A Premium Gelato Bar Opens in Studio City.

An Homage to True Italian Gelato Bars and Building of a Neighborhood Meeting Place Makes a Winning New Addition to the Community

LOS ANGELES -- Gelato Bar, a new concept designed by Gail Silverton and developed with her partner and fiance, Joel Gutman, has recently opened in Tujunga Village, Studio City.

Silverton is the founder of the Neighborhood School, the highly recognized nursery school for children 2u years to kindergarten with three locations in the San Fernando Valley, and is sister to Nancy Silverton of Mozza and La Brea Bakery. Through her experiences with children and their parents, Gail Silverton saw a growing need in her Studio City neighborhood for a space where all ages and groups could gather, meet, and connect.

Both Gail and her sister own homes in Panicale, a small village in the Umbrian region of Italy. The yearly visits with extended family exposed Silverton to the artistry of regional products. She also discovered the bonding found in the Italian piazza, where members of the community could be found seeking daily news and camaraderie. She became passionate about finding a way to recreate the experience with an American sensibility back home in California.

When a space opened on Tujunga Avenue in the small and eclectic retail area that includes Aroma, Caoti, Two Roads Theater, the Village Gourmet, Vitello's and Elizabeth's Antiques, Silverton and Gutman saw it as the perfect opportunity for their shared vision.

Within months, the modest storefront was transformed into a miniature Italian "piazza." Two giant plastic ice cream cones imported from Italy mark the exterior of the shop. The space is the first location of Vitello's Italian restaurant, and Gelato Bar's interior courtyard retains the 1974 vintage flooring of inlaid terra cotta tiles. The walls are splashed with brightly striped walls of yellow, blue and green, embracing an indoor fountain. Scattered are charming settings of tables and chairs where one can wander in for a coffee or snack, read the International Herald Tribune, New York Times or play a game of chess with a neighbor. The store even invites the public to free Italian lessons on Thursdays at 2 p.m.

Just beyond an archway stands the magnificent Milanese gelato case, displaying billowing colored clouds of gelato. The gelato is treated with great care; managers regularly monitor refrigeration to ensure that the product is served at optimum temperature, making Gelato Bar a superior source for the Italian confection. Each of the 24 daily selections of gelato and sorbetto flavors are hand-decorated with eye-catching garnishes of fresh fruits, nuts and spices. Along with Italian classics Nocciola, Straciatella and Pistachio, Silverton has several flavors fabricated to her specifications: a Spicy Chocolate made with habanero, an English Toffee inspired by the candy at Littlejohn's at the 3rd Street Farmers Market, Cinnamon Basil and Pomegranate. Also featured daily are sugar-free gelato and fat-free sorbetto.

The artisanal product is custom made by Allessandro Fontana, an expert gelato maker from Venice, who taught Gail and Joel the nuances of the best Italian gelato. Gelato Bar's frozen confections are made daily in small batches; each flavor contains 65-70% pure product (i.e. pistachio, chocolate, fruits) as compared to most other varieties, which often contain only 30% product. Gelato deceivingly has a much lower fat content than conventional American ice creams and due to its lower temperature, richer flavors can be achieved.

Gelato Bar also features a stunning coffee bar similar to the ones found in Europe, where customers can stand and order from an expansive list of beverages, gourmet teas, Italian sodas, espresso and locally roasted coffees by Coffee Roaster of Sherman Oaks as well as Intelligentsia coffee from Chicago. Silverton and Gutman are handpicking the best baked goods from local suppliers. Rotating selections of savory and sweet snacks are selected from Gail's favorite neighborhood haunts like Leda's Bake Shop in Sherman Oaks, Susina Bakery & Cafe, local Farmer's Markets and naturally include items from La Brea Bakery.

In keeping with the philosophy of the shop, Gelato Bar is a family affair. The business is managed by Silverton's son, Andreas. On weekends, one often finds patriarch Larry Silverton brewing the perfect cappuccino for guests. Gutman, with an extensive history in sales, heads the wholesale business, serving restaurants, retail operations and party venues.

Silverton is delighted about the enthusiastic response to Gelato Bar. "This is such a perfect product to sell. It's a business that says 'just treat yourself,' which is something everyone should do for themselves in some small way every day." Gutman agrees, "Gelato is one of the few things that appeal to all ages. It's visually beautiful, pleasurable to eat and fun for everyone. Everybody smiles when they have a gelato."

For information, the public can call:

Gelato Bar
818.487.1717
4342 1/2 Tujunga Avenue, Studio City, CA 91604

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