Small Fries

Some suggestions on the best destinations when dining out with the young ones in tow. This Month: Gemelli Artisanal Gelato & Dessert Cafe

Now that the weather has become summer-like in West Chester, every time we venture out, my oldest, Olivia, says the same thing: “Daddy, can we get ice cream?”

Having young children can turn the shortest of trips into an overwhelming adventure, but I’ve learned that the key is to plan ahead. What she doesn’t know is that we are definitely already going to be getting ice cream. Daddy loves a good scoop or two, but I’ve got to pretend the option is up in the air so I can use the ice cream as a bargaining chip in exchange for good behavior. Plus with so many great options for dessert in downtown West Chester, I’ve got quite the stack of chips.

I know gelato isn’t exactly ice cream, but Olivia doesn’t. And, I was born a Vecchio, so if there’s an Italian option, I’m gonna take it. While gelato is the Italian word for ice cream, the product we refer to stateside is a little different than ice cream: it’s actually lower in fat because it contains less cream and more milk, and is churned slower resulting in less air and a richer flavor. So, it’s a win-win.

Our go-to spot has been Gemelli

Artisanal Gelato and Dessert Cafe. The maestro at Gemelli, Vincenzo, was born and raised in Ferrara, Italy. Their team handcrafts everything they serve in-house. It’s made from scratch with a focus on local, seasonal, and organic ingredients.

The best part about going for gelato is the taste testing. Olivia’s too young to have developed a sense of shame, so she doesn’t mind asking for a few samples. With how cute she is about it, the staff are usually happy to indulge her. After tearing through a bunch of mini tasting spoons, she went with the Stracciatella, which is basically chocolate chip — not too adventurous after all that sampling, but always a solid choice. Personally, I tend to sample from whatever unique rotating flavors are available, which vary by the season, week, or day — just another reason to keep coming back.

Did I mention that the texture of their gelato is so smooth and creamy, eating this is nothing like any kind of store bought gelato or soft serve? Well, that’s why I always get a pint to go, this time settling on the chocolate peanut butter to take home and enjoy at a later date.

The interior of Gemelli is inviting, with plenty of seating, including a small, secluded area in the back, and a private-ish spot enclosed in glass for a quieter experience if you're there to work or study... or to avoid our children.

But given the beautiful weather, we opted to move our crew to the outside patio where we could soak up the sun and let Olivia enjoy her reward. After she took one bite our youngest, Zac, took an interest in what his sister was eating (as usual). Dad got a quick jolt of anxiety, since there have been many battles over food between these two, but Olivia grabbed a separate little spoon she had stashed in her pocket and said, “Here you go Zac, I knew you’d want to try. You can have some of mine.”

Within minutes of sitting down the gelato quickly disappeared into their little bellies, and some all over Zac’s face. It was a perfect reward for their good behavior, and my excellent parenting.

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