July is National Ice Cream Month, the third Sunday is officially National Ice Cream Day, and this year the timing could not be better: National Ice Cream Day (Sunday, July 19) lands on the exact same day as the 2026 World Cup Final, Argentina vs. Spain at MetLife Stadium. So the DMV's ice cream scene isn't just swirling, here’s the scoop.NEW FLAVORS & TREATS TO KNOWThe Fountain Inn: Chef Greg Heitzig is serving a Citrus Chocolate Affogato Swirl for summer, built on ice cream and fresh espresso. On the tasting menu only, he's also got a white asparagus ice cream paired with Earl Grey tea cake and dehydrated meringue seasoned with Grains of Paradise, which reads like a mix of citrus, cardamom, and herbs.Northside Social: House-made ice cream quarts at both locations A rotating lineup of roasted-inspired flavors, available by the quart for catering pickup or in-store at both locations. Right now: Vanilla, Malted Chocolate Cassis, Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip, and Chocolate.Little Engine: New Zealand-style peach soft serve Little Engine's popular New Zealand-style soft serve is back for summer: real fruit blended straight into vanilla soft serve. Seasonal flavors include Peach Blueberry and Peach Vanilla, with more on the way.Lapis: Rosewater pistachio ice cream and cardamom milk custard Two traditional Afghan desserts for summer: the Sheer Yakh, an Afghan-style vanilla ice cream topped with rose water and pistachios, and the Firnee, a cardamom-infused milk custard finished with pistachios.Roots Cafe, McLean: Soft serve now available Vanilla, chocolate, or swirl, dressed up with a rotating lineup of toppings. $6 for a cup or cone.Slice & Pie: Soft serve gelato at Union Market The country's #2 slice shop (three years running, per 50 Top Pizza) added soft serve gelato at its Union Market location, inspired by the Mister Softee trucks owner Giulio Adriani grew up around in New York. It's the perfect add-on to a NY or Detroit-style slice: one size, cup or cone, $3. Only two flavors plus a twist run at a time (Chocolate and Pistachio have both made appearances), with a Fior di Latte soft serve joining soon, followed by Raspberry and Hazelnut.NATIONAL ICE CREAM DAY x WORLD CUP FINAL WEEKENDLyle DC x Yala Greek Ice Cream: Banana Bread Ice Cream Lyle's has teamed up with Yala Greek Ice Cream on an exclusive Banana Bread flavor inspired by Lyle's cult-favorite house-made loaf. To launch it, they're giving away free scoops from a Yala ice cream cart in Lyle's bar area (1731 New Hampshire Ave NW) on Friday, July 17, from 12 to 4pm or until supplies run out, first come, first served. The flavor then joins Lyle's dessert menu for good. (Note: source materials had conflicting dates here, worth confirming with PR before publishing.)Yala Greek Ice Cream (Georgetown): World Cup Final watch party + anniversary celebration: Head to 3143 N St NW for an outdoor watch party paired with Yala's one-year anniversary. Four limited-edition tournament flavors are on deck, including San Sebastián Burnt Basque Cheesecake and Argentina Dulce de Leche, plus hourly giveaways, prizes, and special guest scoopers.metrobar DC (640 Rhode Island Ave NE): National Ice Cream Day Party, 12 to 6pm Local frozen treats plus the World Cup Final on the big screens at this outdoor venue.Dolcezza Gelato: Free Chocotorta Gelato, all locations On Sunday, July 19, from noon until closing, Dolcezza is handing out free scoops of Chocotorta Gelato at every retail location, including Dupont Circle, CityCenter, and the Hirshhorn Museum, plus a buy-one-get-one 50% off deal on pints.ALSO WORTH A SCOOP OR SWIRL Captain Cookie & the Milk ManThe CreameryCucina MoriniDolci GelatiHappy Ice CreamHoneys & FriendsIce Cream JubileeJeni's Splendid Ice CreamsMalaiPitango GelatoShuga x IceVan LeeuwenLevain Bakery x DolcezzaState Fair at The RoostYellowThomas SweetMount Desert Island Ice CreamTipsy ScoopSarah's Handmade Ice CreamMax's Best Ice CreamMimi's Handmade Ice CreamYork Castle Tropical Ice CreamThe Dairy GodmotherPop's Old Fashioned Ice Cream Co.Everyday Sundae So whether you scoop, swirl, or sip it, it's cold, it's creamy, and this weekend, it's coming with a side of World Cup Final. See you out there.

Nycci has 24 years of industry tea, and she's spilling it here.

Washington, D.C.'s reputation as a steakhouse city has come full circle. On WTOP, Nycci Nellis of TheListAreYouOnIt.com explained that while the city's culinary scene once pushed back against being labeled a "steakhouse town" in favor of showcasing its diverse, chef-driven dining culture, a wave of new openings has ushered in what she calls D.C.'s official "steakhouse era." Nycci highlighted several standout destinations leading the trend, including Ox & Olive in Georgetown from Michelin-starred Chef Ryan Ratino, whose acclaimed restaurants Jônt and Bresca have already made a significant mark on the city's dining scene. She also pointed to Aqua Bistecca by Michael Mina at City Ridge, Bazaar Meat by José Andrés at the Waldorf Astoria, Bouboulina at Pike & Rose from the CAVA Group, Brasero Atlántico in Dupont Circle, Bully Spanish Steakhouse by Chef Pepe Moncayo, and the newly opened The Oak Room in Georgetown from Ten Five Hospitality, led by Chef Tim Hollingsworth and featuring an extensive Brandt Beef program. Nycci also praised longtime favorites including Bourbon Steak, St. Anselm, and Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab, while teasing what's next for the city's booming steakhouse scene, including the anticipated arrival of RPM Steak and a rumored steakhouse from Chef Fabio Trabocchi. From premium beef programs and tableside theatrics to standout martinis and indulgent desserts, Nycci says there's never been a better time for steak lovers to explore the District.

Chef Erik Ramirez did not set out to become one of New York's most important culinary voices. He was a first-generation Peruvian kid from New Jersey who spent a summer in Louisiana watching his uncle cook gumbo for the pure joy of it. That was the spark. Now he is behind Papasan at Hudson Yards, one of the most talked-about restaurants in the country, and the DC food podcast world cannot stop talking about what he is doing with Nikkei cuisine.If you follow the DC food scene, you already know that Peruvian cuisine is having a moment. Lima has back-to-back wins at the World's 50 Best Restaurant Awards. And Chef Erik Ramirez is one of the chefs helping American diners understand why. On this episode of Industry Night with Nycci Nellis, the DC food and hospitality podcast that goes behind the scenes with the people shaping how we eat and drink, Nycci sits down with Ramirez to trace the full arc. From a fishing rodeo in Grand Isle to three years as sous chef at Eleven Madison Park. From a life-changing month eating through Lima to opening Llama Inn and then Papasan, a Peruvian izakaya rooted in Nikkei cuisine. Ramirez is a James Beard-nominated chef with a Met Gala menu credit and a story that sounds like it was written for the screen. He talks about what Nikkei cuisine actually is, why Peruvian food is built for this moment, and how a pizza topped with eel and Peruvian chili oil became the dish that explains everything. This is the chef interview podcast episode you send to everyone who thinks they already know Peruvian food.What You Will LearnA summer in Grand Isle, Louisiana with an uncle who cooked gumbo and jambalaya for the joy of it was the moment Erik Ramirez decided cooking was worth chasing.Three years at Eleven Madison Park, finishing as sous chef, reshaped how Ramirez thinks about technique, hospitality, and the respect owed to every element of a restaurant experience.Ramirez grew up eating his grandmother's Peruvian home cooking but never saw it as a cuisine he wanted to cook professionally until one month eating through Lima's top restaurants redirected his entire career.Nikkei cuisine was born out of migration and necessity, Japanese precision married to Peruvian ingredients and culture, and Ramirez sees it as the same story every immigrant group has told through food.Every dish at Papasan must connect to New York, Peru, and Japan, and the eel pizza is the clearest example of how that three-way tension produces something completely original.Listen to the full episode here, and watch it all here.