My heart belongs to Nani’s Gelato

Founded as a food truck in Toronto in 2022, you can now get the internationally inspired frozen flavours in Hamilton and Burlington as part of a franchising expansion across Canada. 

While hankerings for frozen treats persist all year, we are well into the season when those cravings peak. While several ice cream brands including Chapman’s, Hewitt’s, Kawartha and Shaw’s, for example, have roots in Ontario, for many – for me – my heart belongs to gelato.

The challenge when it comes to gelato is finding a product that lives up to memories of optimal experiences. Despite gelato’s increasing, almost ubiquitous, availability, a great gelato is still a rare thing. Yes, I am a snob when it comes to gelato.

Coming to my rescue is Nani’s Gelato. I followed its story from 2019 when it began as a food truck in Toronto, only imagining the experience. After my first tasting I was left pining for more. I remember the day that I learned of the plan to come west, and now Nani’s can be enjoyed in Burlington and Hamilton/Stoney Creek.

Nani’s opened its first brick-and-mortar in Toronto in 2022. That coincided with the end of the food truck and the beginning of brand expansion (via franchising). Ontario now boasts nine locations with five more opening soon. The goal is expansion to 40-50 more locations in Canada.

Is there a Nani? Yes. She is the grandmother of founder Parry Sohi, honouring his elder whom he described as a really good cook. Further inspiration came from his entrepreneurial father. Born and raised in Thunder Bay, where one of his father’s businesses was a soft-serve ice cream shop, Sohi was more interested in the science and creative opportunities linked to gelato. And that translated into lots of training. His credential list is long and involved travel – including to Italy – with courses from the Carpigiani Gelato University.

Gelato exists on a continuum that varies the dairy and may use egg yolks, and also includes water-based/dairy-free (vegan) options called sorbeto. Whereas ice cream is made with cream, most gelatos are made with whole milk, thus less fat. Ice cream must have at least 10 per cent fat and often has much more. Gelato usually has only about 3.5 per cent. Since fat on the palate can mask other ingredients, it’s said that gelato flavours are more intense.

In Sohi’s world, that has manifested in the creation of more than 200 flavours. There are only 12 flavours available at one time, a combo of familiar nostalgic choices along with the exotic. The bi-weekly rotation is announced on their Instagram account.

Nani’s brand is the fusion of flavours. “Our flavours are Asian, Indian and Italian influenced, and we ensure every batch we produce has a Nani’s touch.” Think chai tiramisu, mango passion fruit, Vietnamese coffee, and malai kulfi. Strawberry rhubarb is a recent seasonal flavour.

Also a pillar of Nani’s is Sohi’s decision “to build the foundation of the brand around how my grandmother and mother cook food – everything made fresh daily from scratch using the best available ingredients.” Thirty to 40 per cent of the flavours come from Italy, including amarena cherry, pistachio, hazelnut, espresso, almond, gianduja, espresso, and (seasonal) wild strawberry, wild blueberry, red cherry. The process is small batch and made on site using authentic Italian equipment and real ingredients – no powders, food colouring, or additives. The pistachio gelato, for example, tastes great because they grind their own nut butters in-house. Sohi says he is hypersensitive to labelling all ingredients and each flavour indicates if it is vegan, contains soy, gluten, nuts or eggs.

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Two things I love about Nani’s are that no matter what size serving you choose, you can ask for two flavours and (especially since some flavours are unique) you can taste a couple before ordering.

Gelato is available in various-sized cups or scooped into cones that are also used for their soft serve, which in turn can be served in cups with a sundae topping. Don’t overlook the milkshakes, cookies and bars. For home use, purchase pints or cakes. For Nani’s, the road ahead is staying focused on innovation, refinement and exciting new flavours and products.

Nani’s is community-minded and once per month each established location donates 50 per cent of that day’s revenue to a local charity.

You may be closer than you think to this handcrafted artisan gelato experience. What are you waiting for?

Nani’s Gelato

90 Hwy 8 Unit G3, Hamilton
2485 Appleby Line, Unit G02,Burlington
nanisgelato.com
IG: nanisgelatohamilton
IG: nanisgelatoburlington