Always Ice Cream "coming soon" to Pike & Rose

Always Ice Cream is coming soon to Rockville Pike, according to signage posted in its future storefront. It will be located at 11802 Rockville Pike at Pike & Rose. The Maryland-based chain manufactures over 250 handcrafted flavors in the state, but has attracted the attention of national media. Always Ice Cream is expected to open this fall. Most of its scoop shops are located in the Annapolis area, but the brand is now expanding into Montgomery and Charles counties.

July 4th sundae special at Max's Best Ice Cream in Bethesda

July 4th is going to be a hot one this year, with a forecasted high of 101° in Bethesda tomorrow. And there will be many a boom in the air, from thunderstorms and fireworks at Congressional Country Club and down in Washington, D.C. But you'll have a chance to cool off while staying in full 250-years-of-America celebration mode at Max's Best Ice Cream at 7770 Woodmont Avenue in downtown Bethesda. The ice cream parlor will be open from noon to 11:00 PM on July 4th, and they'll be featuring a special Red, White & Boom Sundae. The sundae features a blue frosted cupcake topped with Vanderwende's vanilla ice cream, strawberry and blue raspberry sauces, star spangled sprinkles, strawberry and blue raspberry Pop Rocks® and finished with a star lollipop. 

Maryland Governor Wes Moore visits Max's Best Ice Cream in Bethesda

Maryland Governor Wes Moore was in Montgomery County Thursday for a Purple Line ceremony, but made time for an extended visit to Max's Best Ice Cream at 7770 Woodmont Avenue in downtown Bethesda. He presented the ice cream parlor with a Governor's Citation recognizing the work the business is doing, in conjunction with Best Buddies and the Walt Whitman High School Learning for Independence program, to provide employment opportunities for members of the community with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Moore also joined the staff to learn a thing or two himself about how the treats are made in the kitchen at Max's.

The staff had a final surprise for the governor, when they presented him with the limited-edition Give Me Moore Old Bay Sundae. With the iconic Tastee Diner in the background, Moore handed out spoons so the staff could share in the enjoyment of his namesake dessert. The sundae features a warm, house-made brownie topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, Old Bay caramel sauce, Old Bay-coated honey roasted peanuts, Fisher's (of course!) Old Bay Caramel Popcorn, whipped cream, and a handmade chocolate crab.

Photos courtesy Max's Best Ice Cream 

Sarah's Handmade Ice Cream sets opening date in Chevy Chase

The newest location of Sarah's Handmade Ice Cream at 8551 Connecticut Avenue at Chevy Chase Lake now has an opening date. It will start scooping on Saturday, April 4, 2026. To celebrate, a Grand Opening Block Party & Community Maker’s Market will be held from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM on the 4th and 5th that weekend. "We’re curating the best local makers, music, family activities, and plenty of ice cream specials as we turn the plaza into a neighborhood celebration," the local mother-daughter chain announced on Instagram yesterday.

Sarah's will also offer the following grand opening specials that weekend:

✨ Buy 1 Get 1 Free Sarah’s Signature 6-Flavor Ice Cream Flights

✨ Buy 3 Get 1 More Free Pints

Sarah's Handmade Ice Cream "coming soon" to Chevy Chase

Sarah's Handmade Ice Cream is "coming soon" to Chevy Chase. It will be located at 8551 Connecticut Avenue, in the ground floor of the Ritz-Carlton Residences at Chevy Chase Lake. This will be the fourth shop opened by the local chain, which started in Bethesda. Sarah's will replace The Charmery, and is arguably a major upgrade. It's only a matter of time before Joe Biden's limousine pulls up!

Halloween pumpkin and candy flavors at Dolcezza at Bethesda Row

Stop by Dolcezza Gelato and Coffee at 7111 Bethesda Lane at Bethesda Row this week to try limited time flavors for the Halloween and fall seasons. Why just have a fun size Butterfinger bar out of your Halloween candy bag, when you can have chopped Butterfinger bars and rich melted chocolate swirled into premium Dolcezza vanilla bean gelato? Indulge before it ghosts the menu on November 3.

Special pumpkin flavors will stick around through the end of November. Dolcezza's fall menu utilizes a pumpkin spice syrup made from 1,800 lbs of heirloom crookneck pumpkins grown at Beiler’s Heritage Acres Farm in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The pumpkins were oven-blistered in-house with dark brown sugar, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, and clove to create the syrup featured in the following limited-time-only treats:

Pumpkin Spice Gelato

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Pumpkin Chai Latte

Honeycrisp Apple Sorbet, made with apples grown by Toigo Orchards in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania

Max's Best Ice Cream opening Tuesday in Bethesda (Photos)

Max's Best Ice Cream at 7770 Woodmont Avenue in Bethesda has set an opening date. It will begin scooping this Tuesday, June 24, 2025. Everything looks ready to go inside, as you can see in the photos below. With The Weather Channel forecasting a high temperature of 101 degrees for Bethesda on Tuesday, ice cream is sure to be in demand. Operating hours for Max's will be 1:00 PM to 10:00 PM Monday through Thursday, 1:00 PM to 11:00 PM on Fridays, 12:00 PM to 11:00 PM on Saturdays, and 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM on Sundays. 

Max's Best Ice Cream construction update in Bethesda (Photos)

The interior fit-out of Max's Best Ice Cream at 7770 Woodmont Avenue in the Woodmont Crescent building still has a ways to go before "the best summer yet." But yesterday, a crew installed the permanent signage above the storefront. Inside, other workers were putting finishing touches on the front counter, as well as interior walls and flooring. Besides scoops of ice cream, the shop will also sell sundaes and milkshakes, with adult versions of the latter with alcohol to be served.

Max's Best Ice Cream "coming soon" to Bethesda

"Coming soon" signage has been installed in the windows of Max's Best Ice Cream, opening by summer at 7770 Woodmont Avenue, in the Woodmont Crescent building in Bethesda. Max's is promising this will be "the best summer yet." Serving you your choice of flavors will be "the best people." The signage indicates that the shop will also offer ice cream cookie sandwiches.

Max's Best Ice Cream opening in Bethesda

Max's Best Ice Cream is coming to downtown Bethesda. The ownership of the Woodmont Crescent building had been angling for a restaurant to fill the former Blue House space at 7770 Norfolk Avenue, and they've finally reeled in an ice cream parlor with a prominent name. Max's Best Ice Cream was also the name of a popular ice cream shop in Glover Park in Northwest Washington, D.C. for 20 years, until it was forced out of its storefront by rent increases in 2013. Its fans included then-President Barack Obama, James Baker, and Andre Agassi.

Valentine's Day flavors at Dolcezza at Bethesda Row

Dolcezza at 7111 Bethesda Lane has two romantic flavors for Valentine's Day at Bethesda Row. Red Velvet Cake features red velvet cake batter gelato with slices of red velvet cake, and swirls of cream cheese frosting. Passion Fruit Mousse is a fluffy passion fruit gelato made from whole fresh passion fruit, with drizzles of passionfruit coulis. Both flavors will be available for the rest of February.

Photo courtesy Dolcezza

Ice cream for breakfast at Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Bethesda Row Feb. 1

Ice cream is not just for dessert anymore. Starting this Saturday, February 1, 2025, Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at 4918 Elm Street at Bethesda Row will begin serving Blueberry Johnny Cakes ice cream. "A flavor that hits all the savory-sweet high notes of a great breakfast," the company said in its announcement of the flavor and event. "Fluffy, honey-kissed cornbread pancakes, toasted to griddled perfection. Suspended in rich salted butter cream. And swirled with a bright blueberry-maple jam. Tastes like Saturday morning breakfast — but perfect anytime." A launch day celebration will be held at the Bethesda store on February 1 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM, with breakfast-inspired menu pairings, children's activities, and more.

Dippin' Dots now available at Bethesda gas station

The 90s vibes are spreading up Old Georgetown Road in downtown Bethesda. Exactly a month after Tobacco & More Mart at 7809 Old Georgetown started selling Dippin' Dots, the Exxon at 7975 Old Georgetown has begun offering them in its convenience store. Treat yourself to this futuristic flash-frozen ice cream after filling your tank at $4.39 a gallon. Are Dippin' Dots the reason Americans learned to stop worrying and love high gas prices?

Free scoop of gelato July 21 at Dolcezza at Bethesda Row

Celebrate National Ice Cream Day this Sunday at Bethesda Row. Dolcezza at 7111 Bethesda Lane will be celebrating the local Argentine gelato and coffee chain's 21st anniversary on the same day, July 21, 2024. 

Chocotorta gelato

To get a free scoop of Chocotorta gelato, tell your server "Happy Birthday" when you place your order. Chocotorta is a dulce de leche gelato with chocolate-cookie-dulce-de-leche-mousse cake folded into it. Customers who buy a pint of any flavor of gelato on Sunday can also get a second pint for 50%-off.

Dippin' Dots now available at Tobacco & More Mart in Bethesda

Dippin' Dots are now available at Tobacco & More Mart at 7809 Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda. The flash-frozen ice cream treat can't be sold just anywhere, as it must be stored at −40 °F or colder. For some local residents, Dippin' Dots were a bigger part of life in Bethesda during the 1990s than they probably should have been. We are definitely experiencing Dippin' Dots weather in Bethesda this week.

Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams solar eclipse flavors now in view at Bethesda Row

The total solar eclipse scheduled to occur on April 8, 2024 has inspired an entire line of limited-time flavors now available at Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at 4918 Elm Street at Bethesda Row. Cosmic Bloom, Nebula Berry, Purple Star Born, and Supermoon are fantasy flavors based on fruits that may or may not exist on other worlds in our universe. Gooey Butter Cake somehow squeezed its way into the cosmic conversation, as well. 

Top off your space mission with limited-time topping Space Dust. And for safety's sake, make sure to wear your official Jeni's eclipse viewing glasses, available free with purchase of any of the Punk Stargonaut eclipse flavors beginning April 5 - while supplies last!

Banana French Toast flavor arrives at Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Bethesda Row

The latest limited-time flavor is here at Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at 4918 Elm Street at Bethesda Row. Banana French Toast combines banana ice cream with maple syrup from centuries-old maple trees at Butternut Mountain Farm, and French Toast-flavored "gravel" that duplicates the caramelized edge of a slice of the real thing. Enjoy it in a scoop, a cone, or in a $12.00 pint.

Charmery, CVS updates at Chevy Chase Lake (Photos)

Permanent signage has been installed at The Charmery, the ice cream parlor opening soon at 8551 Connecticut Avenue in the new Chevy Chase Lake development. Last evening, the logo sign above the future storefront was already lit. An unlit ice cream cone also juts out above the sidewalk. 

Across the way, there is now "coming soon" signage in the windows of the future CVS Pharmacy. By the way, how about the continental European look of the architecture and accent lighting along the street past The Charmery? Phenomenal! They really nailed the Old World look in a number of spots at this new development, creating a much better sense of place with unique architectural design. One fascinating thing about "town centers," is which spot organically becomes the photo backdrop location for people's selfies, which probably won't be clear here until Chevy Chase Lake and the Purple Line station are finished.

Dolcezza reopens at Bethesda Row

Dolcezza has reopened at 7111 Bethesda Lane at Bethesda Row. The gelato and coffee shop has completed a renovation project. No target reopening date had been given when the business closed last month, but it took 25 days to finish the work. Dolcezza returns with one less competitor, as Class 520 closed permanently last week on Elm Street.

Class 520 closes in Bethesda

Class 520 has closed at 4941 Elm Street at the Shoppes of Bethesda. Brown paper has been placed over the windows. The ice cream shop's website, as linked to from its Facebook page, has been taken down and its domain is advertised as being available. Class 520 opened at this location in 2017.