New Ice Cream Shop Seeks To Join 'Ice Cream Capital' In Old Town Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Alexandria has been called the ice cream capital by Forbes for its plethora of frozen dessert shops, especially surrounding King Street. Now, another ice cream shop is looking to add to the offerings in Old Town.

Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, an ice cream shop focused on simple ingredients in their products, applied for a special use permit at 400 King Street, Suite 120.

Van Leeuwen Ice Cream started out of an ice cream truck in New York City in 2008. The brand focuses on using simple ingredients — milk, cream, eggs, and cane sugar for its regular ice cream and coconuts, cashews and oats for its vegan offerings.

"Good is simple ingredients. If it’s tough to pronounce, it’s probably tough to digest," Van Leeuwen states on its website.

The brand has locations from New England to Florida to Colorado, with plans to expand to more states. There are six locations in D.C. plus one in Arlington's National Landing area. The Old Town Alexandria shop would be the second Virginia location.

According to the special use permit, 16 indoor seats are planned. Proposed hours are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.

Public comments are being accepted until Aug. 21 by email to pczoning@alexandriava.gov or calling the city's Planning and Zoning staff at 703-746-4666.