South Tempe is about to get a lot sweeter. Family-owned Dolce Vita Gelato is set to open its second Valley scoop shop next Thursday, rolling out a noon grand opening that will reward early birds with complimentary gelato. The new counter, near Warner Road and Priest Drive, brings the Mesa-born gelato maker deeper into Tempe’s neighborhood dining scene.
The grand opening will run from noon to 7 p.m., with guests at the Tempe event treated to free scoops of stracciatella and lemon. After the celebration wraps, the shop will keep regular hours Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., according to the owners. Those details, along with the opening-day schedule, were reported by KTAR.
What to Expect
Fans of the original location will recognize the greatest hits. The Tempe shop will lean on the same Italian-heavy lineup that turned the Mesa store into a local favorite, including tiramisu-style gelato, gelo di melone, and rotating house flavors made in-store. Dolce Vita is family-owned and has been serving handmade gelato alongside Sicilian sandwiches and imported groceries for more than a decade, a run of sweet success detailed by AZ Foothills.
Owner and Reputation
In a statement to KTAR, owner Fabrizio Cali said, "Our grand opening is our way of expressing gratitude to our new neighbors. We are honored to open Dolce Vita and share authentic Italian gelato in the Tempe community." The outlet also notes that the Mesa flagship landed on Yelp's Top 100 U.S. ice-cream restaurants in 2023, giving the Tempe shop a ready-made fanbase before the first scoop hits the cup.
Why Tempe
Tempe has been heating up as a destination for specialty dessert spots, and locals regularly single out gelato and ice-cream counters as go-to treats. Valley readers told Axios Phoenix that artisan frozen-treat shops are a staple of their summer routines, a trend that leaves the door wide open for Dolce Vita’s Tempe debut.
