New dessert cafe offers 24 types of gelato in SLO. Take a look inside
A new dessert cafe in downtown San Luis Obispo is trying to create a hotspot for community gatherings — one scoop of gelato at a time.
Tifa Chocolate & Gelato celebrated its soft opening at 1029 Chorro St. on Friday, Feb. 20.
The new shop, which sits in the former Wing Stop location, sells 24 flavors of gelato, along with chocolates, pastries, cookies and a variety of beverages.
The chocolate and gelato franchise has 13 locations across the United States, with 22 other spots in the works, according to its website.
At the new SLO spot, patrons can peer into a large glass window to see the gelato get churned or sit at large wooden tables decorated with simple flower bouquets while they enjoy their sweet treats.
Co-owners and married couple John and Doreen DeRoy said they launched the new Tifa Chocolate & Gelato location in SLO because they wanted to bring the franchise’s culture of community and delicious sweets to local residents.
“We want to be the ‘Cheers’ of gelato,” John DeRoyo told The Tribune.
What is Tifa Chocolate & Gelato?
Tifa Chocolate & Gelato began as a chocolate importer in 2007, according to Tifa’s chief creative officer Candace Roño.
Soon after that, the company opened its first brick-and-mortar dessert shop in Angoura Hills.
Nearly a decade later, Tifa has more than a dozen locations, Roño said, noting that the company has focused on exclusively franchising to “wonderful families”
“We really build ourselves as ... a place of community gathering,” where families can celebrate big moments such as birthdays, first dates or engagements, she told The Tribune.
On its website, Tifa advertises itself as a cozy spot where friends and families can catch up over cups of coffee and scoops of gelato.
Each Tifa location offers free board games to play and Wi-Fi for people who want to work on their laptops.
“We want it to feel like you’re welcome,” Roño said. “It’s not just ‘Come, get, go.’ ”
Why did gelato shop open in downtown SLO?
The DeRoys said they were loyal Tifa customers for years.
Then two years ago, John DeRoy decided to look into franchising options after seeing a sign posted in the shop.
“I was all in from the start,” he said.
His wife was more on the fence, especially since the pair are approaching retirement age.
However, the more the DeRoys learned about the company — including how to make gelato and work behind the counter — the easier it was to take the leap and launch a location in San Luis Obispo, Doreen DeRoy said.
Although the DeRoys are Thousand Oaks residents, they chose SLO because one of their daughters graduated from Cal Poly, they told The Tribune.
The couple loves visiting the area — and doesn’t mind taking a three-hour commute through lush, green rolling hills, Doreen DeRoy added.
DeRoy said she and her husband now consider running Tifa Chocolate & Gelato in SLO a great retirement plan, and one that will definitely beat relying on Social Security benefits.
Snce October, the DeRoys have been selling Tifa gelato at the Downtown SLO Farmers Market every Thursday night.
“We’ve gotten exposure and a lot of interest from people coming up to the booth,” Doreen DeRoy told The Tribune.
The couple plans to keep a pop-up spot at the downtown San Luis Obispo farmers market on Thursday nights going forward, even though their brick-and-mortar location is now open for business.
Two gelato shops on Chorro St. in SLO
Tifa Chocolate & Gelato was the second gelato shop to open on Chorro Street in February.
Gemlato, at 1028 Chorro St., opened its doors for the first time on Feb. 11. The new business serves 24 types of gelato, as well as coffee and espresso drinks.
The DeRoys and Roño said that San Luis Obispo could easily support two downtown gelato shops, adding that each shop has its own vibe.
“There’s always room for seconds and thirds with gelato,” Roño said with a laugh.
“There’s room for everybody,” Doreen DeRoy said. “Now having a really good sense of what it takes to start a small business, I don’t wish any small business to fail.”
What’s on the menu at Tifa Chocolate & Gelato in SLO?
Tifa offers two dozen different kinds of gelato, ranging from cookie butter and dark chocolate to pistachio lemon curd, stracciatella and matcha lavender.
The DeRoy’s said Tifa sells an Americanized version of the Italian treat, combining a classic production style with flavors from all around the world.
The dessert shop will always have 10 classic flavors, along with a variety of seasonal options, plus vegan and dairy-free flavors.
The dessert shop also sells chocolate truffles and bars of chocolate from across the globe, as well as heaps of pastries, muffins, brownies and cookies.
As for drinks, Tifa has a full espresso bar as well as several tea, hot chocolate and milkshake options.
When are open hours at new gelato shop?
Tifa Chocolate & Gelato is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m Friday and Saturday.
This story was originally published February 26, 2026 at 5:00 AM.
