Dolce Neve

Dolce Neve Crew

We have all heard the old children's rhyme: "I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream." Ice cream is one of those quintessential treats that all kids love. Heck, most if not all adults love the stuff too. And why not? The truth is that like pizza even bad ice cream is still pretty good. It's cold, sweet, and brings us back to a simpler time. I'll bet most of you are probably smiling fondly as read this, thinking of days gone by..... While we may even be able to enjoy less than stellar ice cream it is always worth the drive and money to get the best, most indulgent ice cream we can find. Friends, I may have found the best anywhere, not just Austin. Where is this magical place of whimsy, wonder, smiles, and all things frozen?

The Answer my lovelies, is Dolce Neve (pronounced Dole-chay Nevay) gelato on South 1st street. I know I've been talking about ice cream and here I mention gelato. The way I see it both are part of the same family of dairy based frozen confections, along with Indian Kulfi. The differences are few and you still end up with a tasty frozen treat that happens to be lower in calories than traditional ice cream. You might think of gelato then, as ice cream's prettier Italian cousin. I'd take her on a date any time! I'd get into a full discussion of the differences between the two but I don't have the space to do so. Also it's just not that important.

Opened in January 2014 by Italian transplants Francesca, Leo, and Marco, Dolce Neve offers some of the best frozen goodies you'll find anywhere. They source everything as locally as possible, including the decor. Just get them talking and you will quickly see their passion for their craft. Francesca, as it turns out, learned the craft at Carpigiani Gelato University in Bologna Italy. That's right, Ice Cream University. It actually exists. Her training and dedication to the craft really show! Each of these good folks can easily tell you what goes into each of their gelatos, but that may be because there aren't that many ingredients start with. Only naturally ingredients, no chemical preservatives or stabilizers. Just good, natural stuff.

Here is a quick look at what we were able to sample-

Parmagiano Reggiano- This one is savory, and one of my favorites. It is totally unexpected. Imagine the richest, creamiest parmagiano cheese you've ever had and then freeze it.

Goat cheese- This one took my daughters by surprise. They were expecting the tangy in your face flavor of feta cheese but instead got a sweet, rich gelato. It reminded us of cheese cake. It was the girls' favorite.

Pistachio- If you are a fan of pistachio ice cream, as I am, then you owe it to yourself to try this flavor. Fresh roasted, all natural pistachios.

In addition to the gelatos they also have some other hand crafted frozen treats. We didn't sample any of them but they looked absolutely fantastic. And what could go better with your cup of frozen goodness than a hot cup of steaming espresso goodness? They also have a beast of an espresso machine imported from Italy, stocked with locally roasted beans, and powered by the gods of all things caffeinated! And it's just begging to make you a cup, so why not grab some on your visit. And you know you'll be there.

Nostalgia, great treats, and feeling of doing something socially responsible. Can there be anything better?

Official AFJ rating- 5 points of Lone Star! We'd give more if could.