(larryshomemade.com) – Clarendon neighborhood, Arlington, Virginia

How I heard of this place: We walked by…and every time I questioned why we weren’t stopping. This time, we didn’t stop.

Type of cuisine: A cafe with the works: beautiful, shiny espresso machines, fresh baked cookies, brownies, blondies, not to mention the sale of locally sourced, organic milk and bottled beverages.

“Our vision consists of a multi-unit food and beverage concept providing gourmet desserts and beverages to consumers at a fair price. Our mission is to offer the freshest ingredients sourced from local markets and to build relationships with our customers by offering personalized, efficient and consistent service. 

Our menu caters to customers who prefer easy, fast, and consistent gourmet comfort food. We offer over 40 flavors of unique locally made all natural gourmet ice cream with rare flavors such as lychee, cardamom, orange chocolate chunk or lemon grass! Daily we provide sumptuous and fresh specialty baked goods made with the utmost care and love and fit for any occasion. All day, we serve breakfast foods and pastries, freshly made cookies and brownies and specialty bars along side an array of dazzling hot and cold beverages from our Espresso Bar. 

Our ice cream provided by L&L Bakeries has been around for over 25 years and has earned mentions in the Washington Post as well as features in the ZAGAT guide. Our ice cream is 100% made with all natural ingredients and lots of love.”

Ambiance: The bright interior is noticeable amidst the darkness outside. The fluorescent lights attracted us immediately, and our path could no longer be obscured nor obstructed. We entered the small shop, seating enough for a handful, maybe a dozen. Our party of six adults and 7-month old child filled the space. A few regulars kept their seats at the bar, directly ahead of the espresso bar. Music played, calmly in the background, as Larry, himself, invited us to sample flavor after flavor of creative ice cream options.

What I ordered: After sampling a number of inventive options, the two I decided upon were the Decadence & Cookie Dough. Decadence for its ooey gooey white chocolate and cocoa swirl and the Cookie Dough for its homemade chocolate chip cookie dough ($5 per medium cup of two scoops).

What I loved: Cookie dough! I also thoroughly enjoyed the sweetness and creamy, caramelly delectability of the Butter Pecan I sampled.

Why I loved it: It is always a treat to meet, converse with and enjoy the company of the owner and ice-cream-maker at any mom & pop shop. That, in conjunction with smooth, creamy, and innovative flavor profiles at Larry’s, make this an ice cream shop worth a return visit!

Cost: Average ($4-$6 per cup of ice cream)

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