4 Fruity Desserts to Savor in D.C. Before Summer Ends

From mango cheesecake to rhubarb coffee cake, D.C. restaurants are highlighting fruits in innovative ways.

One of the big highlights of summer is all of the irresistible summer treats our creative chefs and pastry chefs throughout the city concoct using seasonal fruits. While the options are plentiful, we are shining a spotlight on four of the fruitiest desserts that we came across this summer. The season may feel endless, but summer is technically almost over, so be sure to stop by and sample these fabulous plates soon. 

Mango Cheesecake at Bombay Club
If you are looking for a real indulgence, you will find it at Bombay Club. The restaurant’s mango cheesecake may be the lightest, fluffiest and most delicious cheesecake you will ever have. The oval-shaped treat is bursting with the tropical, floral flavor of mango, and arrives on a bed of sweet saffron-infused cream, alongside cubes of fresh mango, adorned with sunny dots of a mango sauce. 

815 Connecticut Ave. NW, DC; bombayclubdc.com // @bombayclubdc

Peach Melba Sundae at Unconventional Diner
This summery dish features globes of vanilla ice cream seated upon crescents of peaches, roasted to bring out their natural sweetness and tartness. The ice cream is drenched in a bright, tart raspberry sauce and clouds of whipped cream, dotted with fresh raspberries, and then sprinkled with a nutty almond crumble. The creation is as comforting as it is cooling.

1207 9th St. NW, DC; unconventionaldiner.com // @unconventionaldiner

Rhubarb Coffee Cake at The Red Hen
This unforgettable dessert will satisfy your sweet tooth and have you coming back to The Red Hen all summer long. A square of crumbly, cinnamon-infused, streusel-topped coffee cake is served in a delicious puddle of rhubarb compote and capped with a scoop of cool, creamy strawberry-swirl gelato. A generous drizzle of brown butter crumble, adding a crunchy bite to the dish, is the perfect finishing touch. 

1822 1st St. NW, DC; theredhendc.com // @redhendc

Strawberry Brioche at Charley Prime Foods
There may be no other fruit that represents summer quite like strawberries. In this berry-centric dish, a fluffy brioche bun is cut in half and filled with a juicy layer of macerated strawberries, blackberries and blueberries. The berries are topped with a sphere of vanilla ice cream enrobed in a silky, pillowy pastry cream, and then the other half of the brioche bun completes the dish. It is indeed a feast for the eyes and the belly.

9811 Washingtonian Blvd. Gaithersburg, MD; charleyprimefoods.com // @charleyprimefoods

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Priya Konings