Pandolfi Dishing Up Vibrant Gelatos, Decadent Candy at 50th & France

"I always wanted to have my own little retail business and my ideas have always been food-focused," said Riha, who opened Pandolfi just a few weeks ago in at 50th & France.

Featuring Palazzalo's artisan gelato from Chicago—an Oprah fave—the cozy, yet radiant store also offers candy, fudge, games, toys, funky purses and more.

Several years ago Riha made plans with her mother to create an Italian grocery store, but her mom passed away before that could happen. In the intervening years, her daughters got older and she ran her own catering business. The concpet for a store never truly went away and the extensive research she'd done on gelato finally came in handy.

"I found this space on Craigslist and I just thought 'how cute.' It is off the beaten path, but I think that's actually to our benefit," Riha explained, pointing to a nearby walkway. "It's so fun on weekends—there are families hanging out here."

Pandolfi is next to the back entrance of , with no 50th Street-facing storefront. Riha's colorful window displays look out on the small walkway that takes shoppers from the parking garage on 49th 1/2 Street around behind and onto West 50th Street.

However, her niche has some benefits. It has coverage from the rain and enough space for some cute red benches which perfectly accomodate gelato eaters. She wanted the feel of a vacation town, giving parents and kids a scrumptious, but affordable escape.

Gelato and sorbetto lovers are a tenacious bunch and have sussed out Pandolfi's unique location. Riha has stocked 24 flavors including American standards like Cookies and Cream and Peanut Butter Cup, sorbettos like Mango and Red Raspberry, and Italian varieties, like Nocciola (hazelnut), Spumoni—a combination of Zuppa Inglese (fruit and marsala wine base), Pistachio and Giunduja (chocolate hazelnut). As Palazzolo has 600 flavors, she'll order some different types in the future.

The gelato runs $2.29/$3.99 a cup and $0.99/$2.99 for a cone (the minis are so cute). It has less butterfat than regular ice cream, but more sugar and a denser texture, because less air is whipped into it. As well, both sorbetto and gelato are served at a slightly warmer temperature than ice cream, which is said to make the flavors more intense.

Lilly Riha, 9, likes the Triple White Chocolate and fruit sorbettos, while Elizabeth, her younger sister, favors the Banana Caramel Praline. They have pitched in to help their mom get Pandolfi running in a relatively short time. Riha began prepping the space in March and, had it not been for a last-minute plumbing issue, would have opened sooner.

The large, red Pandolfi sign painted directly on the wall was done by husband Patrick, who was instrumental in the design and construction of the store. The family lives in Edina and marched in the city's recent to help build awareness. 

Rachel Hubbard, executive director of the 50th & France Business Association, has gladly welcomed the new store into the fold.

"We love the new addition," Hubbard said. "Pandolfi offers the neighborhood another great hot spot and only encourages visitors to see 50th & France as a fun destination."

As well, Pandolfi has garnered a mention by Dara Moskowitz-Gruhndahl on The Current and has hit the foodie press with blurbs in City Pages and other local publications. Fudge from Eden Prairie's Prairie Chocolatier and chocolates from Patisserie 46 have also attracted attention.

"You can come in here and do something really special, or have a special outing with your kids," Riha said."It's just a place to treat yourself."

She's hoping it becomes a regular destination for Edina families, and plans on making the patio even more festive over the summer.