Pumpkins

If you are looking to satisfy your fall cravings without succumbing to the PSL, look no further. We have compiled a list of some of Washington’s best rich and savory pumpkin flavors, ranging from doughnuts to soups and even margaritas. Try them all!

1. Pumpkin Spice Creme Brûlée, District Doughnut

Satisfy your sweet tooth with a hearty Pumpkin Spice Creme Brûlée doughnut from District Doughnut. The doughnuts are hand-crafted from scratch daily using real ingredients and no preservatives, according to its website. The pumpkin spice doughnut uses pumpkin in just about every element possible. It is made with a pumpkin dough and filled with a pumpkin filling, dipped in a pumpkin-spiced glaze and topped with pumpkin spice powder.

749 8th St. SE, Washington, D.C. 

2. Pumpkin Seed Pesto, Native Foods Cafe

At the Native Foods Cafe, chefs bring pumpkin flavor to everyday dishes with their creamy pumpkin seed pesto. This pesto puts a fall twist on a classic sauce to enhance the restaurant’s meatball subs and portobello and sausage burgers for a vegan treat with a sweet kick.

18th and M St. NW and 1150 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington D.C. 

3.  Pumpkin Pie Gelato, Dolci Gelati 

Before it gets too chilly (or even when it does), stop in to Dolci Gelati and try its Pumpkin Pie Gelato, made with real butternut squash pumpkin bought fresh from local farms. Chef Gianluigi Dellaccio makes this decadent treat by first roasting the pumpkin topped with butter and sugar in the oven. After the pumpkin is soft and cooked, it is scooped out and blended into the gelato base with a pumpkin pie spice mix made up of cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and cloves. Crispy graham cracker is then added and mixed into the creamy gelato for an extra crunch, just like a real pie crust. 

5766 2nd St. NE, Washington, D.C.

4. Pumpkin Empanada, DC Noodles

For a creamy and crispy delight, try DC Noodles’ pumpkin empanadas, made with fresh cilantro and cucumber relish. These empanadas are rich and filling but also vegan. 

1412 U St. NW, Washington, D.C.

5. Kadu Buranee, Afghan Grill

At the Afghan Grill, fresh sauteed pumpkin is topped with garlic yogurt and meat sauce for a hearty fall dish full of flavor. The richness of the pumpkin and meat sauce is softened by the cool yogurt, but pumpkin is the star of the meal.  

2309 Calvert St. NW, Washington, D.C.

6. Pumpkin Shmumkin Ice Cream Sammie, Baked & Wired

Dive into Baked & Wired’s Pumpkin Shmumkin Ice Cream Sammie, made with homemade ice cream and cookies for a decadent fall dessert that combines the best of warm, gooey cookies with cold, refreshing ice cream. Pumpkin ice cream is dolloped liberally between two molasses-ginger cookies in this glutinous dessert that will satisfy your fall cravings any day. 

1052 Thomas Jefferson St. NW, Washington D.C.

7. Pumpkin and Apple Cream Soup, Cedar

Warm up on a cold day with Cedar’s zesty Pumpkin and Apple Cream Soup, made with fresh, locally sourced pumpkins and apples. The pumpkins and apples are roasted with spices and blended together with cream and apples to make the creamy soup. It is served with caramelized apples, salty bacon and amaretti cookies for an extra kick of fall flavor. 

822 E St. NW, Washington, D.C.

8. Pumpkin Smoothie, Robeks

For a sweet frozen treat, try Robeks’ Pumpkin Smoothie, which blends nonfat frozen yogurt, pumpkin pie filling, soy milk and ice. This smoothie is perfect for satisfying your pumpkin fix on the go in a slightly healthier way. 

1707 L St. NW and 4523 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.

9. Pumpkin Margarita, El Centro D.F.

El Centro’s Pumpkin Margarita is no joke — the bartenders infuse fresh, roasted pumpkin puree into their house tequila, allowing the true pumpkin flavor to seep through. To make the margaritas, they add El Centro’s house-made sour mix and a chili-ginger syrup for a little kick. A cinnamon sugar rim adds a little sweetness as the drink goes down. 

1819 14th St. NW and 1218 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.

10.  Pumpkin Flatbread, Nage

At Nage, roasted pumpkin is piled on top of its crispy homemade flatbreads. The base starts with a creme fraiche and is topped with an in-house-smoked mozzarella. Executive chef Dwayne Motley said he puts pumpkin stems among the hickory wood chips and other essentials in the smoker to really infuse the pumpkin flavor into the mozzarella. The flatbread is then topped with arugula, the roasted pumpkin from the market, toasted pumpkin seeds and a rich pumpkin oil. 

1600 Rhode Island Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.