A Milan-rooted gelato chain is reportedly setting its sights on Belmont Shore, with plans to take over the former Holey Grail space at 4803 E. 2nd St. in Long Beach. Bacio di Latte, already a familiar name across Los Angeles and Orange County, would bring more than 20 gelato flavors to the beachside shopping strip if the move goes through.
The plan was first reported by Longbeachize on October 16, 2026, before WhatNow Los Angeles published its article on October 23, 2026, attributing the plan to Longbeachize. The outlet reported that it reached out to Bacio di Latte representatives for an opening timeline but had not received a response before press time, leaving the question of when — or whether — the shop will actually open unanswered for now.
According to Longbeachize, the Belmont Shore storefront is expected to serve up more than 20 flavors, including Pistacchio, Giandujotto, Cioccolato Belga and Nutellina. That lineup tracks with what the chain already offers elsewhere in Southern California, where its shops lean on traditional Italian technique alongside playful riffs on classic combinations.
A Brazilian Debut Rooted in Italian Tradition
Bacio di Latte's origin story carries a wrinkle depending on which account you read. WhatNow's reporting states the company was founded in 2011 by Milanese brothers Edoardo and Luigi Tonolli, who are said to have traveled throughout Italy studying traditional gelato recipes and ingredients before launching the business. Longbeachize also attributes the founding to Edoardo and Luigi Tonolli in 2011, while the Santa Monica Daily Press reports the shop was founded that same year by Edoardo Tonolli alone. Both accounts agree the first location opened on Rua Oscar Freire in São Paulo, Brazil, before the brand eventually found its way to American shores.
That Brazilian foothold has since grown substantially. The Santa Monica Daily Press reports Bacio di Latte now has more than 250 locations in Brazil and expects to reach 35 U.S. locations by December, a pace that has made the chain a steady presence on gelato-hungry commercial strips from the West Coast outward.
Southern California's Growing Gelato Footprint
Locally, Bacio di Latte already operates shops at Westfield Century City, Fashion Island in Newport Beach, Larchmont Village and Brentwood, according to WhatNow. The chain says its gelato is made daily using organic milk and cream from family farms in Sonoma County, along with Belgian and Italian chocolate, Italian pistachios and Piedmont hazelnuts, per the same outlet's reporting.
The company's most recent opening landed on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica, where its second shop in that city doubled as its 30th U.S. location overall, the Santa Monica Daily Press reported. That Montana Avenue storefront offers more than 22 regular flavors made in-house daily, using milk from Clover family farms in Sonoma County, California-grown fruit and organic cane sugar — a formula the chain has leaned on as it expands.
Beyond Belmont Shore, Bacio di Latte has additional expansion locations planned for Santa Monica and Topanga Village, Beverly Hills and Beverly Grove, and the Americana at Brand in Glendale, according to WhatNow's reporting. The Santa Monica Daily Press separately reported shops planned for Mission Valley, Los Cerritos, Walnut Creek, Manhattan and Scottsdale, Arizona, underscoring just how aggressively the brand is pushing beyond its Brazilian roots.
What Came Before at 4803 E. 2nd St.
The Belmont Shore address has its own recent history. Holey Grail, a Hawaii-based taro doughnut brand, opened its first Long Beach shop at that same 4803 E. 2nd St. address in June 2024. Longbeachize reported that the Holey Grail location later closed abruptly amid reports of unpaid rent, leaving the storefront vacant ahead of Bacio di Latte's reported move.
Longbeachize's reporting on the Belmont Shore gelato plans arrived as part of a roundup covering several Long Beach food-scene changes at once, a format the outlet has used before for tracking new restaurant arrivals around the city. Whether Bacio di Latte ultimately follows through on the Belmont Shore space remains to be seen, as no opening date or construction timeline has been confirmed.
