With D.C.-area athletes riding high at this year’s Summer Games, Toby’s Homemade Ice Cream is serving up gold medal-themed scoops that probably taste sweeter than the real thing.
The Arlington and Vienna ice cream parlor unveiled a limited-time Gold Medal Sundae last Friday (Aug. 2) in honor of Arlingtonian swimmer Torri Huske, a Yorktown High School graduate who’s won five medals — three of them gold — at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Toby’s quickly expanded on the concept with a Philippines sundae to celebrate wins for American fencer Lee Kiefer, who’s half-Filipino and secured historic gold medals in the individual and team foil events, and gymnast Carlos Yulo, the Philippines’ first-ever male Olympic gold medalist with victories for his vault and floor routines.
Owner Toby Bantug, who is Filipino, says the sundaes have been “selling like hot cakes,” particularly at the original shop in Arlington’s Westover neighborhood. Toby’s can also be found at the Cedar Park Shopping Center in Vienna (280 Cedar Lane SE) and in Pentagon City near Amazon’s HQ2.
“We’ve been doing really well with them,” Bantug said. “Everybody has fun with it, and it’s just something we can all rally around, especially for us. Me and my family being Filipino, that was something that completely took us by surprise.”
Available through the conclusion of the Olympics on Sunday (Aug. 11), the Gold Medal Sundaes consist of two ice cream scoops with a choice of one “wet” topping (chocolate syrup, for example), whipped cream, red, white and blue sprinkles, a gold foil-covered chocolate medallion, and a U.S. and/or Filipino toothpick flag.
Patrons can request any kind of ice cream, but Bantug recommends getting a Filipino flavor like ube or macapuno for the Philippines sundae.
Though the sundaes were inspired by specific athletes, Bantug says they’re intended to honor all Olympians, particularly the 34 people from the D.C. region.
“I don’t remember when we’d had that many, or at least that many winning gold medals, right? That’s huge,” he said, name-checking Alexandria sprinter Noah Lyles and D.C. native Katie Ledecky, who’s won two gold medals in Paris and nine over her decorated swimming career.
“We’re proud of our Olympians here,” he told FFXnow.
Fairfax County had four athletes competing in Paris, though none of them ultimately medaled. McLean’s Claire Collins reached the women’s eight rowing finals, where the U.S. finished fifth, while Oakton fencer Hadley Husisian got to the second round of the women’s individual épée contest and the table of eight in the team event.
Diver Greg Duncan, who’s also from Oakton, came in last with teammate Tyler Downs in the men’s synchronized 3-meter springboard event, where China finished off a sweep of all eight diving events. Team USA, including Clifton native Griffin Yow, was defeated 4-0 by Morocco in the men’s soccer quarterfinals on Aug. 2.
Toby’s isn’t the only local business celebrating the Olympics. Many bars are hosting watch parties and offering themed drinks. The Alexandria restaurant Holy Cow has named a burger after Lyles, who narrowly won the men’s 100-meter gold on Sunday (Aug. 4) and will compete in the 200-meter semi-final tomorrow (Wednesday).
