Medzo Gelato — Restaurant in Tacoma

Medzo Gelato: A Sicilian-American Fever Dream in a Cup

There’s something surreal about finding authentic gelato in the land of gas station cappuccinos and performative olive oil.

But there it was: Medzo Gelato. Looking like it washed ashore from the Amalfi Coast and decided to stay.

The second I walked in, I smelled the ocean. Not literally, but something in the air..the driftwood tones of the counters, the breeze-colored walls and the soft ripple of blue tile spoke of mare nostrum. The Mediterranean. My Mediterranean. The interior doesn’t scream Italian kitsch with maps and mustachioed chefs; no, it whispers it, like a coastal summer memory that clings to the hem of your dress.

Behind the counter: Fareed and Jennifer. An unlikely duo. Jennifer has the calm, sun-warmed presence of a woman who’s seen too many sunsets to care about trends. Fareed, well, Fareed is a magician. Not Italian. Not even close. But somehow, this man has cracked the ancient code of gelato without a blood tie to Nonna Rosa or a Roman gelataio whispering secrets into his ear.

I don’t know how he did it. Maybe he sold his soul to a Sicilian priestess. Maybe he just gave a damn.

Whatever it is, they both make gelato like they were born to.

I started with pistachio, because I’m not here to mess around. And my God this wasn’t pistachio. This was Bronte in a cup. This was Mount Etna rumbling in the background while your Zia yells at you for being too skinny. Nutty, earthy, slightly floral. Not sweet but elegant. Like someone finally understood that pistachios are sacred. I nearly cried. Jennifer saw my face and just nodded. She knew.

The tiramisu gelato is soft, like Sicilian dusk poured over your tongue. It tasted like old stone, coffee, and the kind of sadness that only comes from watching summer end.

The limone sorbetto had bite. Acid. Dignity. It slapped me like my mother used to when I rolled my eyes. It tasted like the lemon trees from my childhood-wild and unsupervised.

What Medzo understands—and I DO NOT say this lightly—is that gelato is not dessert. It is culture, ritual, emotional archaeology. It’s how Sicilians say I love you, I forgive you, and shut up, eat this.

So if you find yourself in this strange corner of America and you need to remember who you are, or who you were, go to Medzo. Let Fareed remind you what gelato is supposed to taste like. Let Jennifer welcome you like it’s your cousin’s wedding. Order the pistachio. Always the pistachio.

And when you take that first bite, close your eyes.

If you feel the sea breeze, you’re doing it right.

—Naomi T. Sicilian-born, American-warped,...

Wow!!! My wife read about this place in a newspaper article. I've had gelato only a few times -- call me a gelato novice. An article on the wall explains the difference between gelato and ice cream that was very helpful, and it helped me to appreciate the gelato here.

We were the only customers at the time, so we had a very interesting chat with the gentleman who owns the place with his wife. They've had a variety of gelato shops in various locations around Puget Sound. That's an interesting story, in itself.

The owner said that he and his wife wanted to make authentic gelato, rather than from a prepared mix. They traveled to Bologna, Italy to learn how the Italians make it. Gelato originated with the Romans, so it's an authentic Italian treat.

Many flavors are available, all made in small batches. The flavors are wonderful -- all from natural sources.

Gelato is available in S, M, and L sizes. I recommend the Small size, which is about the size of a Dixie Cup. The flavors are so intense, and the gelato so filling, that we were glad that we'd ordered only the small size.

The hours are pretty weird: they open at 3 pm. Check before you head there.

Five stars, three cheers, and...

There are many great reasons to visit Tacoma, but this is at the top of my list. This is the best gelato I've had in the United States, hands down. Jennifer and Fareed have spent years learning and honing their craft, and you can really taste the difference.

What you get at Medzo is traditional Italian gelato - small batches, hand-made, natural ingredients, and a select but rotating menu of flavors. No fluorescent colors, no chunks of cereal or candy bar, just high-quality, creamy gelato.

I had the pistachio, salted caramel, and coconut. The pistachio was so wonderfully subtle, nutty with a light toasted flavor; the coconut was light and refreshing, and the salted caramel had a lingering hint of lightly burned sugar - incredible! My wife had the chocolate, which had a rich cocoa flavor without being too sweet; the lemon, which had a great burst of zest, and the El Corazon, which is a blood orange, passion fruit, strawberry, and pomegranate mix that was just amazing!

Jennifer and Fareed are warm and welcoming, and were a delight to talk to. They apparently sometimes do a Mediterranean run of flavors, which includes baklava, rose, and date! We'll definitely be...