A new gelato shop is moving into Downtown Culver City's busiest commercial block. Bacio di Latte, an Italian gelato company with locations across the United States and Brazil, is opening a location at 3849 Main Street, taking over a storefront that spent the last several years slinging plant-based burgers rather than scoops of pistachio.
The new address, 3849 Main Street, Culver City, California 90232, previously housed Monty's Good Burger, according to WhatNow. Window coverings have already gone up announcing the gelateria's arrival, per a Toddrickallen report. That same site notes the space has a layered history: Monty's Good Burger was announced as a new tenant there in 2021, after the former Tentenyu Ramen & Sushi Roll location, on a block that sits at the heart of Downtown Culver City's commercial core.
Monty's departure from Main Street wasn't isolated. The vegan burger chain announced in January that it was closing both its 3849 Main Street store and its Riverside location to consolidate around its core Echo Park and Koreatown outlets amid rising operational costs, according to Vegpreneur. The closures came amid economic pressures on restaurants.
What's on the Menu
Bacio di Latte's flavor lineup reads like a tour of Italian gelato tradition, per WhatNow's report. Among the offerings are pistachio made with Italian-grown pistachios, stracciatella studded with chocolate pieces, salted caramel, sweet cream, hazelnut chocolate, and a trio of chocolates made with 60% cacao, 70% cacao, and stracciatella. There's also a Coffee & Caramel option that combines coffee and caramel in an Italian-style recipe, along with Belgian chocolate topped with chocolate shavings.
The menu extends beyond the freezer case. WhatNow reports the shop offers strawberry and raspberry sorbets made with fresh fruit, Greek yogurt gelato, and a vegan Belgian chocolate made with oat milk. Coffee-based desserts and affogatos pairing gelato with espresso round things out, alongside cookies served with gelato and other sweets. Customers can order gelato in cups and cones on-site or pick up larger formats to take home.
Unlike standard American ice cream, which by federal food standards must contain at least 10% milkfat, traditional gelato is generally denser, according to Mass.gov. Gelato is also typically served warmer than ice cream to intensify flavor.
A Corridor Built for Foot Traffic
The timing lines up with infrastructure changes that have reshaped how pedestrians move through the area. In January 2025, the city installed an All Walk diagonal pedestrian scramble signal at the intersection of Main Street and Culver Boulevard, a signal that stops all vehicle movement so people can cross in any direction at once, according to Culver City Crossroads.
Main Street also hosts a weekly farmers market, per the Jenny Morant Group. The market adds a regular event to the downtown calendar.
Part of a Bigger California Push
The Culver City storefront is only the latest stop in what's shaping up to be an aggressive expansion year for the brand. Bacio di Latte has also announced a Bella Terra location in Huntington Beach as it continues expanding its Southern California presence, and its website now lists multiple California locations.
Hoodline has tracked much of that momentum directly. In April, Hoodline reported the chain was heading to Montana Avenue in Santa Monica, and separately that it was listed as coming soon at The Americana at Brand in Glendale as part of its push into major Los Angeles County shopping centers. Back in February, Hoodline also reported that Bacio di Latte launched its Northern California expansion with a store at the Santana Row development in San Jose, marking the company's debut in the Bay Area market.
The brand was founded in 2011 by Italian brothers Edoardo and Luigi Tonolli, according to Voyage LA. The company has a location at the Westfield Century City mall in Los Angeles and locations in Santa Monica.
An exact opening date for the Culver City location has not been announced. It also remains to be seen how Bacio di Latte will compete with the Italian food and dessert spots already established in Downtown Culver City.
