FYI a Menchie's just opened at 12th & U NW. I have yet to try it, though.

Sorbets are absolutely dairy free. It's sherbets that are not. And Gelato's, while lower in fat, have dairy as well. OP almost all ice cream shops will have a dairy free option. Old town has at least three down by the water.

I'm the PP who suggested Dolcezza. Duh, you're right. I meant that Dolcezza Gelato serves awesome sorbet. The avocado flavor I mentioned is sorbet.

TCBY just released a dairy free, soy free (almond milk based) chocolate soft serve. There's one in Sterling.

Also froyo, but Menchie's is very good! There's one on Columbia Pike in Arlington (Penrose Square) and they have non-dairy sorbet options. (Also, it's self-serve, with clear dairy-free labels, so I feel really comfortable taking my dairy-allergic son there.) A yummy and fun treat!

Pitango and Dolcezza have amazing sorbets. Dolcezza has 2 DC locations, and Pitango has DC locations as well as Reston and Baltimore.

Anonymous wrote:Rita's is a great suggestion. There is one in Landmark Plaza. My other go-to is Dolcezza Gelato. We love the one in Mosaic District (Merrifield). There gelato is amazing. I recommended the avocado orange.

Gelato has dairy--it's basically richer ice cream.

Tutti Fruitti frozen yogurt has options that are dairy free, but most of their options are made with dairy and soy. The dairy free options are often not very appealing to my child with a suspected dairy allergy (once the only option was coffee, another time almond and she can't have nuts either), so we rarely go there.

Sweet Frog froyo has some dairy free options and labels them.

Zinga also has some dairy free options and labels them well.

I believe FrozenYo has some dairy free options as well.

Anonymous wrote:Ritas

+2
Don't assume sorbets are dairy free - many are not. I would also let the person scooping know your child can't have dairy in case all the scoops go into the same container to be reused.

Rita's is a great suggestion. There is one in Landmark Plaza. My other go-to is Dolcezza Gelato. We love the one in Mosaic District (Merrifield). There gelato is amazing. I recommended the avocado orange.

Ritas

Second sweetfrog

I think Tutti Frutti frozen yogurt is soy.

FroYo vs ice cream - but Sweet Frog has non dairy options

So I have an ice-cream-living four-year-old who is off dairy for a while (not a true allergy, but gives him wicked stomach problems) and we're looking for places to take him out for an occasional treat. We all love the sorbet at the Dairy Godmother, but are there other places you'd recommend? It's obviously not a life or death thing, but it's a fun way to cap off an evening or an outing. We sometimes buy the coconut milk ice cream at home for a special dessert, but he really loves the act of going out someplace for it, and we're all about giving the kids practice at not acting like wild animals in restaurant environments! We're in Northern Virginia. Thanks, all!