THE SCENE

A block from Union Market, this 4,000-square-foot warehouse space includes a hip gelato shop with a U-shaped bar that seats 20, as well as a factory that produces the super smooth version of ice cream for the shop and Dolcezza’s four other area locations (as well as numerous restaurant clients, markets, and stores). Visitors can sit at the bar in the “tasting room,” take a brief tour of the factory, and grab to-go items from a freezer or a baked goods table. Free tours are on Saturdays at 2 and 4PM, and Sundays at 1 and 3PM (first-come, first-serve with a limit of 50 people). My boys, 4 and 8, enjoyed our 10-minute tour and the free mini-spoon sample at the end. However, the factory does not feel huge and you can get a good view of the factory area just from standing in the tasting room and looking into the open area where production happens.

THE FOOD

With a focus on local, seasonal ingredients, Dolcezza offers a changing list of flavors with a handful available each day. Sampling scoops at the factory means getting a super fresh taste. Offerings at the bar include coffee, sundaes, and tastings of gelato and sorbetto ($3 per scoop with a limit of 4 scoops). The bar seating was filled on our visit, so we grabbed push-pops ($3 each) from a freezer case. They were perfect in size and drip management for the kids (and I kept their plastic casing to reuse at home).

THE KID APPEAL

Frozen treats are not usually a hard sell with kids, and the push-pops here clearly delighted my family. Dolcezza’s industrial chic space feels sophisticated, but kids are clearly welcome (birthday party options are available).

Originally published here.