"Born from the owner’s love affair with Italian gelato and formal training at Carpigiani Gelato University, this Montrose gelato shop emphasizes slow-churned, denser texture and bold seasonal flavors made with real ingredients and no preservatives or fillers. Its rotating roster highlights Houston-centric and globally inspired creations—standouts include a Malai kulfi (cardamom with almond slivers), the elaborate 713 (Vietnamese coffee gelato with cayenne- and chocolate-covered Fritos, candied Texas pecans, double-fermented soy sauce, saffron, and toasted black sesame), the award-winning East Meets West (buttery gelato with Texas candy pecans, local whiskey, and cardamom), pistachio made with Sicilian nuts, Turkish Coffee topped with crushed cardamom, and fruit-forward options like blueberry sangria (made with real wine and handpicked berries) and huckleberry. The menu also nods to local and diasporic flavors with items such as vanilla tres leches, toasted black sesame, turmeric mandarin, and key lime cilantro sorbet, plus dairy-free sorbets like grapefruit lavender. Beyond scoops, the shop educates the community through workshops and consulting, customizes flavors for local chefs and restaurants, sells pints in Whole Foods, and has been recognized locally for its civic impact (a day in July was named for the owner by the mayor)." - Brittany Britto Garley