India
Malai
location_on1407 T St., NW
languageWebsite
We’re particular fans of the vegan flavors—especially passionfruit-cilantro—at this minimalist scoop shop with Brooklyn roots. All of the dairy ice creams are eggless but still nicely rich and thick, and many are punchy with spice, whether sunny yellow saffron or cardamom-forward masala chai.
Japan
Bon Tea House
location_on5718 Pickwick Rd., Centreville
languageWebsite
What started as a side-walk window on I Street has turned into a sleek suburban storefront that looks like something out of Tokyo, with blond-wood accents and a teakettle that simmers on a hot plate set into a marble countertop. The matcha soft-serve is grassy and superb—try it swirled with strawberry or as an affogato with a shot of hot matcha.
Greece
Yala Greek Ice Cream
location_on3143 N St., NW
languageWebsite
This cute Georgetown shop serves tart Greek-yogurt-based scoops swirled with orange preserves or cherries, alongside Aegean-inspired flavors of ice cream. Go for the burnt-caramel flavor, a nod to owner Chrys Kefalas’s yiayia, or the summery mix of blueberries and lemon curd with vanilla ice cream.
Afghanistan
Afghan Restaurant
location_on6244-H Little River Tpk., Alexandria
languageWebsite
Sheeryakh, an Afghan style of iced dessert flavored with rosewater and pistachios, is churned by hand right in front of you here. The ice-cream makers mix cream and sugar in an ice-submerged copper kettle, then pile the confection into narrow, Matterhorn-like pillars on each plate.
Jamaica
York Castle
location_on827 Hungerford Dr., Rockville
languageWebsite
Calver Headley’s long-running Rockville ice-cream parlor looks like the kind of classic post-beach roadside stop you’d make in Rehoboth or on Cape Cod. Except instead of strawberry and rocky road, the best flavors here are Caribbean specialties like soursop, Guinness, mamey (a rich and creamy tropical fruit), and grapenut. The rum raisin is a treat for rum lovers, incorporating the sophisticated, sweet funk of the aged Jamaican stuff.
Levant Region
Yellow
location_on1524 Wisconsin Ave., NW; 417 Morse St., NE
languageWebsite
Albi chef Michael Rafidi’s Levantine cafe is best known for its pita sandwiches and za’atar croissants. But don’t overlook the gussied-up soft-serve. Labneh soft-serve is dressed in pomegranate molasses and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, while tahini-oat gets a candied-walnut crunch.
New Zealand
SoftSpot
location_on13905-A Metrotech Dr., Chantilly
languageWebsite
This strip-mall place feels like a distillation of every recent TikTok dessert trend from around the world. Dirty soda, the Utah-born drink made by adding flavored syrups and cream to soda, isn’t for everyone. But what’s not to like about New Zealand–style ice cream, a concoction of frozen seasonal fruit blended to order into vanilla ice cream? The regular soft-serve is thick and satisfying, too.
This article appears in the July 2026 issue of Washingtonian.
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind DC’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.
Ike Allen covers politics, food, culture, and transportation in DC and writes the monthly Hidden Eats column for the magazine. He grew up in DC.
