The corner of Dovercourt Road and Argyle Street just got a whole lot sweeter, thanks to Tutto Gelato.
Not only will this gorgeous space be the future home of Pizzeria Badiali, but husband and wife Andrea and Sonia Pittis have re-opened their authentic gelateria in the same building. The duo originally opened Tutto Gelato in the late 90s when Andrea––who was born and raised in Italy––noticed that no one in Toronto was serving up gelato the way they did back home.
"Everyone in Italy goes for a gelato, sometimes more than once a day. When we started, we had three locations and I remember giving everyone samples of our product and no one really knew what it was. It was exciting to introduce Canadians to authentic Italian gelato," said Andrea.
They eventually sold most of the company, but held onto a line of machinery for their retirement. When things went stagnant from the pandemic, they wanted to re-open Tutto Gelato as a pedestrian-style pop-up since it was a permissible business idea and everyone was in the mood for some indulgence. They still had the gelato-making equipment (which by the way, is all imported from Italy) and fell in love with the neighbourhood, where the pop-up is now once again open for the summer season.
The shop runs on the Italian tradition that the process of making gelato is more than just making dessert––it's an art form.
"It's not about fast service, it's about how well you eat. When you taste our gelato, all you have to do is close your eyes and you'll be transported to Italy," said Sonia.
There are a few main differences that highlight the beauty of gelato over other commonly-consumed ice creams. It's lower in both calories and fat, there is less air in each scoop, and most importantly, there is so much more delicious flavour. This is because their freezers are kept at a lower temperature resulting in a balanced texture that is perfectly light, fluffy and incredibly creamy.
The gelateria offers seven rotating flavours at a time, so whenever you go for a visit, you can try something new. All of their gelato is homemade with ingredients imported from Italy to ensure the most authentic recipe. With milk and fruit-based options, there is a scoop for everybody. Fan favourites include the Bacio, made with chocolate and hazelnut, as well as Italian staples like Pistachio and Lemon.
Tutto Gelato will be open for the rest of the summer season, seven days a week from 3 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. (weather permitting). The booth is walk-up only and located at 181 Dovercourt Road off the Ossington strip.
