If there's one thing that's always in order after a day at the beach, gelato is it. And now, with Gelato-Go's third location, you don't have to travel all the way down to Fifth Street and Ocean Drive and fight flocks of tourist for a scoop of nocciola.
Alessandro Alvino and his two partners, Antonio Armino and Domenico D'Addio, opened the first Gelato-Go only last year, earning our nod for Best Gelato in 2013 their very first year of operation. Their high-end quality product without the high-end prices (three scoops will only set you back $6.50) keeps locals going back to get their Italian gelato fix. With the new outpost on Washington Avenue, Gelato-Go has expanded its offerings to include more than just frozen treats. It is now a full-fledged pasteleria.
See also: Gelato-Go Brings Real-Deal Italian Gelato to SoFi
Gelato-Go has been supplying local Italian restaurants with gelato since setting up shop in Miami. These include Carpaccio, Cavalli, and Puntino. And now, they'll be fortifying them with sweet and savory pastries like pizzetas, paninos, strawberry tiramisu, mimosa cake, sfogliatella, and a gamut of bignè flavors, from chocolate and ricotta to pistachio and lemon. "Our aim is to be like a typical Sicilian pasticeria," says Armino. "All our ingredients are from Italy except the fruit. The fruit is local." Armino says he and his partners want to be able to offer clients and Italian American product.
On the savory side, Gelato-Go proffers pizzettas ($3.50), which is essentially like a mini pizza, only it's dough, tomato and cheese. "It's simple but that's the culture of Italy. People have a snack in the middle of the day and follow it with a gelato. We're trying to recreate that." There are also paninos filled with ham and cheese ($5.90) or a prosciutto, pomodoro, and mozzarella calzone ($4.50).
While the prices are pretty great, I do wish that the offerings would be a bit more loaded -- my pizzetta begged for some more tomato and my panino for more filling of ham and cheese. Another recommendation to Gelato-Go might be to heat these items up in an oven (even if it's a mini toaster oven) rather than a microwave. It's not the greatest look for a place, or the best idea for items with dough, as the microwave softens them.
Still, the prices are pretty ideal. The lasagna costs $6.90. I wanted to try it on my visit, but they hadn't begun to make it yet.
Where Gelato-Go continues to excel is on the sweet side. From their selection of pastries and cakes to the dozen gelato flavors that include strawberry, lemon, pistachio, and Oreo amongst others you'll break your diet here, for sure. Especially if you opt for their specialties that include smoothie ($6.50), affogato al caffe ($7.50), or brioche ($6.90) with your pick of gelato.
The latter is like an ice cream sandwich, only it's gelato instead of ice cream and brioche instead of whatever else you're used to having your ice cream sandwich with. "This is the way we eat gelato in Italy always." After trying one for myself with nocciola (hazelnut) gelato I can see why.
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