This Charlotte ice cream shop delivers ‘without making a big fuss about it’
This spring and summer, I’m on the hunt for Charlotte’s best ice cream in a series I’m calling “Tristan Scoops Charlotte.” This week’s stop took us to Artisen Gelato in Matthews, where we met with owner Manolo Betancur for a lesson in gelato.
Swinging back to our ice cream lesson from The Local Scoop, ice cream is not just frozen milk with flavoring. It is a delicate balance of fat, sugar, flavor and air.
Air gets whipped in during churning. More air makes it lighter and fluffier, while less air makes it dense and decadent. Traditional ice cream tends to be lighter, while gelato is typically denser and creamier with egg yolks added.
Then you have Artisen Gelato.
Artisen does things differently. Its vegan gelato is made with coconut milk, fruit and natural flavors. According to Manolo, there is nowhere else in the country making gelato quite like this, completely free of lactose, eggs, nuts and gluten.
It is an allergy-friendly shop, but you would never know it from the taste. If someone handed you a scoop without telling you, you would be hard-pressed to guess there is no dairy involved.
Everything in the shop is made fresh on site. The waffle cones, which you can smell the moment you walk through the door, are handmade using rice flour. The cookies and brownies are baked fresh — and they’re also gluten free. Artisen even offers gelato cakes, which looked just as good as they sound.
The quality has not gone unnoticed. Artisen was named CharlotteFive’s Best Ice Cream in 2022, and after spending time here, it is easy to see why.
We sampled a few flavors before making our final picks. The bubblegum tasted exactly like Bubblicious and is sure to be a hit with kids. The sugar-free chocolate was surprisingly rich and satisfying. The Pink Lady sorbet was smooth, bright, and refreshing. We also heard the sorbets pair well with a splash of something stronger in the summer, so taking a pint home might not be a bad idea.
In the end, we landed on the chocolate orange gelato in a handmade waffle cone, and it was the perfect choice. The citrus and chocolate played off each other beautifully, creating a balanced, standout flavor. We also ordered a bowl of stracciatella, the classic Italian combination of sweet cream gelato known as fior di latte with delicate shards of dark chocolate mixed throughout.
We could not leave without trying an affogato, and Artisen delivered here, as well. A scoop of vanilla gelato was paired with rich Colombian espresso, creating that perfect blend of hot and cold. As the espresso melted into the gelato, it turned into a creamy, slightly bitter, slightly sweet dessert that felt both simple and elevated at the same time.
To round things out, we tried a chocolate volcano cookie and a brownie. Both were gluten free, rich and deeply chocolatey, with a texture that struck a nice balance between dense and soft.
Artisen Gelato is the kind of place that quietly stands out. It delivers something unique without making a big fuss about it. Whether you are stopping in for a cone on a warm afternoon or picking up a pint to take home, it is a refreshing change of pace from the usual ice cream shop.
If you find yourself near downtown Matthews, it is well worth the short walk from Main Street. Light, flavorful and thoughtfully made, Artisen proves that great gelato does not need dairy to deliver a memorable scoop.
Artisen Gelato
Location: 301 W. John St. #5356, Matthews, NC 28105
Cuisine: vegan gelato, gluten-free baked goods, allergy-friendly products
Instagram: @artisengelato
Tristan Graziano, a Weddington High School student, enjoys golfing in his free time and hanging with his friends. Tristan can be reached on Instagram @tristan_graz03 and @tristanscoops. Jamie Graziano, aka The GrazFather, is a dad who dreams of starting his food review and travel website TheGrazFather.com. Jamie can be reached at jamie@thegrazfather.com or on Instagram @thegrazfather.
