A local chocolatier and baker have teamed up to open a new sweet shop in Rosslyn.
The Sweet District officially opened yesterday (Wednesday) at the Upside on Moore food hall at 1700 N. Moore Street, in between Lili’s and Tony Boloney’s.
The product of baker Audrey Angeles and chocolatier Aaron Salvator, its offerings include classic American baked goods like carrot cakes and cinnamon rolls, as well as nods to the founders’ shared Filipino heritage.
Salvator told ARLnow that the idea for a combined business arose while he and Angeles were working at their respective businesses — Just Ron Chocolate and Frost & Flourish — out of Upside on Moore’s commercial kitchen.
“We have an overlap of our customers as well, so we figured, might as well continue this, start this partnership — so that’s why The Sweet District was born,” Salvator said.
The new shop’s treats are available for both pickup and delivery. They range from indulgent confectionaries like double chocolate cake, chocolate fudge and pot de creme to savory dishes like spinach and feta or margherita puff pastry.
Salvator recommends the halo-halo, a classic Filipino dessert with shaved ice and fillings including jellies and fruit. He also serves an array of chocolate bars with flavors such as dark chocolate, salted pretzel, matcha green tea and coffee crunch.
More sweet treats include chocolate bon bons, ube and vanilla soft serve, and wafer crunches in milk chocolate, dark chocolate and matcha varieties.
Salvator said The Sweet District’s grand opening was so popular, it sold out of many of its items. Customers recognized the business’s name from a more limited range of branded goods sold at The Lightning Cafe elsewhere at Upside on Moore.
“It was nice to actually interact with customers, because when we’re downstairs in the kitchen, we never see anyone that’s buying our product,” he said.
The Sweet District is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
