EATS & DRINKS
By Case Dighero | Photos by Kerri McMahon Photo
Gelatissimo
226 S. 1st St., Rogers | (479) 405-4030 | www.gelatissimo.com
There is a beautiful, cyclical poetry to the universe, especially when it comes to the logistics of love and gelato.
Consider Daniel and Ariel Husband. Forty-one years ago, their love story officially commenced over a couple of scoops at a Texas Braum’s. Fast-forward through a pair of successful corporate tenures, a lifetime of shared kitchen culinary experiments and the raising of two daughters who share their obsessive culinary radar for frozen confections, and you arrive at their magnificent new chapter: Gelatissimo in downtown Rogers.
Why downtown Rogers? “We wanted a location that was inherently entertainment-driven,” Ariel said. “Downtown Rogers relies on the holy trinity of urban vibrance: entertainment, exceptional food and walkability. We loved the location immediately.”
The process for entering, perusing, ordering and devouring is nothing short of culinary nirvana. When you step inside, your eyes are immediately drawn to the Wonka-esque display case. This isn’t the flat, industrial scooping bins of our childhood but rather a mountainous, sculpted landscape of frozen art, coaxed into dramatic peaks using traditional spatulas.
If you aren’t yet familiar with the Gelatissimo pedigree, let’s first talk scale. The brand was originally conceptualized by two Italian brothers living in Australia, subsequently acquired by Australia’s Henroth Investments, and expanded into the U.S. market via Houston in 2022. It is a massive global powerhouse. Yet, the brick-and-mortar outpost right here on the bricks of downtown Rogers feels remarkably intimate and familiar.
That’s because the Northwest Arkansas location is uniquely designated as an official Training Store, engineered specifically to curate a singular in-store experience.
The Husbands began their pursuit of the ultimate gelato franchise concept in 2019, initially inspired by a visit to Atlanta’s Mango Mango. By 2022, deep research was underway, culminating in a whirlwind of negotiations in 2023 and the Rogers Gelatissimo grand opening in November 2024.
The operational magic is a family affair. Ariel and Daniel run the business alongside their daughter Hayley. Hayley, along with a co-maker, crafts everything in-house. And when I say everything, I mean everything. From the gelato and the vegan sorbets to the artisan gelato cakes, custom cookie sandwiches and the brilliant, secret-menu “Gelato Nachos” drizzled with house-made caramel. Still, at any given time, guests can select from approximately 30 flavors — half of their total repertoire.
While Gelatissimo provides the global framework, the Husbands have the autonomy to inject local soul. Each region is encouraged to develop its own proprietary flavor profiles.
The consistent, undisputed local champion? The Deluxe Texas Sheet Cake. But I’m also a fan of the crystal-laden Chocolate Honeycomb, Chunky New York Cheesecake and Matcha. There are also plenty of offerings of reduced sugar options as well as truly vegan, dairy-free sorbets such as the ethereal Dragonfruit, Mango, Coconut and Green Apple. Sublime.
The Husbands operate with an altruistic, community-first ethos that makes the entire enterprise feel less like a global franchise and more like a gift to the neighborhood. They remain utterly flavor-obsessed — a compulsion we can all benefit from.
Keep your eyes on the display case over the next couple of months for some avant-garde collaborations and summer drops, including Vietnamese Coffee, Pineapple and a visually stunning Butterfly Pea Flower creation.
Whether you are grabbing a half-liter to-go for a dinner party or sitting on the patio watching the downtown foot traffic pass by, Gelatissimo is proof that the best love stories usually end with dessert.
