Cafe Gelato

Cafe Gelato is Winston-Salem’s oldest gelato shop — an award-winning operation that opened in 2005 and still runs out of its original storefront on the Reynolda Road corridor in Winston-Salem, NC. The shop makes traditional Italian handmade gelato and sorbet on site, alongside espresso drinks, coffee, and wine.

A second location opened on South Hawthorne Road in 2018, adding a substantial hand-mixed boba tea program — boba tea, fruit tea, infusion teas, boba floats, and blends — to the gelato and coffee lineup. The detail that makes the two-shop setup worth knowing: each location makes its own gelato and sorbet from scratch, rather than producing in one place and shipping to the other. That means the flavor list differs between the two shops on any given day, and rotating specials are announced on their social channels.

Be sure to check out the pictures below to get a feel for Cafe Gelato before you go — or to relive the visit after.

Two Shops, Two Different Flavor Lists

Cafe Gelato’s two Winston-Salem locations operate as genuinely distinct experiences rather than as duplicate storefronts.

The Reynolda Road shop is the original — open since 2005, and the reason the business can claim the title of Winston-Salem’s oldest gelato shop. It sits on the Reynolda Road corridor, a short drive from Reynolda Gardens, the Reynolda House Museum of American Art, and the Reynolda Estate trails — making it a natural stop after a walk around the Estate.

The South Hawthorne Road shop opened in 2018 and carries the fuller boba tea program alongside the gelato and coffee.

Because each shop produces its own gelato and sorbet in-house, the flavor boards run independently. The business itself frames this as part of the appeal — you might find Cheerwine sorbet at Hawthorne and cardamom gelato at Reynolda on the same afternoon, with no guarantee either will still be there next week. Beyond the standards like vanilla and chocolate, the rotating flavors are what make the shop interesting, and new releases and limited-time specials are announced on Facebook and Instagram.

What to Order

Gelato and sorbet are the reason to come — handmade in the traditional Italian style at each location. The sorbet side is worth attention for anyone avoiding dairy, and both boards rotate frequently enough that repeat visits turn up something new.

On the drink side, Cafe Gelato pours espresso, lattes, and cappuccinos, and the Reynolda shop also serves wine. The South Hawthorne location carries the full hand-mixed tea menu — boba tea, fruit tea, infusion tea, boba floats, and blends — which makes it the better stop if tea is what you’re after.

Cafe Gelato also handles events and catering, with details available through their website.

Good to Know

• Reynolda location (original, 2005): 845 Reynolda Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27103 — phone 336-725-9110
• Hawthorne location (2018): 1612 South Hawthorne Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27103 — phone 336-837-6575
• Email: Hello@CafeGelatoWinston.com
• Founded: 2005; Winston-Salem’s oldest gelato shop
• Summer hours (March 2–October 31, both locations): Tuesday–Saturday 12–9 PM; Sunday 1–5 PM; closed Monday
• Winter hours (November 1–March 1), Reynolda: Thursday–Saturday 12–8 PM; Sunday 1–5 PM; closed Monday–Wednesday
• Winter hours (November 1–March 1), Hawthorne: Tuesday–Saturday 12–8 PM; Sunday 1–5 PM; closed Monday
• What they make: Traditional Italian handmade gelato and sorbet, produced separately at each location — so flavor lists differ between the two shops
• Also serving: Espresso, lattes, cappuccinos, coffee, and wine
• Boba tea program: Hand-mixed boba tea, fruit tea, infusion tea, boba floats, and blends (Hawthorne location)
• Events and catering: Available; check the Cafe Gelato website
• Best for: Gelato and sorbet enthusiasts, boba tea drinkers, families, anyone finishing a Reynolda Estate visit, and rotating-flavor chasers
• Pair with: The full Winston-Salem food and beverage cluster; Reynolda Gardens, the Reynolda House Museum of American Art, and the Reynolda Estate trails — all along the same corridor as the original shop; or Brouwerij DuBois on the same side of town

A Winston-Salem Highlight

Twenty years in the same storefront is its own kind of endorsement. Cafe Gelato opened on Reynolda Road in 2005 and has stayed there, which in a category as trend-driven as dessert shops says something about the product.

The two-location setup is the detail worth planning around. Because each shop makes its own gelato and sorbet rather than sharing production, the flavor boards are genuinely independent — Cheerwine sorbet on Hawthorne, cardamom at Reynolda, and no promise either survives the week. If you’re the kind of person who checks a flavor board before committing, following them on social media is the move, since new flavors and limited runs get announced there.

For visitors, the Reynolda shop is the easy call. It sits right on the Reynolda Road corridor, which makes it the natural finish to a morning at Reynolda Gardens, a walk on the Estate trails, or an afternoon in the galleries at the Reynolda House Museum of American Art. If you want the boba tea menu, head to Hawthorne instead.

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Resources

Cafe Gelato Website

Cafe Gelato Facebook

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Location

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Social Media

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