In Milan, you can barely walk a few feet without encountering a gelateria. That’s what Roger Mazzeo recalls of his time living in that city. Now Mazzeo and wife Barbara Morini, along with friends and business partners Matthew Brown and Alessandra Alecci, have created an opportunity to experience Italy in downtown Montclair, by bringing gelato culture to Church Street with the opening of Benvenuti Montclair, an Italian-themed grab-and-go cafe with artisanal gelato, sorbetto, caffè and traditional Italian panini.
Mazzeo and Morini and Brown and Aleccia are all Montclair residents with children. Brown and Alecci are both financial professionals working in New York City. Mazzeo and Morini also own To Be Pilates on South Park Street. The four friends were excited to join together to bring one of their favorite authentic Italian experiences to Montclair.
What makes Benvenuti different than many other gelaterias — both in Italy and here in the States — is continuous churning.
Benvenuti features continuous churning machines with different settings for gelato and sorbet, made in small batches, to consistently maintain their ultimate state of creaminess), giving you a freshly churned scoop every time.
Visit Benvenuti this weekend and ask to sample gelato flavors including mascarpone, pistachio, straciatella (vanilla with chocolate), nocciola (hazelnut). Do not miss the chocolate sorbetto (it’s decadently rich, creamy and vegan).
Benvenuti has also partnered with neighboring new business The Green Room to make a CBD salted caramel gelato.
Drop by for a scoop this weekend or take home a mason jar (or two) of your favorite flavor to go. Bring back the jar and get a $1 off your next one.
Benvenuti Montclair, 20 Church Street, Montclair.