Design Your Own Treat at Frozen Yo Café

Everyone has heard of TCBY, Cold Stone, Carvel and Rita’s, but two weeks ago a new cold dessert eatery joined that list. Frozen Yo Café, located directly across from The Hobby Shop in the Strathmore Shopping Plaza, offers much more than frozen yogurt, despite the shop's name.

There are over 70 toppings to choose from including Fruit Loops, brownies, sprinkles, Oreos, fruit, Reeses Pieces, trail mix, fresh nuts and cookie dough bites, just to name a few. But before you can indulge in those treats, you have to stop by one of several frozen yogurt stations to choose a flavor, which vary from chocolate and vanilla to mint chocolate chip and birthday cake. 

Besides being rung up at the register, the whole process is self-service. If you want one gummy worm, a scoop of cookie dough bites and a mound of M&M's or something else complicated - go for it!

The café's atmosphere is designed to appeal to young adults with three televisions mounted on the wall, lounge chairs and tables, a large fish tank and vibrant blue and green decor, said owner Danielle Dorsi, of Matawan.

The 21-year-old knows a thing or two about running an ice cream shop. Dorsi's family owns a few Ralph’s Italian Ice locations including the one that's a quick walk across the parking lot from her yogurt shop. She credits the family business for giving her the skills to run her own shop at what many would consider a young age.

Dorsi said she was also motivated by her need for cash and thought that Frozen Yo Café would be a fun and innovative way to pay for graduate school at Seton Hall, where she is studying occupational therapy. Owning and operating the store was a no brainer for her, Dorsi said.

In a little over a year after coming up with the idea, her idea became a reality with the help of her friends and family.

 “It feels really good to own the store,” Dorsi said. The young business owner took out loans to pay for her venture, and plans to keep it open even after she graduates in a few years.

Dorsi said the self-service aspect is unique and has received positive feedback from many customers about the wide array of options and inexpensive prices. She wanted her place to stand out and be a welcoming place for young adults to enjoy a snack.

“We figured if they’re going to do the self-serve by themselves, it would be nice to enjoy it in a little area,” she said.

The construction was done by family friend Patrick Amato, who owns Amato Home Improvement in Hazlet. Amato finished the construction in an astonishing two and a half months and said watching the small shop come together was a long process. He enjoyed the journey, however, because Dorsi left everything up to him and allowed his creativity to flow while crafting the café. Amato said the freedom he had to design the place in his own view was great, but the best part was definitely finishing it, he said.   

“Everything was a challenge, but nothing I couldn’t handle,” Amato said. “The best part was it came from the heart. Everything that’s here is me.”

Two teenage customers have already visited the yogurt shop twice since it opened. Megan and Margaret both said they love the store because of the self service, the toppings, comfortable surroundings and the televisions. While snacking on vanilla frozen yogurt with numerous sweet sugary fixings they did share one sentiment.

“I like frozen yogurt,” they both said.