Artisen Gelato

There’s nothing better on a hot summer day (and there are a lot of these in Charlotte, I’m finding out…) than a frozen delicacy. It hits the spot! I recently found an adventurous gelato shop located in downtown Mathews, just outside of Charlotte: Artisen. Like many places down here, it’s nothing fancy. The inside has a couple of tables, and walls are covered in a faux brick wallpaper.

Not your typical flavor selection

When you walk in, you'll see a counter which features a variety of different gelato offerings. To my surprise, I noticed that it was missing quite a few of the standard flavors – like pistachio or chocolate hazelnut. So…if you are looking for basic flavors, this might not be the spot for you. They do have basic chocolate, though!

For the “sophisticated palate”

I’m adventurous, so I loved it. Before ordering, I was able to try as many flavors as I wanted. Mango. Coconut. Peach Cobbler. Pineapple Basil. Chocolate Orange. Coffee Mocha….the list goes on.

Two scoops, please

After tickling my tongue with a crazy variety of flavors, I landed on ordering a cone with two perfectly shaped scoops – chocolate on the bottom and rum & pear on the top. Rum & pear? You might be thinking that sounds like a courageous choice, but trust me, it was divine. The Rum and Pear were present but subtle – not overwhelming as I was expecting it to be. The chocolate was rich and decadent. They were both soft and creamy, and together, they made a very interesting yet delicious combo for a hot day.

I’ll definitely be going back — this is a summer staple!