couldn't sleep I left the rest of my family to get the jetlag out and went for a walk around the neighbourhood from our hotel.

I'd walked for a bit and noticed a place that said it made coffee. The lights were on so I popped in and asked for a flat white. I was told that they weren't open yet. I apologised and said I'd come back later, to which I was told "No, we don't open the business until tomorrow."

I started apologising profusely but was asked what I was after, to which I replied a flat white. I then got a coffee, and as they hadn't set up the tills yet, I wasn't charged. I promised to come back when they opened the following day with the family to buy some of their gelato.

(As an aside, this was one of only two decent coffees I had whilst we were in the U.S. You guys need to work on that.)

Came back the next day and man was the gelato good. Those wee pop things were great too. Awesome people, awesome food. Good coffee too. Can't recommend these guys enough.

A bit random that I'm doing this after so long but I was only reminded of our visit today, so I thought I'd look at maps of D.C and saw the shop pop up. Thanks again guys. Good to see you're still...

Visited Dolce Gelati today, while I was in the Smithsonian Zoo in DC. It was similar to a food truck, that's what it looked like -- a small shop in the Zoo near the entrance.

I sampled the chocolate gelato, then the mango sorbet, then the strawberry gelato.

I was told their most popular gelato is the chocolate and strawberry ones, and mango for their sorbet.

None of them was really a home run or stood out for me; food truck fare, really.

I had the smallest size cup w/ strawberry gelato, and they overcharged me for it, as usual. Almost a $10 even. Pays to not order food at a tourist attraction, I guess, but what the heck -- I was in the mood for it.

Gelato didn't suck, but it wasn't hot stuff either. Overpriced for the quantity, and quality wasn't great either. It is what it...

What. Just. Happened. Experienced Dolci for the first time this evening (11/8) 9:30 at night at their newly opened Old Town Location. Where am I???.. ("OMG I'm at Brett's house." - for any SNL lovers). anywhoo, let me just say wooow. I tried a few flavors before deciding on what I came there for, the Dark Chocolate gelato. A H M A Z I N G. I haven't had a visceral reaction like this since I was in Italy in 2009 and had Lavender gelato at Gelateria Di Piazza in San Gimignano whose gelato was literally voted the best in the world a few years running. I can't wait to try Dolci's lavender gelato, then I will be able to come back and tell you for sure, but at the very least this will be super close to the best gelato I've ever had....