Bacio di Latte, the Brazil-born gelato chain, has officially landed at Santana Row in San Jose, opening its doors yesterday and wasting no time getting neighbors talking.
The debut rolled right into a free-gelato giveaway on Wednesday, with the shop handing out complimentary cones and cups while matching customer donations for local nonprofit Martha’s Kitchen. The brand, founded by brothers Edoardo and Luigi Tonolli, has grown into a multi-state gelateria known for making its ice cream-style gelato fresh in front of customers. The U.S. operation leans on high-quality ingredients like Belgian and Italian chocolates, Sicilian pistachios and Piedmont hazelnuts, and uses organic milk and cream sourced from Sonoma County, as detailed by Bacio di Latte. Seasonal flavors rotate in and out, and vegan sorbets share space in the case.
Where to find it and when
You will find the new Santana Row shop at 3090 Olsen Drive, Ste. 11015, next to Mendocino Farms, and listed in the shopping center’s dining directory, according to Santana Row. The directory includes the store’s phone number and links to the brand’s website for menus and directions. Posted hours show the shop open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Friday and until 10:30 p.m. on Saturdays.
Opening celebration and fundraiser
The free-gelato day was part of the opening festivities, with customers invited to take a complimentary cup or cone and, if they wished, chip in for Martha’s Kitchen, while Bacio di Latte matched donations dollar for dollar. That charity tie-in and the timing of the giveaway were reported by East Bay Times. The chain has run similar charity-linked giveaways at previous openings, a move covered by regional media such as KTLA via Yahoo.
What to try
Inside, expect a rotating lineup of chocolate-forward flavors, bright fruit sorbets and the shop’s signature ciocchino, a cone smeared with Nutella or pistachio cream, filled with gelato and finished with crushed nuts. Many of these menu touches are part of the brand’s playbook as it expands into Northern California, according to Palo Alto Online. Vegan sorbets round things out for dairy-free diners…