Guest Post: 6 DC SPOTS FOR DESSERT LOVERS w/ @nomtasticfoods
Hey friends! I'm Kimberly Kong, and I'm 1/2 of @nomtasticfoods. I've been eating through the DMV area for the last 14 years, trying to find deliciousness to feed your feed on the regular. I'm beyond pumped to share my favorite DC dessert spots with you guys today, but first let's get acquainted with 5 fun facts.
1. I'm a Juilliard-trained classical musician who performs and teaches by day. I'm currently getting my doctorate in piano performance at Peabody (the music school at JHU) while teaching there as well. I still treat my food (www.nomtasticfoods.net) and lifestyle blogs (www.sensiblestylista.com) like full-time gigs though.
2. I have a second degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. I've been into martial arts my whole life because of my father. He was like an 8-time world champion and was named the "fastest kicker alive" so I had a pretty bamf teacher growing up!
3. I'm related to Confucius, which is really weird because he's Chinese and I'm Korean, but he had two kids, and one moved to Korea back in the day aka my bloodline. I guess that's why there aren't many Korean Kongs - how's that for alliteration!
4. I'm a crazy dog lady who's obsessed with her dog. My adorable Maltese, Daisy, is the love of my life, and I spoil her to pieces as much as possible. She honestly has more toys than I did growing up, and I keep buying her more. Someone help me, ha.
5. My idea of a good time is eating take out in sweats while binge-watching Netflix. Who's with me? Anddd speaking of food, I'm getting hangry so let's get to the top 6 best dessert places in the Capitol.
DISTRICT DOUGHNUT
With locations in the Wharf, Georgetown and Barracks Row, this DC staple is a carboholic's dream come true. They make all their noms fresh in house daily - we're talking EVERYTHING from scratch including ganaches to doughs - and they have seasonal flavors that will blow your mind. Executive pastry chef Christine Schaefer's like the Dumbledore of baked goods so make sure you get there if you haven't been already. Must-tries include their famed vanilla bean creme brulee, their cannoli, their salted dulce de leche, and their brown butter.
ICE CREAM JUBILEE
There's a reason why Ice Cream Jubilee's so popular - it's because their ice cream is the bomb.com. Really though. They use THE best ingredients to create the best product possible. They source their all-natural cream and milk locally and produce everything in small batches to ensure quality. They have crazy creative flavors here, and they're constantly experimenting with cool flavor combinations so there's always something new to try. They have boozy flavors like banana bourbon caramel and maple rye pecan, but I can't bring myself to get anything other than my go-to which is their thai iced tea. I've been eating it for years, but it's as good as I remember every time I get it.
MAGNOLIA BAKERY
If you haven't checked them out yet, what are you doing with your life? Head on over to Union Station and get their banana pudding. I used to go all the time when I lived in NYC so suffice it to say, I was thrilled that they expanded to DC. I've definitely had better cupcakes - I'm looking at you, Baked & Wired - but their banana pudding's straight fire. I've had different variations like Reese's peanut butter banana pudding, but it's not as good - you gotta go for the classic! I mean, layers of vanilla wafers, bananas and creamy vanilla pudding? What's not to love. Get a large because yolo my friends.
NICE CREAM
I'm so happy that Nice Cream opened a location in Adams Morgan because I would've been bummed if I couldn't include them in my roundup. What differentiates them from other ice cream places in the area is their preparation. They use liquid nitrogen, which minimizes the size of ice crystals, resulting in a much creamier consistency. Soooo this means they make their ice cream on the spot - and fyi, it's cool to watch - for each customer. They only have 6-7 flavors available though so make sure you check their flavor calendar (on their website) before going. I recommend going with friends and sharing a sampler so you can try as many flavors as possible.
PITANGO GELATO
Yes, I'm listing another ice cream place because I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream. I have a special place in my heart for Pitango - I first tried their food in Baltimore, MD, and it was love at first bite. Their cruffin? Their prosciutto and mozz sandwich? So much nom in my tum. They have locations in Capitol Hill, Penn Quarter and Adams Morgan, but only the latter has food in addition to gelato. They have a fabulous selection of gelato, and you can get up to 3 different flavors if you get a large. You can't go wrong with chocolate hazelnut, dark chocolate or pistachio so go wild...and remember to get a cruffin as well because it will change your life.
SUGAR LAB
Egg waffles are always a do in my book so I'm beyond pumped that Sugarlab opened in Georgetown earlier this year. Kathy and Hung, the brother/sister duo behind this super cute dessert shop, make all their gelato in house from scratch, and their passion shows in everything they do. The space itself is really nice - come instagram ready because they have a cool wall you're gonna want to take a selfie in front of - and their lemon sorbet is an absolute must-try. They don’t have as many flavors right now because it’s cold out, but matcha’s there all year ‘round, and it’s SOLID, like some of the best matcha ice cream I’ve ever had solid. They also have a cool egg waffle option with boba foam - I know it sounds weird, but I swear it’s good - and its texture is so strong. Definitely give it a shot if you’re looking to try something new! And last but not least, their bubble tea is awesome. My favorite flavor is their rose thai iced tea, but I’m sure the other options are nomtastic as well.
Alright guys, I hope you enjoyed reading about 6 must-try dessert places in DC! If you enjoyed this post, make sure you check out my blog and instagram to see more delish noms that will keep you drooling on the daily. Happy eating, everyone!