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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.
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!
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!
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.
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.
Happy Birthday Dolcezza!!!!!!! Came by to celebrate a joyous day with a great scoop of their Chocotorta ice cream. This was such a hit that I decided to get something to go. Huge fan of their gelato but this is my first time visiting this location. Service was good Location: this place was perfect for sit down chats with a friend Lots of great flavors to choose from and they have some incredible soft serve flavors Looking forward to visiting again read more
It was my first time visiting Dolcezza, and I must say I was pleasantly surprised. I got to try the Chocotorta gelato, which was really rich and creamy. I liked that the restaurant had a lot of seating, service was quick, and that staff were very friendly. I was also really pleased to learn that they sell pints of gelato as well. I'll have to come back to try other flavors. read more
Stopped by Dolcezza for a gelato break while exploring DC, and it definitely hit the spot. We tried the pistachio, lavender blueberry, and peanut butter chip flavors, and all three were rich, creamy, and full of flavor. The pistachio was my favorite, but the lavender blueberry was a fun and unique combination that was surprisingly refreshing. The staff were okay, not overly friendly, but service was quick and the gelato more than made up for it. Overall, a solid spot for quality gelato, especially if you're looking for a sweet treat while walking around the Wharf. read more
3 days ago
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. read more
2 months ago
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! read more
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! read more
3 months ago
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 :) read more
2 months ago
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! read more
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). read more
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. read more
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. read more
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. read more
3 days ago
The dark chocolate gelato here is so worth it. $8.50 for two scoops, so take that how you will but i think it's pretty worth it. The restaurant is loud so it's definitely a grab and go thing, not a sit and stay. The hours are wonderful though, and the flavors are plentiful read more
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. read more
1 month ago
I can't give much of a solid review because I had a seasonal drink--but the seasonal drink is delicious! The banana spice matcha is to die for folks, like absolutely insanely good. I'd been wanting to try it but couldn't find myself near a Dolcezza for a minute. I finally tried it and I was so impressed! read more
5 months ago
Beautifully consistent European oriented coffee -- always so refreshing compared to what's typically available. I usually come by when my morning pour over isn't enough, though the mid afternoon pick me ups are also great. They're making me a flat white convert . That said, their flat white, cappuccino, and macchiato are each done properly and distinctly, so if you're visiting the area with colleagues from abroad this is the solid post lunch coffee choice. It's lovely and light inside with floor to ceiling windows and a stellar location being right at one end of City Center. read more
10 months ago
I'm not usually a big fan of specialty ice cream or gelato, but this place was really good! I got the dulce de leche chip and the black and white cookie butter, and both were absolutely delicious. The staff were super friendly and patient while I tried to decide, and the serving size was generous -- which I really appreciate. It was so good that I started eating before I even remembered to take a photo . Definitely worth a stop if you're in the area and craving something sweet! read more
11 months ago
The epitome of gourmet coffee shop...this quaint, tasty shop has what I needed to cool off from the humidity. Super friendly and helpful staff, whom gladly let you sample the different gelato flavors. Yes, my ice cold brew and gelato was $19 after tip but worth every penny. One of the best taste in gelato I've had around. The COBRA was bold, strong and refreshing. Yum! read more
1 year ago
Stopped by for a late night treat. It was nice to find a place opened till late to grab something sweet. The service was super friendly and the establishment was clean with some seating available. I had the dulce de leche chip and it was delicious, not too sweet. The portion was also decent given the price. read more
The gelato is so creamy and the Hazelnut Crackle and Coffee & Cookies gelato flavors hit the spot! The service was great and let me sample a variety of flavors and landed on the chocolaty flavors. Appreciate that I was able to get a split scoop. The Hazelnut Crackle and Coffee & Cookies flavors paired very well with a nice crunch. The portion was good and worth the pricey $9. Looking forward to coming back and visiting other locations! read more
Walked here from the Chinatown metro stop which was only a few minutes. I tried a few samples and decided to get a small with two flavors: pistachio and coconut dulce de leche. They were both so creamy and thick, very very delicious! There was mostly only bar seating but there was one normal table which I sat at. They also had a few outdoor seating but there were so many bugs I ended up getting bit so I sat inside. There were bugs inside as well though. I liked that they had free water stations. Also saw the national guard standing around the ice cream place for like 30+ minutes not sure what that purpose was. read more
Came here for a late night treat and to stretch the legs. The staff were great, super friendly and very helpful. The price was a bit high but you get a lot of ice cream / sorbet. I believe it was 8.95 or something for 2 scoops (didn't see a single scoop option). It was recommended by 2 different staff members to get the peach oolong and mango combo and I will say it did not disappoint! They went so well together when eating them at the same time. I did like the peach oolong a bit more as individual flavors but they needed each other to really amplify their flavors. read more
I'm a huge ice cream fan and, walking back to my downtown hotel after a very filling dinner where I didn't have room for dessert, I thought, if I could find a really good ice cream shop, I would have room for ice cream. I searched Yelp and it led me here. Even better, as I started to get close, I saw lots of people walking with these gelato cups, which told me I had probably found a winner. This is located all the way at the end (or the beginning, depending on which way you're coming) of Palmer Alley in City Center, which features many beautiful, high-end stores like Hermes. For June Pride Month they have renamed it Celebration Alley and decked it out with streaming rainbow fabric which is festive and beautiful. Dolcezza fits right in here, as this is high-end gelato. I got a small, which is a tiny cup but perfectly satisfying as a treat or dessert, and includes what is essentially a half scoop each of two flavors. It's nice to try multiple things. They will offer you sample tastes before you make a selection but I saw my go-to Stracciatella, which is essentially Italian chocolate chip, and knew that would be one of my selections. There was also something called hazelnut crisp or crunch, and as a big hazelnut lover, I did not need to sample to assume that would be a winner, too. The staff was efficient and got me served quickly. There is a little bit of indoor seating if you would like, or you can take it outdoors and enjoy the weather, which may or may not be enjoyable in your view on a summer day approaching 100. My ice cream was melting quite quickly so I dug right in. It is creamy and luxurious. The flavors are on point and even the chocolate used for the big flaky chips was clearly top tier. You're going to pay $10 for this small size which feels a bit crazy for ice cream but, again, this is the good stuff and you are in Washington. read more
6 months ago
Always really delicious and generous portions. Shared a large with another person and it was definitely enough. read more
Yall!! Made my own version of the Dubai chocolate bar and ordered the pistachio and dark chocolate. When I tell you this was incredible, my mouth is watering just thinking about it! My friend tried a bunch of different flavors and we both appreciated the help and recommendations from the staff. Highly recommend!! read more
Located in City Center with high end shops, this gelato/coffee house does get a lot of traction from shoppers. It is a small store with a good number of tables and chairs/stools for any group size. I am not a coffee person, so I came for their gelato. I love to try interesting flavors, thus I had the blueberry lemon thyme flavor, and mascarpone and berries flavor. Both flavors weren't strong, and the blueberry definitely overpowered the lemon and thyme. I tried the dark chocolate fudge, and roasted strawberry flavors too. Both were rich and good. They paired well together as the dark chocolate fudge was bitter, while the roasted strawberry was sweet. They sell gelato in pints too! Service staff were friendly and they moved fast. Though the line could be long, it would only be a short wait. read more
We visited in December during a rainy night and the cafe was super busy. I bought a small 2 flavors cup with pistachio and rocky road. The pistachio was very good. It did taste like real pistachio (not artificial) and very creamy. The rocky road had very chocolaty flavor and lots of marshmallow & chocolate chunk bits. Overall, it was a very good gelato but a bit pricey for the price & the portion. read more
9 months ago
I paid $12 for their Brontë pistachio soft serve collab with yellow and it was very overpriced and underwhelming. After tax it's more like $14 and tiny portion size. It didn't taste special and I actually like Dolcezza's regular gelato ice cream flavors better than the soft serve collab. I'd rate their regular stuff 4 stars but 3 stars for the sub par "limited time" money grab collab. read more
We came by last week - It is always a treat to stop in. I like this location the best since it was a much larger space and much more seating was available. Staff are always very nice and gelato is always yummy. I/ we love to stop in anytime we come to visit. read more
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
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
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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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