Best Soft-Serve: Big Softie
Vegans are apt to weep over Sarah O’Brien’s oat-milk soft-serve with a hard chocolate shell. And those who have no problem with dairy no doubt will swoon over the fresh, creamy, actual-milk variety—it’s better than any ice cream we’ve been able to find. Simple flavors range from chocolate, coffee, and vanilla to seasonal ones such as green tea and peach. The housemade waffle cones, the must-order strawberry hard shell (it actually tastes like fresh strawberries), and the buffet of unlimited toppings are pretty splendid, too, and the place—next door to and associated with Little Tart bakery—brings even more cool magic to Summerhill.
66 Georgia Avenue
BigSoftie.com
Best New ’Cue: Wood’s Chapel BBQ
At Wood’s Chapel, chef Todd Ginsberg does for the barbecue restaurant what he did at the General Muir for the Jewish deli: reinvents and expands the genre while paying proper homage to it. From the wood-smoked meats to the creative sides to the homemade pies, each all-American detail is smartly updated without losing sight of the beauty of the original. And as the centerpiece restaurant in the redevelopment of Summerhill’s historic Georgia Avenue, Wood’s Chapel is helping reinvent and expand its neighborhood, too. 85 Georgia Avenue, 404-522-3000
85 Georgia Avenue
woodschapelbbq.com
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