New SLO shop opens with gelato ‘100% made from scratch.’ What’s on the menu?
A new shop in downtown San Luis Obispo is serving up scoops of made-from-scratch gelato created with decades of Italian knowledge.
Gemlato opened its doors at 1028 Chorro St. for the first time on Feb. 11 during a soft opening. Since then, the local business has been churning out 24 types of the frozen dessert every day of the week.
Flavor options range from authentic Italian options such as stracciatella, amaretto and pistachio to American classics including mint chip, strawberry and chocolate.
Eric Briggs owns Gemlato with married couple Lindsay and Greg Chatham.
Lindsay Chatham said she was driven to make a place where families could find an affordable sweet treat with clean ingredients.
“The difference between our gelato process and most other people’s ice cream and gelato process is they will start with a commercial base or commercial mix,” she said. “Our ingredients are 100% from scratch, so we’re taking a raw ingredient plus a raw ingredient plus a raw ingredient in every single one of our flavors.”
SLO County jewelry store owners open new gelato shop
The Chathams were inspired to open their own business after falling in love with a gelato shop in Tucson, Arizona.
The married couple, both experts in gemology and the owners of K. Jons Jewelry Co. in Atascadero, visited the area every year for the Tucson Gem Show. No trip was complete without a stop — or several — to Frost Gelato, Lindsay Chatham said.
The shop’s offerings were so delicious that the duo began dreaming of launching their own Frost location in San Luis Obispo County. However, Frost Gelato has stopped franchising shops since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Instead, the Chathams decided to create their own gelato shop, using the same business technique as Frost. They hired an Italian chef to help them craft authentic and delectable recipes.
Lindsay Chatham and her brother, Briggs, hopped on a plate to Tuscany 18 months ago and enrolled in a class to learn how to make homemade gelato.
At the Gelato Naturale Academy, third-generation master chef Manuele Presenti taught them how to make balanced gelato over the course of three weeks.
A few months before Gemlato opened, Presenti even came to SLO to help Briggs and the Chathams finalize their recipes and set up their kitchen.
“They found very good products to work with,” Presenti told The Tribune in October, referring to the business co-owners. “Also, the equipment is the best equipment that you can work with, actually, to make good gelato.”
What is Gemlato in downtown SLO like?
Gemlato uses an artisan gelato machine made in Italy to craft its frozen treats. Traditional pozzetti containers keep the desserts fresh and at an even temperature so they never accumulate ice crystals, Lindsay Chatham said.
The shop’s name, Gemlato, refers to the dessert as well as the Chathams’ jewelry background.
Gemlato’s logo is an ice cream cone filled with a giant gem.
Inside the shop, rose quartz geodes and blue onyx slabs sit on shelves above a long black booth where visitors can enjoy their frozen treats. There’s also an outdoor patio.
“We love gems, gemstones and rocks,” so the idea was to combine them, Lindsay Chatham said.
2 gelato shops open in downtown SLO
Gemlato isn’t the only new shop serving gelato on Chorro Street in San Luis Obispo.
Tifa Chocolate & Gelato opened its doors at 1029 Chorro St. on Friday, Feb. 20. The dessert cafe sells gelato, chocolate, cookies and muffins.
The Chathams said they knew when they signed the lease that a similar business concept was opening nearby. Still, Lindsay Chatham said, it’s a funny coincidence that both shops serve gelato and are literally across the street from one another.
“We’re 1028 (Chorro St.), they’re 1029,” Lindsay Chatham said. “It’s crazy.”
The couple joked that maybe the street could become “gelato alley” in the future.
What’s on the menu at Gemlato?
Gemlato has two dozen gelato flavors, including six vegan options, Lindsay Chatham said. All are gluten-free.
She recommended first-timers try the ricotta orange cannoli gelato, which incorporates Bellwether Farms ricotta, orange zest and crunchy cannoli, or the salted caramel brownie gelato, which contains fresh caramel, rich housemade brownies and a dusting of salt.
The recipes are made from scratch with “no dyes, no preservatives, no powders, no mixes,” she said. “Literally, every single ingredient is put together for each and every flavor.”
Gemlato uses allulose as its sweetener, which Chatham said is a natural sugar that’s a gut microbiome probiotic.
The shop also uses A2 cow’s milk as its dairy base. The milk is known for being anti-inflammatory and more easily digestible for people with lactose intolerances.
“If you’re going to cheat, you might as well do it right,” she said.
In a few weeks, Gemlato will also sell coffee and espresso drinks.
What are open hours at Gemlato?
Gemlato is open noon to 9 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and noon to 10 p.m. on Thursday through Saturday.
This story was originally published February 24, 2026 at 5:00 AM.
