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Pitango Gelato, Baltimore Gelato Comes To DC - Stores Now in Several Area Locations


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P.S. Two more things: The napkins stink, and if there's a single good restaurant in the Logan Circle area, I'd love to know what it is.

P.P.S. This is not a trashing; this is a meh. Based on the strength of its wine program, I'll leave Posto at the top of the Logan Circle Dining Guide, but I want to like this place more than I do.

It's not exactly a restaurant, but you have a new place to put at the top of the Logan Circle Dining Guide: Pitango Gelato.

My wife and I have passed this place numerous times on the way to the gym, resisting the urge to eat back the calories we just burned until today. Their list of flavors is similar to Dolcezza, if a little less creative; Pistachio, Bourbon Vanilla, Rhubarb, Creme Fraiche, Chocolate Chocolate Chip, etc. I got a small cup of the Bourbon Vanilla and Creme Fraiche and my wife got the Chocolate Chocolate Chip. All were delicious, with the Bourbon Vanilla being the star of the show despite not tasting too strongly of bourbon. All 3 were creamy but had very clean flavors and no annoying ice crystals. It is worrisome that this is so convenient to my house, but the prices will probably make this only an occasional splurge. Like its sister in the fad dessert scene (cupcakes), boutique ice cream places have been charging exorbitant prices for their product, although I'll say that at least the gelato places we have been offer a better product than I can get at a grocery store or make at home (unlike the cupcakes). However, Pitango has really gone over the top. For two 2-ounce cups of gelato we paid $9.70! The guy behind the counter said that the prices were so high because it takes 3 times the amount of milk to make gelato as it does ice cream, but I still found this markup to be absurd. The place was pretty crowded when we were in there and we've seen lines out the door on weeknights, though, so it appears that the boutique dessert shops have still not found a price point at which people will stop coming back for more.

I will say, though, that the cup of ice cream I had tonight was better than any dessert I have had at any of the restaurants in the area, so maybe instead of getting a $7 piece of cake at Logan Tavern people might as well pay their checks and head here for some delicious ice cream.

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Yea, I don't know what their costs are like, but this place is raking in the dough. Good for them. Their gelato is delicious, but I see them as doing something kind of different from Dolcezza. Dolcezza is more heavy handed (I don't mean that in a bad way), they're trying to play around with ingredients to come up with new and interesting or at least more intense flavors...like using tarragon or cardomon to add a twist to fruit flavors, or trying things out like coconut milk. Pitango's offerings I think tend to be more pure and focused on a single-note, if you will. They're both great, but in different ways (except for both trying quite hard to drive me to the poorhouse).

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All were delicious, with the Bourbon Vanilla being the star of the show despite not tasting too strongly of bourbon.

Just FYI, the reason it probably didn't taste like Bourbon is because there is no actual "bourbon" in it. "Bourbon Vanilla" is just a variety of vanilla bean, kinda like saying "Tahitian Vanilla Bean".

I agree gelato prices are kind of high, but I would much rather pay $4.50 for a cup of gelato rather than $4.50 for a scoop of Cold Stone Creamery ice cream or any of those tangy frozen yogurt things. We tried this place at the original location in Fells Point and were really happy with the product.

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Their gelato is delicious, but I see them as doing something kind of different from Dolcezza. Dolcezza is more heavy handed (I don't mean that in a bad way), they're trying to play around with ingredients to come up with new and interesting or at least more intense flavors...like using tarragon or cardomon to add a twist to fruit flavors, or trying things out like coconut milk. Pitango's offerings I think tend to be more pure and focused on a single-note, if you will. They're both great, but in different ways (except for both trying quite hard to drive me to the poorhouse).

I stopped by Pitango in Logan Circle earlier this evening and got a scoop of the Bourbon Vanilla and the Tangerine. I think there is something to what you're saying about Pitango focusing on single-note flavors. I think that's why I like Dolcezza's gelato is better. It's richer, more complex. Still if I'm in the area, I'll stop by Pitango. Couldn't resist going inside Whole Foods. Everytime I go to that location, it's a zoo.

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If anyone is interested in what real Hong Kong-style milk tea tastes like should stop in here and try their Black tea gelato.

I was told they use Ceylon tea, which is not typical milk tea base, I believe, but the ultimate result gave me this flashback of standing in Taiwan at a milk tea stand. So glad for the impromptu stop last night and so glad for this weather!

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We stopped at the Eastern Market location last night to put to use the Pitango gift card I gave my husband for Christmas. The regular size was actually too big for me and I ended up bringing half of it home to put in the freezer. It was wonderfully creamy and rich, but I don't know how well it will hold up in our freezer. I guess I'll find out.

I got a combination of chocolate hazelnut and pistachio, and it made for a good mix. It upped the nuttiness quotient of the serving and muted some of the chocolate. (I'm normally not inclined to order chocolate flavors, but I love hazelnut.) My husband was happy with his chocolate chocolate chip and vanilla chocolate chip and had no trouble finishing it.

Seeing what goodeats wrote above about the black tea gelato, I'm now intrigued to test that out.

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I like (P)itango for some of their single-note flavors; the pistachio in particular is very good and I might even choose it in a side-by-side comparison with (D)olcezza. The reasons why I so rarely go to P (relative to D) are threefold:

1. Across all flavors, both are excellent but I think D is maybe a bit more consistent, less heavy-handed on the sugar and, as Lola007 noted upthread nearly two years ago, D's flavor palette tends to be more innovative and interesting

2. I posted on this in the milkshake thread but Pitango seemed absolutely tied in knots when asked to make a shake, mumbling something about it requiring $20,000 machines (as opposed to, say, a $200 blender :blink: ). Dolcezza makes the area's best shakes IMHO.

3. No comparison on the coffee programs. Dolcezza wins there hands down.

All said, Pitango and Dolcezza both occupy rare air with no other shops in the same stratospheric layer of which I'm aware.

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I stopped in on Monday and had a taste of the black tea after the enthusiastic endorsement of the associate behind the counter. I don't know what milk tea is supposed to taste like but this was really, really, really sweet. I don't think I could enjoy a full order.

It was on the sweet side last time I tried it, but not this overly sweet you are describing, BLB. Maybe they tipped the sugar hand too much this time? Intrigued. Guess I'll have to stop by again soon.

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3. No comparison on the coffee programs. Dolcezza wins there hands down.

Having never been to Dolcezza I can't compare the coffee programs, but the coffee at Pitango is good (Counter Culture beans). Had a nice cup of something from Papua New Guinea using pour thru technology and then a good latte.

Given the choice between the two Starbucks Penn Quarter outlets on 7th Street, NW that are approx. 4 blocks apart and the Pitango smack in the middle, it's no competition. Plus the pistachio gelato is good too.

Guess I'll have to trek over to Dolcezza for a taste-off.

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Having never been to Dolcezza I can't compare the coffee programs, but the coffee at Pitango is good (Counter Culture beans). Had a nice cup of something from Papua New Guinea using pour thru technology and then a good latte.

Given the choice between the two Starbucks Penn Quarter outlets on 7th Street, NW that are approx. 4 blocks apart and the Pitango smack in the middle, it's no competition. Plus the pistachio gelato is good too.

Guess I'll have to trek over to Dolcezza for a taste-off.

Cowgirl Creamery has been my go to in the neighborhood, and I've been quite pleased. But, as I was skipping yoga today, I decided to venture out to Pitango for my noontime pour over. Won't make that mistake again.

I ordered the Bourbon to go. When I received it, I noticed it was only 2/3 full, so I asked them if that was standard. They apologized and asked if I wanted milk in it, and I responded no. She then took my cup and, before I even realized what was happening, filled it to the top with hot water. As I sit here drinking this thin crap reminiscent of the coffee my Ohio in laws served before I bought them a Nespresso machine, I am kicking myself over and over. Why didn't I just go to Cowgirl?

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My first time at Pitango was last week after dinner at Oyamel - wow, the cardamom flavor was terrific! Unusual and delectable.  And I like the idea that you can get a regular size with up to 2 flavors - you get to try twice as many without indulging in a second scoop.

Went back today and had half coconut, half hazelnut.  Both delicious, and the hazelnut was subtle and I would get it again in a second. Though if they have the cardamom, I'll have to have both, but I really did like that coconut ....

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With this warm weather, I stopped at Pitango the other day after lunch.  Love that hazelnut flavor (it's intense, like Nutella without the chocolate only more nutty), and the cinnamon was really good. They've become a real favorite of mine since last summer. Especially when they have the cardamom.

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