Livin’ the Pie Life
Do not scroll through the website of this homegrown pie shop if you’re having an afternoon snack attack or trying to minimize your caloric intake. We learned that the hard way. Then again, this female-owned business (which started as a farmers market stand) sources locally and donates 5 percent of sales to the nonprofits Moveable Feast and Casey Trees, so impulse-ordering a brown-butter coconut chess pie or an apple caramel crumb pie practically makes you Mother Teresa. Cake stands in the window are filled with all manner of treats, starting at 7 a.m. You’ll find scones, quiches, cookies, brownies, cakes and, of course, sweet and savory pies (including single serving “pocket pies”). Be aware that things sell out fast and the menu changes daily.
2166 N. Glebe Road, Arlington, livinthepielife.com
La Moo Creamery
If you have yet to hear about Thai-style rolled ice cream, you need to get out more. This hot trend has influenced the way Americans are eating ice cream, partly because it’s so much fun to watch how it’s prepared: frozen on cold plates and then rolled into creamy cigar shapes. Some places are all about flash, entertainment and novelty, but La Moo is about ingredients. It starts with dairy devoid of preservatives, thickeners or stabilizers to make fun concoctions such as coconut crunch blended with coconut flakes, brown sugar and waffle bites; Key lime pie studded with pie crust and graham crackers; and monkey business, a mélange of fresh banana, Nutella and chocolate-chip cookies. You can also build your own flavor combo.
2501-B N. Harrison St. Arlington, lamoocreamery.com