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I had an awesome experience at the preview for the new flavors curated by Rye Bunny and Fireside Farms! Everyone was so nice, friendly, and inviting. Dolcezza holds such a special place in my heart (my boyfriend and I frequently go on impromptu date nights at the City Center location). So going to the factory and interacting with the wonderful people who make Dolcezza so magical was such a special and yummy treat!
Walked to Dolcezza, noticed the exorbitant prices, ordered a vanilla soft serve + cone anyway, was satisfied with my ice cream. That basically sums up my quick experience haha My soft serve was extremely soft, like softer than I expected. It truly melts in your mouth. The vanilla flavor was also very intense in the best way possible! All jokes aside, I thought the experience was worth the money, and I'd be back especially to try their coffee!
It's always great to make an appearance at Dolcezza and enjoy a sweet treat! There are so many flavors to choose from and they're high quality. The service is also nice as they let me sample various flavors. I ended up getting a split scoop and loved my combination! I will say that this place is always packed, so be ready to swoop an available seat both indoors and outdoors. Highly recommend Dolcezza!
An absolute must! Some of the creamiest and delicious gelato I've had! I tried the pistachio and hazelnut which were delicious and very complex. I'd recommend the berries and mascarpone with the dolce de leche chip flavors if you prefer sweeter options. The portions are very generous and I'd recommend bringing a wet wipe with you because it can get rather messy. There's some seating inside and right outside the shop. If you walk further into the plaza there's also plenty of seating there.
Ultra creamy gelato! Workers encouraged samples, of which my favorites were Pistachio Siciliano, Roasted Strawberry and Hazelnut Crackle. Service was amazing. I asked for a double to-go that would survive the subway, and they hooked it up in a coffee cup with a lid. An hour later, the gelato still held its shape and texture! During peak hours, finding a seat can be tough due to limited seating and the small space. I wasn't expecting peak hours to be so late at night - I'm impressed! Swing by if you get the chance. The shop has a wide variety of flavors, so there's something for everyone :)
I've tried two different drinks from this place on separate occasions, and both were excellent. I can't remember the name of the first drink, but the pistachio latte was absolutely delicious. I've been wanting to try their coffee for a while, and it definitely did not disappoint. The service was great, and I love that the shop is always clean, organized, and inviting. I've visited once in the morning and once in the evening, and the experience was consistently pleasant both times. Next on my list is trying the gelato!
Really yummy gelato and really fun flavors! Olive oil basil, thai coconut milk, marscapone berries, avocado orange... while also having the traditional flavors pistachio, hazelnut crunch, dark chocolate, mint chip... In those traditional metal containers not the touristy gelato piles with the toppings. Staff was extremely friendly and you can sample. A small can have 2 flavors and cost $9. Would come back to try more. I think this is a DC only local business chain.
Wow! This is some of the best ice cream I have ever had, and I have enjoyed gelato at the infamous Gelateria Dondoli in Tuscany, Italy, and top rated Leopolds in Savannah, GA. Flavors are truly unique, something you may never find anywhere else. You can get two flavors in a small bowl, and the serving size is NOT small! I enjoyed their popular MASCARPONE AND BERRIES for one flavor. It was really good. Creamy with a slight cream cheese like flavor. The fresh berries are a wonderful mix in. I paired this with ROASTED STRAWBERRY. They literally roast the strawberries before adding to the gelato. It tastes like real strawberries! It was phenominal, and my favorite of the two if I had to pick. My daughter ordered the PISTACHIO falvor, a traditional gelato offering. It was extra dense while creamy delicious. I sampled the OLIVE OIL soft serve. It tasted predominantly like vanilla. I wouldn't order this one. Expect a long line coming out of the storefront. It moves reasonably quick and is worth the wait! The staff made it a fun experience, and were not frazzled over the long line (at least didn't show it).
Had a dark chocolate gelato and a macchiato. The macchiato was the best I've had in a long time. The gelato was full of flavor and not overly sweet. It's very hard to find dark chocolate gelato, this place has it and does it good. Brought home some coffee beans to try on my own machine, hopefully it tastes half as good. Service was quick, and the people behind the counter were very friendly. Overall, not super packed in the middle of the day, was able to sit inside.
It was a warm summer day and we were walking around the city. I wanted something to cool me down. There was a line of people outside Dolcezza so we decided to join them. You can't go wrong with gelato. I went inside and ordered the two scoops with chocolate and hazelnut. The servicing sizes are much smaller than they previously were but the amount of sweetness is still there. You want more but debate if you can handle all that sugar. It was a nice treat but I felt like walking another couple of miles in order to burn it all off.
This place is located in the cutest spot! The inside is smaller but it gave a cozy feeling with everyone being close together and laughing around you. The gelato was amazing. Got half Thai coconut and half coffee chocolate chip. Both were delicious. Also had a vanilla bean cold brew and that was good but not great. The staff was very nice and helpful with recommendations.
I tend to skip ice cream shops unless I'm traveling or it's a special occasion. That said, I visited the City Center Dolcezza location recently with some out of town guests and had a nice experience. I visited on a Sunday night around 8 PM and there was a small line, going out the door by a few people. It moved quickly enough. I like the shop decor a lot, with clean lines, large windows, and a few seats. I had a large ($10ish) with three scoops: Hazelnut Crackle (like ferrero rocher), Black and White Cookie Batter, Vietnamese Cinnamon. These all worked pretty well together. The star was the Hazelnut, which did taste exactly like ferrero, which meant it was delicious. I found the cinnamon a bit to punchy on its own (like Red Hots, which I don't like), but it mellowed out when eaten with the other flavors. The Black and White Cookie did taste like one, but that also meant it was not as strong as flavor as the other two.
I got two scoops -- Italian hazelnut paired with affogato -- and they were perfectly smooth and delicious. The service was a tad slow, but that was only because a group ahead of me wanted to sample a few flavors before ordering, so there wasn't much that could be done to speed things up. I also ordered a large matcha with mango purée, and it was the perfect balance of sweet and earthy. I was told their purées are made fresh, which was great to hear -- fresh purées over syrups any day! The place was very clean, and the service overall was great. The worker was patient, friendly, and super helpful.
Solid coffee shop in City Center DC shopping center. I had an oat milk latte and a muffin. The muffin was nothing special but the latte was good. I did not try the ice cream. The shop was not crowded on a weekday morning. Service was friendly. Not the most incredible place I've ever been but it was good, I'd come back if I was already in the area. Clean, friendly, not crowded.. no complaints! read more
11 months ago
While the gelato was delish, I had mixed opinions on my visit. They don't have a single scoop option, so if you want something freshly scooped you have to get two scoops. They also make you put both scoops in the same cup, so you can't choose something radically different because the flavors will blend. The scoopers were very kind about explaining this and letting me sample different flavors, but I just didn't like the policy. I got the black and white cookie batter flavor and it was pretty good! There's some great outdoor seating nearby, but not a ton inside. Definitely a yummy stop, but next time I'll get a pop. read more
11 months ago
I personally prefer this location over its Mosaic District location in Virginia, as the interior seems to have way more seating space and is less busy/crowded. Consistent quality with other Dolcezza locations, but as I said in my other review, their fruit tea options are a bit on the oversweet side. However, their wide variety of drinks and seasonal options makes up for it. read more
Dolcezza is the kind of coffee shop that does the classics like lattes and cappuccinos, but has some very distinct qualities that other coffee shops do not possess. In a world of bland commercial marketing machines, Dolcezza experiments with different flavors and notes. For instance, the sesame latte, which is creamy as well as nutty, hit's every mocha note, but chocolate. Delectable and different. They have their own gelato that you can get by the scoop or already packaged by the pint. There is a tomato tart, herb-infused cherry tomatoes surrounded by a flaky croissant crust. Delish. Who is making this? Dolcezza, quietly sitting in a class all by itself. The floor to ceiling glass windows makes people watching over your coffee visually stimulating. The diverse play list of music is good; the baristas are cool. They just have this thing and I love it here! read more
Came here after dinner nearby and so glad I did! I got the pisatchio and the hazelnut crackle and I highly recommend it. Service was great as they let me try a handful of flavors which all tasted amazing. It's a somewhat small shop but there are a few seats. Would definitely come back!! read more
They have a decent selection and variety of gelato that's great quality. Their affogato on the other hand is lacking immensely. Literally one scoop and one shot. So that's a bit disappointing. One of my favorite places for affogato, if you know me and have seen my check ins and reviews is from a small town in New Mexico I used to be a regular in, 4 shots with three gigantic scoops. They used to seriously hook it up. My absolute favorite. I certainly won't be getting affogato here, especially for about $10. The three scoop is your best bet. And a convenient area to shop around, surely an area that'll make a dent in your wallet. read more
2 months ago
Nothing to write home about. I would say it was pretty average gelato, still good though. The staff were nice and friendly. It was quite crowded though and we had to eat it standing up because no seats were available. read more
2 months ago
This is one of my bestie's favorite gelato spots. I was super excited to finally try it on a recent trip to DC. We came on a weekend evening and it was packed. People love this spot. They have a variety of gelatos and cafe drinks to choose from. On my visit, my fiancé and I shared a large gelato cup with dulce de leche cookies, dark chocolate fudge, and black & white cookie batter. The black & white cookie batter was my favorite flavor. The person who helped us was extremely kind. She offered me multiple flavors to try. I love that you can pick up to three flavors for a large. For this location, my fiancé and I ended up sitting at a large community table to share our gelato. The seats are wide away enough to not feel too crowded. I'd recommend checking out this gelato shop. read more
5 months ago
Good location good ambiance but it needs to be bigger with more servers really good servers are nice and kind read more
1 year ago
We happened to cross paths with Dolcezza and I am so glad we did! The staff was incredibly kind and inviting. They let us sample flavors and didn't seem rushed or annoyed that our group wanted a few extra samples. They were informative on the flavors and shared their favorites too. I ordered the hazelnut crunch and LOVED it. I kept thinking about going back for another visit before leaving DC. read more
10 months ago
The city center location of Dolcezza is great, very Italian feeling gelato shop where you can eat in the beautiful CityCenter courtyard. Got lemon opal basil, red raspberry, and pistachio which might all be in my top 5 flavors here. Highly recommend. Pro tip: the large is like $1.25 more and you get what feels like 50% more gelato read more
This location is near the DC City Center. Relatively new hip area with great restaurants and luxury shops. I love all the Dolcezza Gelato and this one is great too. Service is fast and the place is clean. Any flavor of gelato will satisfy you. read more
Amazing, authentic and flavorful gelato with great options. The staff was super nice! Lilly helped us pick a flavor and was very patient. I really enjoyed the Hazelnut flavored gelato. Cute little shop and great serving size. read more
2 months ago
4 months ago
What do you do on a cold evening in DC? You stop by Dolcezza to get the best hot chocolate in town. The flavors are amazing paired and the chocolate is so rich. This location stays open till 11 pm and sure enough at 9 pm on a weekday there was a lot of folks in here to my surprise. Check it out for the hot chocolate or maybe even some gelato in the summer ... or winter (if you don't mind the cold lol) I could never. read more
We were in the area for shopping and dinner, so we stopped in for a little treat. The area was busy on this particular day, so the location was pretty busy. The seating was filled to capacity and the line was outside the door. The service was pretty efficient because they moved the line along within no time, but there was still a constant influx of people, so there was a consistent long line while we were there. I have purchased this brand at Whole Foods Market, but I had no idea that they had a brick and mortar location at City Center. Nevertheless, I considered ordering some gelato, but decided to order sorbet instead. The clementine campari flavored sorbet seemed intriguing, so I ordered it. It was light and refreshing. It was the perfect after meal treat on a warm summer's day. The prominent clementine flavor was amplified by the campari. The combined citrusy flavors provided a perfect balance between tart and sweet. I would return again to try something else. read more
1 year ago
Absolutely fantastic gelato! I want to go back and try some of their unique flavors but as a classic you can't beat the dark chocolate. It's on the pricier but on par with what you might expect for the area and they don't skimp on the scoops - we each got a small and you get 2 scoops and can pick 2 different flavors. I paired the dark chocolate with the black and white cookie flavor. read more
5 months ago
5 months ago
Fantastic gelato!! We each ordered smalls, which got you two flavors for about $8. Favorites were roasted strawberry, Dulce de leche, coffee and cookies, butter pecan, mascarpone and berries. I can't remember. They were all good! read more
This place makes a true affogato! So bitter. So much espresso. Entirely to die for on top of the pistachio gelato! We also tried a two flavor small cup and they packed so much gelato in there I thought I lucked into a size medium or large! read more
We spontaneously stopped by here on a Monday at 10pm for a late night dessert since our hotel was right down the block, and it was still very busy inside! This location in CityCenterDC really caught our eye with its sleek and modern exterior. There are a lot of unique flavors of gelato and sorbet to choose from and sample. We ordered a large gelato with Coffee & Cookies + Vanilla Bean, and a large sorbet with Strawberry Tarragon + Mango. The Coffee & Cookies gelato was exquisite -- it tastes like real authentic coffee and is like ingesting a well-made latte in gelato form. The crunchy cookie bits that are mixed within add a welcome textural contrast to the creamy and icy gelato. The vanilla bean gelato was just as good for a classic flavor, and not overly milky-tasting. The strawberry tarragon and mango sorbets were tart and tasted like real strawberries instead of anything artificial. The texture is the best part -- icy and refreshing yet soft, smooth, and velvety. I'd really want to make some snow angels in it! Overall, this place has amazing gelato and sorbet options in a lively, vibrant, and modern downtown setting. Would definitely recommend checking it out! read more
It's unusual that downtown DC doesn't have ample ice cream shops...at least from what Google Maps told me! Dolcezza seemed to be the only ice cream place open for miles when I was in DC on a Saturday night. Despite the freezing temperatures, I had a hankering for ice cream. And...so did many others! When I finally reached Dolcezza, I saw it was PACKED! The line moved pretty quickly though, and I got to pick two flavors for my small cup: red velvet cake and berries & marscapone. I was not expecting the cup to be the size that it was, with the scoops the size that they were, but I gobbled it all up without issue! My favorite was the red velvet cake flavor since it was full of cake pieces. Only drawback may be the price...almost $7 for a "small" cup of ice cream!! read more
2 years ago
Got a Dulce de leche latte($7) and it was by far the best latte I ever had. Just mildly sweet and creamy. Barista were nice and quick making it. The latte art was very aesthetically pleasing. Parking is quite challenging in this area, but if you can make it I highly recommend it! Drink: 9.5 Staff/service: 7.0 Value: 6.5 Overall: 8.2/10 read more
DC has many ice cream options but few have this standard of quality gelato. incredible flavors that all pair well. the mascarpone berry was my favorite. the portions are very large so while it is pricey, it's good to be shared. read more
2 years ago
Not a lot of seating, wish there was. We ordered mocha latte and dulce de leche latte. Both were good! Got the alfajores, highly recommended. read more
2 years ago
Super yummy and a great place to have dessert! I would recommend this as a date night, or even a quick little sweet treat while shopping. read more
3 months ago
So good. I got peach and berry mascarpone. My bf got coffee. They were all great and rich. They didn't taste artificially flavored at all, just very fresh. I think the service couldve been better, but maybe they were just tired at the end of a long day. Would def come back for the berry mascarpone any day! read more
First of all, I'd come here again for any of those espresso drinks. Can't go wrong with anything here! So King Leo Peppermint mocha is very pepperminty and smooth cacao flavor. Perfect for this holiday season! Hazelnut latte with oat milk is nutty, creamy, and yet warm feeling in this cold weather! Finished with heated up savory snack, ham and cheese croissant while people watching in the cafe. Delicious buttery and cheesy. Couldn't ask for more enjoyable morning after a quick run! The service here is very hospitality and quick. The place feels cozy with abundant choices for drinks, snacks, and gelato. read more
More info about Dolcezza
904 Palmer Aly Nw
Washington, DC 20001
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(202) 733-2879
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http://dolcezzagelato.com/locations/citycenterdc/
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Have they changed their roasts in the past month? The past two coffees I got seemed a bit bland.
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Dolcezza - coffee - Updated August 2026
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