Anita Gelato Serves Up Sweet Scoops In Glitzy New UES Location

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — Undaunted by the city's uncertain retail climate, the Israeli gelato and frozen yogurt seller Anita opened a glitzy new Yorkville location this month, drawing long lines and rave reviews.

Anita's arrival has been in the works since at least January, when signage first appeared in the long-vacant storefront on the corner of Second Avenue and East 81st Street. The company planned to open in April, but the coronavirus pandemic delayed it until September, Gothamist reported.

All signs suggest it was worth the wait. Since the shop's Sept. 3 opening, photos have shown lines stretching down the block, and the store was doing brisk business Tuesday afternoon as employees served up cups and cones from a brightly-lit display case.

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Hold on tight, you’re about to have the Gelato experience of a lifetime! See you at ANITA - 1561 2nd Ave, NY NY
A post shared by Anita Gelato USA (@anita_gelato_usa) on Sep 13, 2020 at 3:29am PDT

In Gothamist, critic Scott Lynch called the gelato "first-rate, a suitably dense and creamy treat with big, 'true' flavors."

Flavors on display Tuesday included chocolate with pretzels, mango, salted caramel, pavlova with mixed berries and mascarpone with ricotta and strawberry.

Anita's website advertises dozens of flavors of ice cream and frozen yogurt, including vegan and sugar-free options. The business brands itself as a "boutique" company that offers "100% hand-made" ice cream with natural ingredients and flavors.

Anita, which brands itself as "La Mamma del Gelato" currently has seven locations outside of New York: four in Tel Aviv, Israel, two in Sydney, Australia and one in San Juan, Puerto Rico, according to the company's website.

The stretch of Second Avenue in the low 80s is now inundated with dessert options — aside from Anita, nearby businesses include the frozen yogurt shops 16 Handles and Pinkberry, as well as Insomnia Cookies and Ateaz Coffee.

Brendan Krisel contributed to this report.