Gelato di Milano
Samples: Cappuccino with Vanilla, Lactose Free Dark Chocolate, Nutella, Tiramisu, Fior di Latte
Grande – Pistachio, Peanut, Amarena Cherry
Powdered Sugar Cornetto
Chocolate Chip Cookie
Opened in the waning days of 2017 it was easy to overlook Gelato di Milano, the incessant turnover and renaming of shops for each new trend from Fro-yo to Shaved Ice to “Rolled” highlighted by the Instagrammers they employ (see Creamberry or Recess) and items as insipid as Cotton Candy Ice Cream Burritos somehow ‘trending,’ but as it turns out the store at 4950 South Rainbow Boulevard actually stands out by way of something Las Vegas often lacks – authenticity.
Occupying a space in the plaza formerly anchored by Elements and now most relevant for Meraki, another off-Strip gem that has generated success by way of a well-priced menu and skilled ownership that values quality and customer service, guests entering Gelato di Milano will find themselves greeted by owner Gianluca and his more youthful colleagues, their thick accents unmistakably Italian and the store itself bright white with various knick-knacks on shelves plus plenty of seating.
True to its name as ownership does indeed hail from the European Fashion Capital, a city those more interested in Food than Fendi will realize serves some of the World’s best Gelato, it will not take long for most to notice cases loaded with approximately twenty flavors ranging from Fruit to Chocolate, a first taste of the Fior di Latte clean, milky and fresh without being over-frozen or icy like so many others.
Reportedly making everything including the base on-site, a small collection of Baked Goods including crisp $1 Cookies and airy $1.50 Cornetti labeled as “Brioche” plus Coffee offered for those in need of such things, it was as Gianluca returned to the open kitchen where a fresh batch of Gelato was being prepared that additional tasting took place, each of eight spoons save for Cinnamon-heavy Tiramisu making the choice of how to fill the $6 Grande cup more difficult.
Not too busy in the early days of Spring but certainly not unnoticed by locals, an Italian-speaking couple present on arrival with two additional families plus four solos forming a steady trickle of traffic, it was in exchange for $10 that Gelato and Pastries were enjoyed at a small table, the Pistachio and Peanut both stand-outs thanks to the purity of Nuts toasted at Gelato di Milano plus restrained sweetness while Amarena Cherry selected for fear that dazzling Dark Chocolate Sorbetto would overwhelm everything else was equally impressive as a result of its slightly sour base and big chunks of Fruit.
FOUR STARS: Having recently lost Desyree Alberganti to Indiana, Gelatology inexplicably changing the concept and losing a lot of its luster as a result, Gelato di Milano arrives in Las Vegas at just the right time, the Pastries not particularly impressive but the Gelato itself on par with what one may find in Italy, though the presence of Red Velvet in the Freezer on Saturday makes one hope the Website’s promise of “All Natural” flavors is not soon to disappear.
RECOMMENDED: Dark Chocolate, Pistachio, Peanut, Amarena Cherry.
AVOID: Chocolate Chip Cookie, Tiramisu Gelato.
TIP: Open from 10:30am to 9:30pm daily.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor.
www.gelatodimilano.com
