Homegrown LES artisan ice cream maker Il Laboratorio del Gelato, the popular walk-up shop on Orchard Street since 2002, christened its expansive new digs at 188 Ludlow yesterday. The flavors grew from 20 to 48 and the square feet from 550 to nearly 2,800, with the addition of gourmet coffee by NYC’s own Cafe Grumpy, housemade toppings and later evening hours.
The shiny white interior and enormous street-side windows invite fans to observe the process of creation, while the jewel cases of gelato and sorbet display colorful temptations in a wide variety of flavors that rotate among a recipe book of 200. In a major improvement from the old space, there is ample waiting room and plenty of seating on benches along the windows.
Opening day crowds were steady, staffers reported near closing time, noting they were still getting the hang of the sophisticated coffee equipment and working out a few small kinks but enjoying lots of positive feedback.
The store’s official web site has not been updated with the new address and times, so for details, see their Facebook page. And be sure to try the ginger and dark chocolate, preferably at the same time.
