Pappalecco, the San Diego-born Italian café known for gelato and panini, has opened its first Las Vegas spot at the University Gateway shopping center near UNLV. The compact, modern café is pouring espresso, stuffing croissants with gelato and pressing Italian-style panini along the south Maryland Parkway corridor, all under what the brand bills as a "modern made in Italy" vibe.
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the shop is located at 4700 S. Maryland Parkway, Suite 115, and operates Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., with weekend hours from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. The paper notes that a ribbon-cutting is scheduled for April 9 at 11 a.m., and the grand-opening promotion offers 50 percent off beverages and food items, with wine excluded from the deal.
About the brand
Pappalecco was founded in San Diego's Little Italy in 2007 by brothers Francesco and Lorenzo Bucci and has spent nearly two decades building a menu of house-made gelato, pastries and espresso. The Pappalecco locations page lists a "University, Las Vegas" entry as "Coming Soon," placing Las Vegas on the brand's expansion map beyond San Diego and Plano.
Lease and site plan
The storefront sits inside the University Gateway shopping center, where site plans show Pappalecco slated for Suite 115 alongside other quick-service neighbors. Property leasing materials list the café at Suite 115, and university leasing records identify "Eat United (Pappalecco)" on a lease that began April 1, 2025, with options extending into 2033. NSHE Board of Regents documents confirm the arrangement.
What to order
The menu lineup includes gelato flavors such as lemon, strawberry, chocolate, Nutella and a signature "Pappalecco" blend of amaretto, chocolate and cookies, along with build-your-own salads, toasts, açaí bowls and panini like the Caprese and the namesake Pappalecco panini. The shop is also serving affogato, gelato milkshakes and gelato-stuffed croissants in more than a dozen sweet and savory versions, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Why it matters locally
The University Gateway location puts Pappalecco within easy walking distance of UNLV dorms and student housing, a built-in customer base that often keeps breakfast counters and late-night coffee spots humming. Early reporting and permit filings flagged the move last year, and local coverage suggested owners were aiming squarely at the student corridor; What Now tracked the concept for Las Vegas, while the property's Property leasing materials reinforced that student-focused layout.
Pappalecco's arrival adds another option for authentic Italian espresso and house-made gelato just off campus, and the April ribbon-cutting looks set to double as a test run for how the brand fits into the neighborhood's breakfast, study-break and late-night crowds. For fans of gelato and croissants, there should be plenty to work through once the café settles into regular service.
