Hello lover!! No seriously....if I would cheat on my fiance...it would be with the Via Gelato..you tasty little thing you!! Wait!!! I'm guilty....I have already cheated...but my fiance was there too!!! Gelato infused ménage à trois? Yes please....over and over again!!!
We were here for a meeting and the host suggested we stop here to get some top notch gelato and boy he was not kidding!!! This is without a doubt THE BEST gelato I have tasted outside of Italy. But...beware its not cheap. I'm the kind of gal that prefers quality over quantity so for me...this was not an issue.
Their flavors are wonderful and more importantly the taste and quality is divine, superb, plain outstanding....can you sense my excitement!!!
When we will be in the burbs again,we will most definitely be back here!!!
Go here and try it. There is no way you can be disappointed...if you have good taste. :)
I can't speak for the rest of their food, but their menu looked really appetizing and offered a lot of options. If I worked in the area, I would probably be here several times a week. For those that live and work near by.... lucky bastards.
OK OK... Just a few more words. I consider myself a gelato connoisseur. I hate these places that make themselves out to be gelato and are really nothing more than fancied up ice cream (like bellezza gelato).
Anyhow. These guys do right by their texture, consistency, and appropriate portions of bite-size bits in their gelato. It's what gelato should be. A punch of flavor in an eensy teensy bite.
Another huge plus. The staff here is great with handing out samples. I've been very put off by places that give you dirty looks when you ask for more than one sample.
Great service, great gelato. If you want to experience what gelato should really taste like, I'd recommend this as a great place to try it.
1) It is run by genuine people who are passionate about putting the best product out there. And when the owners aren't working, they staff it with people who do a great job representing them. I had a lovely time in there earlier this week talking to the owner about the hearts of palm soup that he makes. What a doll. The level of service that you get at Via Gelato shouldn't hard to come across, but surprisingly, I hardly ever leave a place feeling like this. Another example? Birchwood Kitchen.
2) So googoo gaga love for the owners set aside, the food is SO good. Let's talk gelato. Made on premises, as in, I tasted the papaya passionfruit gelato and was told that they were making a batch of passionfruit-only gelato RIGHT then and that I could sample it. Needless to say, the Ferrero Rocher gelato has remained my favorite over multiple visits but everything I've had is terrific -- sugar-free skim cocoa, banana cream, Girl Scout Thin Mint, papaya passionfruit.
And yes, I was talking about a hearts of palm soup earlier. Haven't had it yet. I'm told they normally have it on Thursdays but that it might be replaced in the summer for a cold soup. I received a business card and an invitation to call about the daily soups. I have however, had the chicken and wild rice soup (excellent) and a few of their sandwiches (delicious), always accompanied with one of my favorite pasta salads around (pesto, naturally).
3) It is so unassuming, and in The Glen where you are surrounded by chains, I enjoy that. It refreshes the "tired of mediocre dining experiences" fat kid inside of me. Ben & Jerry's? Please. Just walk across the street and do a banana cream + Ferrero Rocher combo. BAM! Totally owns B&J's best (chunky monkey).
If I ever wanted to run a restaurant business, I would aspire to be as good as Via Gelato. Go off on a vacation somewhere with J, eat something incredible, find that there is no good whatever in Chicagoland, and open a business to provide it to Chicagoans. Not solely motivated by $$$ but just wanting to spread the love and appreciation of tasty foods to those who don't have access it. Seriously. Is that love or what? I am happy every time I go here, and skip around when I leave. I feel so attended to, cared for, I want to hug everyone in the place!
Cute husband and wife run gelateria. The owners spent three years researching and experimenting with recipes in order to replicate authentic italian gelato. Friendly service and delicious gelato. There is also a very European vibe with the numerous coffee choices and unusual soups and paninis. A must try!
We have mostly bought Via Gelato from the various concerts a festivals at the Glen. Just about every flavor is amazing and the staff is so nice. Don't miss the raspberry with chocolate chip gelato or especially the Pomegranate/Blueberry Sorbetto.
- Alan R, Glenview, IL - Sep 16, 2008
Most of me hates going to The Glen for anything. Fake downtown and chains stores abounding. But Via Gelato completely redeems this shopping center, and I'm here at least two or three times a week. It's a small business owned by Ron & his wife who knew me by name after my first visit. The staff is incredibly friendly & helpful, the place is clean & has a great atmosphere.
They have the best Gelato I've ever had in the US, and they learned from a Venetian so it's truly authentic. Every flavor exceeds your xpectations, and if Gelato isn't your thing they also have a variety of Sorbetto (water-based, like Sherbert) & also sugar-free flavors are offered daily.
Their espresso is also awesome. They offer a drink where the espresso is brewed with some hazelnut Gelato which is better than anything Starbucks down the street could dream of imagining making.
Best Gelato in all of Chicago!!! By ndavid1 from morton grove, Sep 6, 2008
This is by far my favorite gelato place in all of Chicago. Having lived in Italy for six months, I can tell you that Via Gelato's homemade gelato is the closest you can get to eating authentic gelato from Italy. Their sorbets are my favorite...I always get the Pomegranate and Lemon flavors together. I love that they have new flavors almost everyday. Even their food is great. Their tuscan panini is delicious and their salads are amazing as well. The owners are extremely nice and welcoming. The cafe's ambiant environment makes me feel like I'm back in Italy again. If you are in the area, definitely try this place out!
Absolutely Delicious
By Saephyl from Glenview, Jul 28, 2008
I work in the Glen, so I'm stuck having Glen food... all the time. It's the only place I have yet to get tired of, even though they have been here for over a year. The food is fantastic, and the owners are the sweetest people you could meet. When everything gets slow, we always toss one person outside to grab us some gelato, which is always lovely. I'll occasionally bribe someone to get me a crepe, which are absolutely phenominal, trumping some that I've had in France.
It's something to try out once, and I'm sure something you'll go back to again. =)
