Maryland-Based Moorenko’s Ice Cream Is Opening Its First D.C. Shop in Eastern Market

Moorenko’s, a Maryland-based ice cream brand that has become a local fixture known for extravagantly rich and creamy flavors, will open its first D.C. location in Eastern Market. Founder Susan Soorenko says the essential ice cream chain just signed a lease in Eastern Market at 720 C Street SE and hopes to begin operating this summer.

Moorenko’s will slide into a 722-square-foot space that recently housed a Trickling Springs Creamery store. The creamery suddenly shut down production last fall, forcing the year-old Eastern Market location to call it quits.

Moorenko’s, which gets its dairy from grass-fed cows raised on family-owned farms in Pennsylvania, plans to serve its “ultra-premium” ice cream and sorbets, milkshakes, French-pressed coffee, and craft sodas at its incoming location. Any product containing more than 16 percent milk fat is considered “ultra-premium”; Moorenko’s contains 17 percent. Flavors include include cherry stracciatella, salted caramel with pralines, and cookie overload.

Soorenko built up her craft by studying under ice cream experts in New York and a master gelato maker in Italy before debuting her brand locally in 2002. Soorenkos’s Silver Spring and Ellicott City stores reopened this month with limited hours (noon to 6 p.m. Friday to Sunday). The ice cream is also sold at specialty grocers across D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.

Moorenko’s/official photo

COVID-19 restrictions will apply at its latest location, Soorenko says, including mask requirements, a limited number of customers in the store at a time, and no seating.

Another Maryland ice cream shop is in expansion mode: Sarah’s Handmade Ice Cream just announced plans to open a second local shop in Bethesda’s Wildwood Shopping Center later this summer.

• Two of D.C.’s Best Ice Cream Shops Are Reportedly Weeks Away From Closing [EDC]