They say it takes teamwork to make the dream work. But in the case of Vanilla Café e Gelato, it takes a family’s work to make their dream of opening a café in America come true. And that work has paid off as Vanilla Café e Gelato, owned by the Goncalves family, will open at Avenue East Cobb in Suite 1010 at 4475 Roswell Rd. in Marietta at the beginning of 2022.
“Our family-owned business strives to bring an inviting ambiance that also provides artisan gelato, pastries, and high-quality coffee to the East Cobb area,” Clara Goncalves told What Now Atlanta.
Vanilla Café e Gelato will operate in an 800 sq. ft. space with 12 indoor seats and six outdoor seats serving homemade gelato, pastries, cakes, savory bites, and, of course, coffee. Everything will be made in-house, down the syrup used to flavor their lattes.
“We strive to select the best ingredients for our products, like using natural fruits and flavors, organic flours, eggs, and dairy, as well as buying from local suppliers, such as our coffee beans that come from Bellwood Coffee Roasters based in Atlanta,” Goncalves said.
Ubiracy and her husband Raul Goncalves hail from Brazil and moved to Georgia in 2016, seeking a better life and more opportunities for their daughters Ester and Clara. Ester, who completed an intensive gelato-making course in Brazil, will head the gelato-making operation while Clara will serve as the main barista overseeing all things coffee. Mom Ubiracy is Vanilla Café e Gelato’s leading baker who will handcraft the cakes and pastries, and other delicious goodies you’ll find behind their display cases.
“Overall, the whole family is involved in almost every area, as we are always consulting each other and supporting in any way we can,” Goncalves said.
The family ran a successful bakery/restaurant for over 20 years in Brazil, which they sold in order to pursue their dream of coming to the United States.
“Our main ambition was to use our previous knowledge and experience of owning a community-driven space and bring that to the United States with a new vision,” Goncalves said. “Vanilla Café e Gelato is not to be a traditional Brazilian bakery, as we had always wanted to sell a high-quality product and this idea naturally developed into opening a cafe. Vanilla Café e Gelato will be a welcoming place for those who enjoy fresh and sophisticated sweets but who also make time to gather and savor a sweeter life.”
