Dolcezza Gelato

I may be prejudiced by experience with Pitango, whose gelato is so good you get a kind of uncredulous thrill the first time. Pitango applies expertise in their gelato making. If this were my first gelato, I'd probably think it's good enough.\r \r I gave Dolcezza one star because the gelato, which is all I tried, was just plain bad--not even as good as blendered fruit at home. It did seem made with milk rather than cream, which makes it better than the ice-cream-like substance sometimes sold as gelato, but Dolcezza's seems badly made, amateurish. Maybe home-made but not artisanal.\r \r I tasted white peach and watermelon. Both were vegetal and green tasting, like a bad wine. There was very little fruit flavor--like results I've gotten from throwing things in the blender at home. They need a gelato maker. Similarly, the Thai coconut and cinnamon that I unwisely bought without tasting, thinking those two couldn't taste bad, had almost no flavor at all. They DID taste bad. \r \r Back to Pitango, though it's far away near the Lansburgh. Their gelato is not just good--what I've had is wonderful. I think it may be cheaper, too, but if I'm wrong about the prices, I'll still go to Pitango. more

Gelato is unfortunately a bit harder to find here in DC, and I can argue that it's better than frozen yogurt (and still healthier than ice cream!). Dolcezza, with 2 stores open in the DC metro area and one soon to open in Dupont Circle, is a lovely little gelato shop that offers a small variety of great gelato flavors. You'll find standards like stracciatella but will also come across new ones like blood orange. I'm a fan of their rich, tastes-like-a-donut Valrhona chocolate gelato and their Thai coconut. The only downside to this spot is that they give small scoops in tiny cups that'll send you back about $4 a pop. Pros: Unique, deep flavors Cons: Small portions, expensive more