Family’s Love of Gelato Delivers Taste of Italy

The Place: That’s Amore Gelato
The Location: 7605 E. Pinnacle Peak Rd., Scottsdale
By: Lauri Huff

Can’t make it to Italy? Your taste buds can! Take them on a flavor adventure at That’s Amore Gelato. Located in North Scottsdale, this quaint gelato shop is the delicious brainchild of sisters Cristina and Paola Marrazzo. Along with their families, the sisters moved from Italy more than 15 years ago, and began their gelato journey out of a love for one of their country’s favorite desserts.
When the gelato shop first opened, in 2005, the sisters and their husbands had one goal in mind…deliver an exceptional, authentic taste of Italy. And that they do.
That’s Amore features 45 hard-to-choose-from flavors of gelato, along with sorbet (vegans take note), made-from-scratch pastries, coffee/espresso drinks, unique gelato cakes, and sandwiches. Many delectable options for sure but the gelato is the stand out.

Knowing the most authentic taste comes from authentic ingredients, the family run shop gets everything (except of course the bread, milk and a few others), shipped directly from Italy. From mouth-watering fruits to fragrant vanilla to a variety of regional nuts, each has a distinct taste only Italy can provide. And when an ingredient is out and the new shipment hasn’t come in yet? That gelato flavor is benched until the ingredient arrives. No substitutes will do when it comes to authentic flavor.

That’s Amore’s charming interior features a large front-to-back wall mural that transports you to an Italian countryside (no passport needed). Your journey to Italy isn’t complete until you have some gelato in hand. The tough part is selecting which one. Out of the 45 flavors, customers continually choose three as their favorite—stracciatella (Italy’s version of chocolate chip), chocolate, and black cherry. The most unique flavor That’s Amore offers is Cornetto Italiano—a mixture of gelato base, tart Italian cherries, stracciatella chocolate, and crunchy hazelnuts. This guest (and writer’s) favorite was created by the sisters, based on Cristina’s memories of her favorite childhood treat. In Italy, gelato is more than a sweet dessert, it’s a part of life, part of the culture, and it’s served at almost every gathering.

Never tried gelato? Wondering how it differs from ice cream? While tasting is always the best way to really understand (yes, they offer samples), the basic difference is that gelato is churned slower, and many people prefer it because it contains less air and fat, and no eggs or salt. This means fewer calories and a unique fresh taste. Add in the direct-from-Italy ingredients and that’s pure taste-bud-dancing fun! In fact, That’s Amore!

Gelato |That’s Amore | Pastries | Treats | Italian