Mobile gelato cart hitting Cincinnati's streets this Summer

Dojo Gelato opened at historic Findlay Market last August and gelato lovers have been lining up ever since to enjoy their handcrafted Italian-style ice creams and sorbettos.  With the temperatures heating up, and festival season getting started, those same loyal customers have been clamoring for a more mobile gelato experience.  Later this month, gelato fans will get their wish.

The new Dojo Gelato cart will make its first appearance at the Over-the-Rhine Summer Gateway Celebration on May 22nd, and then at Park+Vine's 3rd Anniversary Party on Friday, May 28th.  After those two events, the Dojo Gelato cart can be found at the Wyoming Farmers Market starting in June on Tuesdays, the Clifton Cultural Arts Center for Wednesdays on the Green, Saturdays on Fountain Square for movie nights, and at the Hyde Park Farmers Market on Sundays.

"When I opened the cart wasn't even budgeted into the business plan, but we always thought it would be great to do five or six special events a year," explained Michael Christner, owner, Dojo Gelato.  "With business being so good, it's become reality much quicker."

While he has eventual hopes of setting up at Taste of Cincinnati, Christner is content to operate the Findlay Market store and the new cart which has been a much bigger undertaking, adding another 20 hours a week of operation at a different location.  To help, Christner plans to add another two part-time, seasonal employees to help cover the load.

Christner says that gelato will be made specifically for the events at the Clifton Cultural Arts Center and movie nights at Fountain Square, and will hold six pans of gelato, or about half of what is offered at the Findlay Market location.  To stay up-to-date on what flavors are being offered, Christner suggests following @DojoCart on Twitter.

"There will be a few surprises here or there to keep things interesting between the cart and the Findlay location," Christner said.  "On Fountain Square though you can expect a complete 180 from what is offered at nearby Graeter's, something that might be attractive to get the parent's to come by."

Prices at the gelato cart will be comparable to the prices at Findlay Market, ranging from $3.75 for a small serving, to $4.75 for a large.  Christner says that there is a chance that they will bring the cones down to these events as well and that the gelato lovers should also be on the look out for an impromptu gelato set-up.

"London's World Barista Champion would set-up somewhere random, like in the back of a hipster-type clothing store, and just start serving up espresso," Christner detailed.  "I would really love to do something random like that here in Cincinnati with ice cream.  It all just makes me want to get out there and start serving up gelato with confetti and dancing animals like you would see at a Flaming Lips concert."

Writer: Randy A. Simes
Photography provided
Stay connected by following Randy on Twitter @UrbanCincy