La Neveria Michoacana
Eight years ago, three men opened La Michoacana, a Richmond shop selling primarily ice cream and paletas, Mexican popsicles (it means “small stick” in Spanish). Knowing there was a large Latino community in Woodbridge, the trio of friends launched a sister location, La Neveria Michoacana, five years later. At each location there are more than 50 types of popsicles made on-site (the Richmond installment makes approximately 1,500 pops per day); some water-based, some dairy-based, all using locally sourced fruit and free from artificial additives. The most popular flavor? The mango-chili, whose large slices of fruit are a sweet relief from the red flecks of smoky heat. // 14420 Jefferson Davis Highway, Woodbridge
Pops n’ Chill
Almost immediately after seeing People’s Pops while on a New York trip in the spring of 2015, full-time accountant and Ashburn resident Maria Victoria opened up Pops n’ Chill to pursue her passion of making sweet treats. Having grown up on a farm in the Philippines where she snacked on coconuts, canteloupes, watermelon and mangos, Victoria uses fresh fruit in her ice pops, some of which she gets locally, like peaches from Toigo Orchards and berries from her sister, who lives in Amissville. May through December, Victoria sets up shop at the Falls Church Farmers Market, selling more than 15 different popsicles (strawberry, pink lemonade and watermelon are her most popular flavors), ice cream bars in flavors like latte, coconut-vanilla, strawberry and hot chocolate-marshmallow, and macarons, which she learned to make through classes in Paris. She plans to extend her menu with smoothie pops too. // Farmers Markets
Trummer’s on Main
Pastry Chef Meagan Tighe has taken it upon herself to experiment with how the Clifton restaurant’s herb garden can better serve the warmer-weather dessert menu, much to our delight. Ice pop flavors rotate, but some of the botanical concoctions have included apricot-thyme, strawberry-elderflower and blackberry-orange. The frozen treats, part of the patio (usually open until October) menu, can be ordered on their own or dunked in a wine glass with Riondo Prosecco poured over top—a “poptail.” To get the same bubbly sensation sans alcohol, guests can ask for their pop to be served with ginger ale or soda water. // 7134 Main St., Clifton
