I’m a firm believer that no meal is complete without something sweet to cleanse the palate. After dining out with some friends in Glenview, Illinois, my local friend, Heather, mentioned this great place that served up some of the best gelato and sorbets. This peeked my attention immediately because I am a gelato/sorbet fiend. And again…it’s hard to find anywhere in the Midwest that does it well. Hell, sometimes it’s just hard to find someplace that does it well at all.
But she raved and raved about this little shop so I knew I had to try it out. Decision made, we took the short stroll down the way to Via Gelato and Café in The Glen.
First appearances are everything. And this little shop had one major thing going for it. The patrons who were sitting around outside, sipping on coffee and enjoying soups, salads, sandwiches, crepes and the gelato were speaking Italian. This was a good sign. A very good sing. And the shop itself was clean. Hardwood, a beautiful and clean counter displaying their signature and regular flavors. Everything written up on a chalk board. It just had the feel of a really great place.
Heather went to her favorite flavors and ordered a small (two scoops)…with one scoop of Ferraro-Rocher gelato and one scoop of Chocolate Peanut Butter gelato. Cathy, saying she was still quite full from our dinner, had her arm twisted into at least trying some gelato and went with a kiddie size (one scoop) of the Ferraro-Rocher gelato. As for me…I was drawn to the colorful array of sorbets. And in the end, went with a small (two scoops) order with one scoop of Strawberry Lemonade sorbetto and one scoop of Pomegranate-Blueberry sorbetto.
Previously, my most recent sorbet experience came from Las Vegas. After eating at Via Gelato, Cocolini in Vegas doesn’t even begin to measure up to flavor and quality. This was the perfect consistency for a sorbetto. Not only was it packing a fruity punch, but it had the proper icy crust on it. And the fruity blend of flavors was AMAZING!! Cathy sampled each of my flavors and fell in love with the Strawberry Lemonade one. I can’t blame her either. It was sweet and tart and had that perfect balance where the flavors complimented instead of outweighing each other.
As for the ladies and their gelato…they were in heaven. Cathy fell in love with the Ferraro-Rocher flavor, saying it tasted just like the hazelnut chocolates you buy at the store. I’d say that was a win! And Heather enjoyed her blend of gelatos, which looked absolutely fantastic. I think, next time, I’ll give one of the gelatos a try because they looked so amazing and made to the right consistency. No easy task, but speaking volumes of Via Gelato and their product.
Should you find yourself in need of a light, but sweet treat while in Glenview, Illinois, seek out Via Gelato. They also offer up coffee, espresso drinks, panini sandwiches, salads, crepes, and more. So, stop in…eat. Treat yourself to a sorbet or gelato. Sit outside and watch the world pass as you eat and sip on a coffee. Believe me…this stop is worth being made!
È squisito!
The Celiathlete 