Gelato may be the Italian word for ice cream but gelato is not ice cream. And ViAle Gelateria in Lynbrook, New York is not like any other. If you happen to be anywhere near this Long Island town in western Nassau, a trip to ViAle is a must! Heck, even if you’re not near Lynbrook, it’s worth the trip. I don’t remember exactly how we came across this little gem. It might have been a post on social media or a little write up in a local paper. Whatever the reason, since the first time that I set foot in the gelateria, I haven’t found one equal to it.
Of course the gelato itself is the main attraction but Anna Franchi, the gelatiere and owner. Anna welcomes you into her store as if you were old friends. She is truly happy to see you. You can see it in her smile; you can hear it in how she greets you. As her sign says, “Homemade with love.”
Anna Franchi was born and raised in a small town outside of Ferrara, Italy. After high school, she didn’t have the desire to continue on to university and instead she went to work in a surveyor’s office. She eventually met and started dating a man who was a gelatiere and he taught her how to make artisanal gelato. They soon would open up a gelateria in Ferrara, right across from the Duomo di Ferrara or main cathedral. The business started to go well and eventually expanded into a pasticceria, or pastry shop, as well. Unfortunately, after 13 years, their relationship suffered and Anna opted out of the business. Anna then started working in the summer at a beach in a club (Kursaal – Bagno 61 ) while she tried to figure out her next move. For two years, she really just focused on working and taking care of herself. She met her husband, Alessandro, through this job but at first didn’t really have much interest. A co-worker was telling her that he seemed to like her but Anna was unphased. After work, she had gone to the beach and happened to sit in chair that was near Alessandro’s. He started a conversation and they hit it off but he was working in wine sales and traveled often. She didn’t see him for a while and then, as destiny would have it, he appeared again months later. This time he was with a woman but according to a friend, he wouldn’t make to to Christmas with this woman. Anna paid no mind, until one day her friend tried to set up a double date with her and her husband and Anna and Alessandro. It was true- he hadn’t made it to Christmas with that woman. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Anna loves to travel and have unique experiences and she did with Alessandro. They visited Thailand, the Maldives, the United States , Spain, France and Germany, among many other places. They did settle down in Ferrara and have a little girl, Alessandra. Unfortunately, the economy in Italy was suffering and there had been an increase in burglaries. Anna’s home was one that was burglarized and as a result, her young daughter was scared and was having trouble sleeping. Anna and Alessandro knew that they had to do something and, unfortunately, like many Italians, thought to leave il Bel Paese behind.
Anna and Alessandro arrived in New York in July of 2014 and immediately started to work hard to open ViAle Gelateria. It took six months for them to officially open but it was worth it. Their daughter, Alessandra, slept through the night for the first time in a long time that summer of 2014.
Their hard work and desire to find a better place for their family is our gain. Anna proudly makes all of her gelato in-house and uses the methods she learned many years ago with her ex-boyfriend, to whom she is grateful and remains friends with. Her gelato respects the Italian tradition and uses fresh ingredients. If you like fruit flavors, none will disappoint. My personal favorite is Pompelmo (Grapefruit) but since it is made only with fresh, seasonal fruit, it is hard to find when grapefruit is not in season or if the grapefruits she buys are not good quality when she opens them. This happened early this summer. I was dreaming of her pompelmo gelato (as I often do) and decided to make the trip. When we arrived, I was disappointed but Anna explained that she couldn’t use the grapefruit she had bought because it wasn’t good. Although I say disappointed, it’s never difficult to find another flavor or two that are just as good. I decided on my favorite combination, pistacchio and fondente (dark chocolate). Needless to say, her creamy, silky gelato left me very happy.
Inside ViAle Gelateria 
Gelato selections – all delicious! 
Famous brioche! You can enjoy gelato inside one of these in the Sicilian style! 
Anna makes about 32 different flavors. In order to do this, she gets to the store early in the morning and starts to make each gelato flavor, one at a time in her gelato laboratory. The best sellers, she says, are nocciola (hazelnut), pistacchio (pistachio) and Nutella. She has a full range of fruit flavors like limone (lemon) , fragola (strawberry) and pera (pear), which is another of my personal favorites. Of course you’ll find vaniglia (vanilla), stracciatella (chocolate chip) and other fan favorites. She even makes some very different flavors, like liquirizia (liquorice). There is something for everyone (vegan flavors, too!) She even makes baked goods, like brioches and cakes. You can always call her ahead of time to order, especially if you want to make sure she has your favorite flavor. It’s easy to take home gelato in one of her vaschette ( styrofoam containers). If you’re like my family, we’ll eat a gelato there and take home a large vaschetta!
The summer might be coming to an end, but there’s absolutely no wrong time to have gelato! Take the trip to ViAle Gelateria at 424 Sunrise Highway, Lynbrook, NY 11563. You can follow them on Facebook by clicking here and on Instagram here.
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