Gelato Harbour Cafe Makes Its Way Into Danversport

A new eatery, the Gelato Harbour Cafe, is set to open in Danversport and owners Alberto and Liliana Beraldo are hopeful that their idea to bring real, fresh Italian gelato to Danvers is a success with the locals.

The cafe will feature breakfast items like muffins, croissants, bagels and pastries, paired with Rao's specialty coffee, a hot latte or espresso; and lunch options to include paninis and wraps. 

But the gelato will likely be the breakout star of this production.

Gelato is the Italian word for ice cream, but gelato is not the same product as ice cream. There are distinct differences between the two, most notably, because gelato is made from fresh milk cream and not butter, it has a creamier, denser consistency-and less fat-than its frozen counterpart. 

"I’m not offering it because its a healthy alternative, it just happens to be a healthy alternative," Alberto Beraldo, a self described gelato-nut, explains. 

Beraldo continued, "A lot of people who’ve traveled and fallen in love with it in Europe, they’re on the lookout for it."

Gelato Harbour Cafe is a family affair, with the Beraldo's three adult children Michael, Manuela, and Felipe ready to help out in the daily operations of the cafe. 

Opening up a restaurant of some kind has been a dream of Alberto and Liliana's, who are both contractors. When the Beraldo's decided to switch careers and get into the gelato business, they said they went to the best: Andrea Rossetto of Dolce Freddo Gelato of Newburyport and Methuen. 

Rossetto's knowledge was acquired through years of training with gelatieri (master gelato makers), in Italy, and he has agreed to supply the Gelato Harbour Cafe with his delectable frozen treats.

"With his training here in the U.S., we at Gelato Harbour Cafe feel that he is a master gelato maker at the top of his field.  Rosetto uses all natural imported ingredients from Italy, and his gelato shops are known to gelato connoisseur's across the Northshore, with loyal customers traveling up to 20 miles just to frequent his shop."

Beraldo has seen plenty of imitation gelato being sold, and wants customers to know that his gelato is freshly made, with all natural imported ingredients. 

"A lot of people don’t know what real gelato is," he said. "We're bringing a taste of Italy into the U.S."

The location is promising, with the views of the harbor out at , and plenty of parking on the street or across the street. The decor is modern, with brown, lime green and bright orange tones. There is plenty of seating inside, with seven tables and twenty chairs, plus a counter at the front with five stools overlooking the water. 

With located right next door, Beraldo will be sitting down with their nutritionist to devise protein smoothies and healthier meal options for before and after workouts to accomodate Crossfit members.

Initially there will be a selection of 24 flavors of gelato to choose from.  Flavors such as: brownie, tirimisu, Italian black cherry, mint chocolate chip, lemon, passion fruit, pina colada, Irish coffee, bacio, chocolate rasperry, pistaccio, hazlenut, amaretto, and blue vanilla. The fall seasonal flavors will include gingerbread, pumpkin, peppermint, apple pie and green apple caramel gelato.

There will also be a selection of sorbetto flavors, which is made with fresh fruit and is a non-dairy option.

One thing is for certain, Beraldo wants The Gelato Harbour Cafe to become a fixture of the Danvers community, and especially the boating community right outside his storefront window.

"We want to be that place that people come into to get their lunch, and be able to walk across the street to the grassy areas by the water to unwind. Today it’s so hard to find that half hour to do that; sometimes you need to find that time to get away from your home, and the never ending list of things to do- what better place than to sit here by the water?"