Written By Melissa Reardon
Photographs By Lucy Cuneo
A transplant from Virginia, Weston “Wes” McAfee vividly remembers the first time he saw his future bride-to-be. Charleston native Dana Elaine...
King Street and its environs may not be strangers to gelato—Belgians, Argentinians, and Italians have all set up shops to offer their country’s version of the extra creamy ice cream variant—but here comes a first for Charleston: a Vespa truck retrofitted into a mini sweet-treat mobile.
Given the dog days are upon us, the cool debut of Gelati Moto (843/588-5088) is more than welcome. Take the setup’s Instagram-worthy factor and add the chefs’ pedigree (Italian transplants Roberto and Samantha Abbati have 20 years of gelato experience) and peers (they discovered Charleston thanks to Brian Bertolini of Rio Bertolini’s Pasta), and the new cart on the block is a winner all around. Pairing with Brian on the business side, the Abbatis offer 25 flavors ranging from dark chocolate sea salt to saffron, Grand Marnier, and beyond, and are more than happy to cool down your wedding guests.
Events start at $500 for 100 people, for which they’ll bring the cart to your rehearsal, brunch, or reception and serve your pick of eight flavors scooped on the spot. And did we mention the taste? Made from locally sourced cream and fruits (and a few Italian imports) their gelati is nothing short of—you guessed it—bellissimo.
