our story

It started with a simple idea. Introduce homemade gourmet Italian Ice to the Washington DC area. Jason Mandler opened Carmen's Italian Ice & Cafe in Rockville, MD in 2001. Tracing its roots back to Philly and South Jersey where this dessert has been a mainstay for years, Carmen's offers homemade, gourmet Italian Ice in over 70 flavors. It also now offers frozen custard, tart yogurt, shakes, and a topping bar with dozens of toppings.

Carmen’s quickly became a welcome part of neighborhood with Jason and his staff coming up with tasty offerings, personal service and fun special events. Come on in for a morning cup of coffee or an evening Italian ice and you'll probably run into a few of our regulars. Come a few more times and you'll be one of them yourself. We're happy to report that Carmen's has become one of those casual places where you can just come in and hangout. Jason wouldn't want it any other way.