Our Favorite Summer Desserts to Order in D.C.

The dessert: The tin roof sundae

A summer dessert list would not be complete without at least one classic American ice cream sundae on it. The question is, what sundae pays sufficient homage to a traditional ice cream sundae but also elevates it enough to make it truly memorable? That would be the tin roof sundae at Gatsby. Their sundae includes heaps of vanilla ice cream smothered in a duo of sauces, a heady caramel sauce and a decadent Valrhona chocolate sauce, as well as a smattering of red-skinned peanuts, the key ingredient to qualify a sundae as a tin roof sundae, and finally, a twirl of whipped cream. There’s sugar, crunch, fluff, and a bit of bitterness from the chocolate. What else do you need?

The dessert: Halo-Bingsu

It’s colorful, it’s cold, and it’s uber-seasonal — in other words, Magpie and the Tiger has devised one of the best summer desserts of all time. This name of this item indicates a combination of two of the most popular Asian cold desserts, halo-halo and bingsu. Halo-halo translates to mix-mix in Tagalog, referring to the mixing of many ingredients with shaved ice across the Philippines. Bingsu is Korea’s popular shaved ice dessert with condensed milk. Here, the hallmark ingredients of both are combined to create a spectacular dessert that features a large bowl filled to the brim with fresh, fragrant strawberries, tropical, ripe banana-hued jackfruit, nata de coco, which is a chewy coconut gel made by fermenting coconut water, shaved ice, and ube, or purple yam, semifreddo. The concoction is then drizzled with thick, syrupy condensed milk. The end result is a spectacular sight and whirlwind of flavor.

The dessert: Vanilla and Lavender Custard

This is not the custard of your childhood. In fact, it’s even better. The rich and silky-smooth custard is infused with the flavors of fragrant vanilla bean and summery lavender, then sprinkled with a white chocolate crumble and a tangy, seasonal pickled rhubarb compote. The combination of flavors is an unforgettable treat.

The dessert: Sunny Eggs

This is the plate that wins the award for most creative. Designed to look like sunny side up eggs, this dessert is composed of “egg whites,” which in actuality is the softest, silkiest coconut panna cotta in town, and “egg yolks,” which are a made of divine tropical mango mousse. The fruity flavors of the concept scream of summertime dreaminess. The delightful visual effect makes the dish appear savory while being sweet, light, and fruity. It is as fun to eat as it is delectable.

The dessert: Walnut Cake

Walnut cake is a typical Georgian (the country, not the state) cake, where a honey-infused batter is baked with heaps of crunchy walnuts. At Supra, the cake is doused with a bright, tart blackberry and strawberry compote, made by cooking down fresh fruit with a sugar syrup. A dollop of tarragon whipped cream lends a licorice note to the sweet treat and adds a creamy texture to contrast with the crunch of nuts.

The dessert: Piña Colada

Imagine your favorite summertime beverage turned into a dessert. Yes, it is as good as you imagine. The piña colada-inspired concoction at this luxurious Falls Church spot includes hunks of pineapple roasted to bring out maximum sweetness. served in a bowl swimming in its own juices. A sprinkling of housemade strudel brings a bit of crunch to the dish, and a crown of fresh coconut sorbet seals the deal with its cool temperature and creamy texture.

The dessert: Blueberry and Lemon Budino

Nothing says summer quite like blueberries do. Chef John Melfi’s blueberry creation includes a zesty, velvety Meyer lemon pudding, adorned with plump, juicy blueberries, tiny, crispy buttons of meringue, and a crunchy shortbread cookie for texture. The result is summer’s quintessential dessert: cool, light, and luscious all at once.

The dessert: Strawberry Shortcake

Nothing says summer quite like strawberries. And the Radish has devised a strawberry dessert that is a fancy (no pun intended) version of a classic. A buttery, sweet square of strawberry shortcake is served on a smear of zesty lemon curd and then topped with an icy cold scoop of basil. (Yes, you read that right.) The minty freshness of the ice cream is a charming contrast to the sweet cake and acidic lemon curd.

Now for the bonus: It’s vegan.

The dessert: Pastel de tres leches con fresa

Tres leches is divine any time of year, but Oyamel adds a summertime twist to this classic Mexican dessert by serving the tres leches in a pool of roasted strawberry sauce that is slightly smoky and full of chunks of strawberries. Dollops of rum-infused whipped cream bring out the smokiness of the sauce, as does the addition of rich caramel ice cream.