Dolci Gelati

Love their coffee and especially donuts. Lemonade is the must. The guy who served us that day was extremely nice. Really loved it and came back within an hour for the second glass of lemonade.

This was our first time visiting Alexandria. We thought Georgetown was the place to go, but on our drive back to the hotel, we were amazed at how cool Alexandria appeared. We had to stop. We grabbed dinner and went for a stroll and came across Dolci Gelati. The place looked like it was hopping, but we got served quickly. The place had a historic, artsy vibe. We didn't get the gelato, but we both got the hot caramel latte, and it was delicious. We sat, relaxed, and enjoyed all the signage on the walls. If we knew about this place earlier, we would have added it to our extensive itinerary. All the customers were saying it was amazing gelato. I'm sure it was. If we're ever in the DC area again, we'll definitely stop back. For now, we'll just tell people to visit.

I visited this cream shop craving something unique, and they went above and beyond! I mentioned I was in the mood for a Matcha vanilla frappe, and they happily experimented to make it happen. The result was absolutely delightful—creamy, perfectly balanced, and refreshing. I truly appreciate their creativity and willingness to cater to my request. A wonderful experience!

The food was great, delicious and very fresh, customer service was ok The place its small and it was very crowded

I might have said before that I'm not a coffee person, but I went with my family 'cause they wanted coffee, and wow, I'm impressed. I personally got the Affogato and loved it, even though it's not really coffee, but still totally worth it. The four of us all liked what we got.

Hmm, gelato or milkshake? Milkshake or gelato? Chocolate Hazelnut would be a treat to eat as-is but I'm craving a milkshake. Yep, I decided to ask for a milkshake. Stir, sip, yum! I meant, yuummm! The thickness and creaminess making my tastebuds happy. A few sips the hazelnuts did not chop small enough to pass through the straw, but that's okay. When you sip on the milkshake to its end you're treated with eating the last bits of hazelnuts that fell to the bottom of the cup. Having the milkshake made this a worthwhile treat 😋 BTW, the staff were nice and attentive too 🙌🏽

Update: still my favorite. I go to Dolci Gelati often. I almost want to keep it a secret now because it is far more peaceful compared to coffee/ice cream shops in Old Town. I tried many flavors of gelato and they are all good. I am in Old Town all the time. This is one of my favorite places. I wish they had a frequent client discount. Maybe they do?

Cute spot for tasty gelato with a bunch of fun, unique flavors! I dropped by Dolci Gelati with a friend on a warm Saturday afternoon, and it was the perfect way to welcome the start of spring. The gelato shop is located in the heart of Old Town right next to the town center, so it's incredibly convenient and perfectly located for a post-dinner (or pre-dinner) snack or to grab a bite to walk along the waterfront with. They have a bunch of fun flavors, but I had to go with their award winning fig and mascarpone scoop -- so good, and with such a fun balance of sweet and tart flavors from both the mascarpone and the fruit. We hung out with our gelato cones on Dolci's cute little patio, and it was the perfect space -- not too quiet and not too loud, with plenty of shade.

Your basic neighborhood gelato and coffee shop. Service is decent, mostly composed of youngsters getting some hours in between school and study time. Though don't expect a hipster-level artisan coffee experience. It's not that kind of place and that's OK. Great gelato and milkshakes are what you're here for. Ambiance is quiet during off hours but can get busy during touristy times. Bathrooms available for customers.

I may be biased because I am a gelato lover, but this gelato shop is the closest to Italy that I've found in the DMV, offering unique flavors, great service, and a wonderful ambience, plus a nice selection of coffee and espresso that can be mixed with gelato. BITES tried: Dulce de Leche, Madagascar vanilla bean, and an espresso milk shake. Check them out!

My friends and I stopped into Dolci while exploring King Street during our visit to Alexandria. Located in Old Town Alexandria, Dolci is at a prime location close to the water at a corner of the prominent King Street. You can find metered street parking a few blocks back and on the surrounding streets. We came in on a Tuesday afternoon and there was no line at all and were able to be helped immediately. I like that they let you try out the gelato before you order. Pumpkin Pie Gelato 4/5, I love pumpkin and I love a pumpkin seasonal item. This tasted like pumpkin puree that you use to make pumpkin pie so not exactly pumpkin spice flavor but a more pure pumpkin blend. This was soft but wasn't as sorbet gelato-y as I am used to. Cinnamon Gelato 4/5, my friend got this and rated it. She has a severe peanut allergy and after confirming there is no peanuts used in anything, we can confirm there wasn't cross contamination in this! She noted 4/5 on flavor and 5/5 on being allergy safe. Salted caramel gelato 4/5, my other friend got this and rated it. She noted the flavor was pretty good but nothing "too wow-ing." Overall, I think this is a nice place to stop on a visit into the city!

Dolci Gelati is a delightful spot for tasty gelato and a perfect place to kick back and relax. I stopped in while waiting to meet a friend and decided to treat myself to a refreshing smoothie while enjoying a good book. The shop is cozy, set up much like a classic ice cream shop, and they even let you sample the gelato before making your choice. I ended up choosing a smoothie (and later returned with my friend for some gelato). Both were incredibly refreshing and hit the spot. What really stood out to me was the patio in the back. It's a peaceful, relaxing area that's perfect for reading or just taking a break. I'll definitely be returning for the delicious gelato, smoothies, and the laid-back atmosphere.

The vanilla latte was really good along with the pastries. Love all of the cute cups and mugs on the wall and the service was friendly.

Parking on street was easy during the day, cafe was full, service was quick! Loved this flavor and exactly what i had been craving!

The ice cream and ambience was fantastic. Great clientele, who were super personable and made the experience positive.

Cute cafe located in Old Town. We walked here from the waterfront and it wasn't very far. It's larger inside than it appears with lots of seating. They offer gelato (no vegan options) and coffee, espresso, and other drinks. You have the option of using the self service iPad or ordering at the counter. Service was fine. Prices were decent.

Espresso and gelato, what more could someone want? This was fantastic. Enjoy inside or on the terrace. The service was quick.

Pistachio gelato and coffee were both above my expectations for this small place. I would come here again for a cup and some gelato

As someone with a peanut/nut allergy I HIGHLY recommend this place! When I mentioned my allergy they washed the spoon and got a fresh tub from the back to scoop me my gelato from! I ordered the steatacella which had the perfect ratio of chocolate shavings to gelato!. It was super light as well which was perfect after an oily heavy dinner. My friend ordered the chocolate hazelnut which he highly recommends. He says it was super chocolately and had lots of chopped nuts - ideal for a nut ice cream! The proportions are also really big and the server stuffs as much gelato in as possible

At 7:30 pm I've ordered Tiramisu Affogato and looked for a chair to sit. Sitting area's chairs were all up on table and it closes at 10:00 pm. I've asked the employees if it's okay to take down a chair and sit. And the employee said I can sit outside. It's 30 degrees outside on that date and I am eating Affogato!! Will never visit the place. Affogato was good.

Came in to end a nice evening out in Old Town Alexandria. Lot of folks there to get some gelato, but they also serve coffee and some basic pastries. My family and I got different flavors of gelato - salted caramel, strawberry shortcake, mint chocolate chip, and amarena cherry. I enjoyed my salted caramel and Child #2 and my wife enjoyed theirs as well. Small cup was very sufficient for us, but they also have larger sizes. The inside is a bit small - I think there were at most four tables inside. That said, it's not too far from the square so you could go walk there with your treat. It could get a little crowded in line, but they move fast and efficiently. Worth trying.

Soooo goood! I've been to Old Town plenty of times, but it was the first time I spotted this hidden game right off King Street by the City Hall. My boyfriend and I both ordered small cups, he got espresso and I got chocolate. The texture and taste was amazing, it was filling but we both wanted more. This is going to be a new regular dessert place for us. They also let you sample flavors! And have many more items, such as shakes, coffee, and pastries.

Definitely some of the best gelato I have had! The shop is small and can get crowded, but the staff is great about providing good experiences to the customers efficiently. The shop looks like a cute cafe and is the perfect escape from the heat during a hot summer day! I tried the Bischoff flavor and it was incredible! One scoop was plenty for me, but if you have a sweet tooth, get two! You won't regret it!

It was nice to get a taste of the gelato before selecting. The cookies and cream was really good. This place has a nice variety of gelato. The place has some seating inside but we decided to sit outside on the back porch.

Exceeded my expectations! (This is always a great way to start.) I'm not one that is easily impressed by ice cream/gelato but that biscoff gelato was oh so scrumptious. *insert Homer's mouth watering gif here*. Easily five stars! Then the pistachio gelato...yummmm. Service was good. Both of the workers were very patient (it took forever for me to make up my mind...FOREVER) The ambiance was giving welcoming, comfort... feeling at home. I will definitely go back for that biscoff gelato whenever I am close in the area. Parking: street parking is abundantly available.

Everyone's got different taste!! You're welcome to try a sample. I got a medium sized cup of dark chocolate and hazelnut and it was plenty for two people to share easily. I was trying to create a Nutella flavor haha. Although the most popular choice is the dark chocolate gelato, I preferred the hazelnut.

Looking for authentic Italian gelati with natural flavors? This is the place. Pastry Chef Gianluigi Dellaccio; a native of Naples (Napoli), Italy; owns 3 locations: Shaw (Washington DC); Takoma Park, MD; and Old Town Alexandria. He has a partner at this location which opened in November 2015. FYI, gelati is the Italian plural for gelato. Gelato is Italian for ice cream.    My wife and I had some exquisite Argentine gelato at Casa Rosada, so we came here to taste Italian gelato because it is where Argentine gelato originated. We tried 2 flavors of gelato and 3 flavors of sorbet. 1) Amarena Cherry Gelato    This was a vanilla gelato with pieces of Amarena cherries and swirls of cherry syrup. It was rich and creamy with a modest vanilla flavor. It had a moderate sweetness with a bold cherry flavor. It was similar to maraschino cherries except the flavor was fresh and stronger with a slight tartness. Delicious! If you love fresh cherries, then this is for you! 2) Honey Marscapone Fig Gelato    This was rich and creamy but a touch harder than the Amarena Cherry gelato. So, it didn't melt as fast. It was moderately sweet with natural flavors of fig and honey. There was a touch of tartness from the mascarpone which paired nicely with the sweetness. This was a beautiful blend of natural flavors. This won first place for Best Flavor at the Gelato Festival in Boulder, Colorado. 3) Strawberry Lavender Sorbet    This was a smooth thick sorbet with moderate sweetness. There was no iciness. The aroma was mostly of lavender with a background of strawberry. The flavor was floral with a touch of fresh picked strawberries and a sensation of grape soda flavor at the end. The layers of flavors were unique and flavorful. 4) Mango Sorbet    This had a natural mango flavor with moderate sweetness. It was smooth and thick with no iciness. It had a light citrus flavor which made it crisp and refreshing. 5) Lemon Sorbet    I tried a sample of this. It was intense in lemon flavor. There was lemon juice and zest in it. It was citrusy and tart with enough sweetness to make it enjoyable. This would be a great palette cleanser.    They sell 3 flavors of sorbet, 15 flavors of gelato, espresso, lattes, coffee drinks, a variety of affogato drinks, blended drinks, breakfast sandwiches, lunch sandwiches, muffins, bagels, fritters, donuts, danishes, tea cakes, cookies, and croissants. They had 8 tables with chairs. The dining areas and restroom were clean. There is only one restroom and it was worn looking. The service was helpful, polite, patient, and quick. The atmosphere was quiet and relaxed even though customers were coming and going frequently. This is an excellent cafe for high quality gelati and sorbets. I was impressed by their fresh natural flavors! We'll have to return to try other items. I highly recommend you give them a visit!

My coworker and I found Dolci Gelati after arriving at our hotel on King Street on a Sunday evening. This location had clearly been busy all day as they had limited gelato flavors remaining. I appreciated being able to sample 2 flavors before ultimately choosing a medium dish of birthday cake and almond gelato. The almond gelato was my favorite - a flavor I'd not tried before but very well done (I do like almond extract used in other desserts). The birthday cake was good but nothing special. The employees were very pleasant and worked quickly without rushing anyone. There was some indoor seating filled with a large family, a bathroom, and some outdoor seating around back. We opted to take our gelato to go and kept walking towards the waterfront.

Had a crave for an ice cream. In a such hot day as it was today, it was a perfect stop. Walking by saw this place. They have great menus and some pastries to choose from. If you are in Alexandria old town you should stop by. My tiramisu ice cream coffee was great! Friendly stuff, lovely atmosphere and nice music played in the background.

Closed. Post accurate hours - not cool. Have no opinion on gelato ... because I couldn't . Small stuff is important - maybe next time . . . . .

Came here after an afternoon all over OTA over the weekend. Very comfy vibes with four oversized comfy leather chairs and a smaller seating area past the order station. Was told the gelato was made at their sister location in DC and that the tiramisu was most popular. It did taste good but in the end I went for a hazelnut and honey mascarpone fig in a small cup. We also ordered the classic affogato which comes with vanilla gelato. Both items were amaaazing good! We sat in the big chairs enjoying but then realized later there is a very small outdoor area that faces King Street with some very nice trees and flowers for a view. Absolutely a great place to sit back and enjoy some gelato and people watch. I really hope the honey mascarpone stays on rotation. We will definitely be back.

One of the best places for gelatos out there.. Actually, this is my go-to.. I highly recommend the pistachio and hazelnut. Yum. The service crew they hire here are all always pleasant.

I came here on a Saturday while I was in the area. I ordered a small gelato which came with two scoops. I ordered the pistachio and biscoff flavored gelato. I will say the gelato tastes amazing! The biscoff tasted a little better than the pistachio in my opinion but both were delicious. They have a variety of flavors and even have coffee, milkshakes, and sandwiches on the menu. The inside is super cute and has a decent amount of seating towards the back. It was not super busy so there were some seating available. It has a cute vibe and the decor is adorable. The service is not exactly good but it's not bad either. The girl that was helping me with the gelato didn't seem so happy about being there. I had to give these place 4 stars instead of 5 due to the service. Overall the gelato was great here! If you're in the area I would say check it out. But to be honest I wouldn't go out of my way for it.

In a competitive ice cream scene, Dolci Gelati delivers a delightfully creamy and flavorful experience. Amarena Cherry was the perfect mix of creamy and lightly tart. Dark chocolate was also solid and not too sweet. The gelato itself is a bit melty so you have to eat quickly but the texture is wonderful.

We happen to stop in based on the recommendation from the visitor center. We were most delighted to get gelato that was filled way over the rim, as well as fresh sandwiches that were absolutely delicious. We got 4 different sandwiches. We happened to stop in based on the recommendation from the visitor center. We were most delighted to get gelato that was filled way over the rim, as well as fresh sandwiches that were absolutely delicious. They did get one order mixed up with the bread type but it was still absolutely delicious with fresh meats and plenty of home cooked bacon. Would come again!

What makes a small ice-cream/coffee shop like this feel like a good place? It is service! They gave me not even lukewarm hot-chocolate and when i asked them to heat it up or redo, the male said 'I will make the hottest hot chocolate you have ever seen!'. Why the threat??!! I paid for HOT-chocolate and why is it wrong for me to expect at least warmer than slightly warm chocolate? Then serves a sweltering hot one, which I couldn't drink for 40 mins! I originally came here to have ice-cream, all types I wanted were gone and he didn't want to brig out more from the back. They didn't have hazelnut flavor, chocolate or the cherry. All 3 I wanted, 100% not there. I regretted driving 20 minutes for this place. JUST AVOID!

I LOVED this place. Service was great even when close to closing time. My friends said the gelato was delicious. I got a latte and it was super good. Very good coffee and creamy consistency.

Liked this little cafe a lot and they are pet friendly. I ended up going here twice for breakfast sandwiches because it was difficult to find breakfast sandwiches from a local cafe in Old Town Alexandria. Iced coffee was a bit strong but still tasty. Rodeo sandwich on an everything bagel (you can choose what you want your sandwich on). Loved the sriracha kick. Also got a goat cheese sandwich with bacon and egg. I'd recommend going here! Friendly staff, clean, inviting and plenty of seating.

Highly recommend! We're here in Old Town on a busy Saturday afternoon and we were on the hunt for a light lunch before grabbing coffee and ice cream. This ended up being a one stop shop! We split the turkey pesto sandwich. It was on light fluffy ciabatta and it had crunchy bacon on top. It tasted so fresh and flavorful! We both got gelato. I had the dark chocolate and biscoff and my husband had pistachio and biscoff. SO GOOD. I also had a cappuccino and it was delicious. There was very little wait and we sat in super comfy chairs while we enjoyed our food.

A pleasant step away from City Hall and figuratively from the big box coffee shops, you'll find Dolci. While the name suggests something sweet (they have an incredible selection of gelato), my wife and I opted for the savory: the Rodeo breakfast sandwich. The Rodeo is a combination of toasted everything bagel (you can choose a croissant if you prefer), egg white, bacon, pico de Gallo, and sriracha Mayo. My wife made hers vegetarian by opting to exclude the bacon. The sandwich is prepared fresh, and piping hot and fluffy. While I am used to a pico with more kick (this one seemingly was chopped tomatoes with a little salt; no cilantro, onion, chili pepper), the overall taste was fresh and delicious. We washed our Rodeos down with the house coffee and their house chai. Also, delicious. We are all about making sure local businesses stay in business during the pandemic and beyond. We'd highly recommend Dolci as one of those local businesses with great drinks, delicious made-to-order food, and excellent service.

My second time at Dolci Gelati! I ordered the apple cider and cherry amarena gelato. It was quite delicious! The shop has plenty of seating and is a very cute and quaint environment.

The espresso and salted caramel were delicious but my daughter had the cookies and cream and birthday cake and neither tasted as you would think their namesake suggests. They just tasted sweet. She was happy so I'm happy. The price tag for a small cup was a bit steep but I guess that's just the way the world is now. Expensive. For everything.

Get the Tiramisu Affagato!!! You won't be disappointed! Espresso, Tiramisu Gelato, Whipped cream, lady fingers and cocoa powder oh my!

Thanks, Dolci Gelati. Late afternoon snack stop-in, during the visit, walked in and the place was an easy-going vibe. I ordered a nitro Cold brew with Honey mascarpone fig gelato! Wow! Coffee was bold with nitro fluffiness. The gelato was able to be eaten with a spoon as the cold brew was super cold. It was a wonderful pit stop on our walk on King Street! The place had seating and was able to be socially distant, they also provided samples to the guest to ensure your taste vid get it right.

Four of us stopped in for gelato and coffee. One friend got the VEC milkshake. I thought it sounded better than it tasted. It was more coffee like than milkshake consistency. He loved it. I got the bananas foster and the hazelnut chocolate mixture of gelato. It was really good. I would get both again. Maybe next time get the medium versus the small. I ate it so quickly I forgot to get a picture! My niece got the Armenian cherry and lemon sorbet. Both were good although I would not have had them together. Place was packed and had a steady stream of customers. Only one bathroom.

Just simply amazing. Some of the best gelato Ive had. It has a little coffee shop vibe and the people are nice! You have to try it, and get the Expresso gelato!

I went into the Alexandria location. The service was pretty quick when I ordered it. It took me five minutes for them to give me my order. My only complaints were as follows. I ordered a chai tea latte large baby 3/4 was full the rest of it was foam. Also, it was barely chai in there. It's mostly hot milk.The store was fairly clean and it wasn't too loud. There were a good amount of flys and mosquitoes, but that could be due to the door being open.

Got their 5 minutes til close and they turned me away, open sign on and all. Worker wasn't the most polite about it.

Another place for ice cream. It also has coffee on the menu. Old Town has a location of Dolci Gelati, a small chain in the DC area that's okay. Kind of high prices is the one bad thing about it. The quality is good though. Coffee and ice cream are the attractions. It has a pretty small menu for coffee. They only have a few basics but these are nice. A latte is one thing you can't get wrong here. It's $3.90 for a medium. This is a bit more when you add in the non dairy milk. As for the ice cream, this is why people come. They specialize in various gelatos. It's denser than regular ice cream. They also have a few non dairy sorbets. It's $5 for a cup. That seems like a lot. I had the lemon sorbet the last time here. This had a very strong lemon taste. It was thick and lasted a long time without melting. The price was too high for the amount but this was high quality. I would recommend this if you really like gelato or ice cream. Maybe only occasionally because of the high prices. They have both coffee and ice cream so they're okay in whatever kind of weather.

Tried "honey mascarpoane fig" and "lemongrass sorbe". Though I am not a fig fan, the fig flavor was not as apparent as its texture. Loved the honey touch. The mixture is sophisticated as a waltz. The lemongrass sorbe, on the other hand, danced a ballet on my tongue. It was elegant, clean and refreshing. Yes, it tastes like summer. I was concerned at first about the overpowering flavor of lemongrass but it was so subtle; yet, you know it's there. Salute to the chef's creativity!

Come to SoCal please! I first tried their Lemon flavor back at my cousin's house and I thought it was so good. I knew I had to come by to try their other flavors and see if they were just as good - they were! Makes sense as we overheard the workers say the owner is the gelato ambassador for the area. We got a small ($5), which allows two scoops, so we each chose a flavor. They allowed samples, so of course I had to take advantage of this and see which was best. I got to try Vanilla Bean, Birthday Cake, and Peanut Butter Cup. I wanted to try them all, but I feel like three samples is the max before I feel like workers might get annoyed. Of those three, I liked the Peanut Butter Cup the most as it had a great peanut butter flavor mixed with chocolate in each bite. My cousin got the Stracciatella and that was just as good if not better. After looking it up, it makes sense why it's so good as it's vanilla ice cream with fine flakes of chocolate. Like who doesn't love a good vanilla ice cream? If I could, I would go there again, but seems like they are only available on the East Coast.

Stopped by for coffee, hot chocolate and vanilla ice cream Loved the hot chocolate! On the sweeter side but definitely warming and lovely to walk around the Alexandria area with. The place also couldn't be more perfectly located, right across the street from City Hall and next to a historic site My autistic brother had the vanilla ice cream and just gobbled it. I'm sure that's a sign he approves!

It's fine. If you happen to be at that end of King St., and the other ice cream places are busy it is worth going here if you really want something. It's just not gelato. Head west on King St and there is a spot that serves much more authentic gelato.

Absolutely delicious gelato. Some of the best I've had. Dark chocolate and Tiramisu combo did not disappoint! Place is small and quaint. Prob nicer in in the cooler months. Gelato 100% worth it!

There's probably better gelato out there, but I think it's exclusively in Italy. There is no better team of employees than the staff here. They were capable, quick, and above and beyond friendly, offering to take a picture of me and the friend I'm here visiting. They keep the place spotless and fully instagrammable. I wish they had more flavors available during my visit, but it was very close to closing so I'm just grateful we made it. The Bacio was excellent and I heard good things about the coffee flavor as well. I love that a waffle cone doesn't cost extra- it was delicious! Portion size and cost were nice, too. I would purposefully return here both for quality of gelato and service.

This was such a cute coffee and gelato shop in Old Town Alexandria. They have a nice little self service register so you can place your order and skip the line. Plenty of indoor seating and a charming little patio out back.

Nice break in your day exploring Old Alexandria with a warm latte. Plenty of seating & quaint ambiance. Also a lot of outlets if you're needing to charge up.