Pitango Gelato

I was hot and tired after walking all over Washington, heading for Chinatown. This was the perfect place to take a break. Cool and delicious. more

What DC lacks in local ice cream shop options, it is slowly but surely making up for it in gelato fro-yo options. Pitango obviously rivals another local favorite, Dolcezza, but it offers plenty to separate itself from the competition. Dolcezza doesn't (yet) have a location close to the Penn Quarter/Chinatown area so I was excited to hear that I would at least be getting one gelato option near my home. The gelato itself is high-quality, flavorful stuff: they offer unique flavors like Mojito (equally tart and sugary with the good hint of mint) and Crema (literally tastes like sweet cream). I enjoy their standards like the Chocolate Hazelnut (tastes very close to Nutella or those awesome Bacio chocolates) and Lemon (a sorbetto, especially refreshing in the summer). Pitango also has coffee options that can be served with gelato, like the Affogato (gelato with a shot of espresso on top). The only drawback to Pitango is that their options are expensive: about $4.95 for a small (2 scoops). They also have a large option (3 scoops) and you can take case home with an even larger batch. I understand gelato is a novelty and Pitango is the only gelato option in the area, but $4.95 is steep for the amount you get. I definitely recommend this spot for dessert, but for your wasitline and your wallet, go in moderation. Pros: delicious flavors, coffee options Cons: expensive more

When Pitango recently opened its doors in Penn Quarter, I made sure to make an appearance during opening week. During the hot days of summer locals and tourists are always looking for a refreshing way to cool off in the city, and Pitango is the perfect spot for this! Although the decor is somewhat lacking, they spice up the walls with framed descriptions of each flavor adding charm and a modern touch to the Italian ice cream parlor. Despite the lack of seating on the sidewalk in the Penn Quarter district, Pitango creatively transformed their windows to double as benches for a few spots to rest while indulging in your delectable dessert. For my first visit I tried chocolate chip (AMAZING!) and strawberry and I look forward to returning to sample not one but all of their flavors. You can become your own chef by mixing and matching two-three flavors for each order. MANGIA! Pros: Fresh, clean, brand new more