Paciugo Gelato Overland Park, Overland Park

At Paciugo, you quickly find yourself right in the middle of Italy. Dark, rich espresso pours into cups, and a display case reveals velvety gelato, handmade onsite from fresh ingredients and amid fresh oxygen.

The vision for this sweet alcove comes from founder Cristiana Ginatta, who fell in love with her grandfather’s handmade gelato at a young age. Cristiana grew up in Italy, where she also attended culinary school and crystallized her gelato-making skills at a Turin gelateria. In the late '90s, Cristiana and her family moved to Dallas, Texas, where she opened the first Paciugo Gelato Caffè (its name is the Italian word for "messy concoction"). The shop's sorbetto is fat- and dairy-free, and much of the shop's gelati has up to 70% less fat than traditional ice cream.

The business has now expanded into dozens of locations across North America. Each features a menu of cones, shakes, and smoothies derived from Paciugo's more than 300 rotating gelato recipes; the coffee drinks are influenced by Cristiana's husband and cofounder, Ugo, who once operated a Kenyan coffee plantation.