With jazz playing in the background, bright lighting and rows of colorful gelato flavors behind the counter, Bacio di Latte’s opening has brought a new, lively atmosphere to the Claremont village.
The gelato shop chain opened a new location in Claremont on Aug. 21, one of over 20 locations in California and 200 worldwide. The Claremont village is already filled with myriad dessert options, including Bert & Rocky’s Cream Co., 21 Choices and Yogurtland. However, Bacio di Latte differentiates itself through Italian-style gelato, a modern interior and a diverse selection of flavors, with options like buttercream pretzel or Greek yogurt.
For Ava Corcoran SC ’30, Bacio di Latte’s gelato was already on her radar before she tasted it. She had heard about the shop from her Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (CMS) women’s soccer teammates, and later went to try it with them.
“Everyone said it was really good,” Corcoran said. “We all went as a team, and we really enjoyed it.”
Beyond the gelato itself, Corcoran noted that the ambiance and welcoming attitude of the shop was also a draw.
“I think everyone here is really friendly, including the workers,” she said, also describing the shop as “kind of peaceful.”
Amelia Ramer PO ’30 visited twice after hearing about Bacio di Latte from a friend. She said the richness of the gelato enticed her to come back, though the array of allergy-friendly options also surprised her, including hard-to-find gluten-free versions of certain flavors.
“The blueberry pie [flavor] was immaculate,” Ramer said.
Ramer considered the shop a potential study location. The clean interior, lighting and lack of clutter would help her concentrate better than some other village locations.
“I know it’s a bit expensive,” Ramer said, “but I think I could definitely lock in there a lot better than I could at [more crowded] places.”
She also said its late hours are a bonus for students.
“It’s open until 10 p.m. at night, which is a plus because [if] you want some late-night dessert, ‘let’s go to the village. Let’s go get gelato,’” Ramer said.
“It’s open until 10 p.m. at night, which is a plus because [if] you want some late-night dessert, ‘let’s go to the village. Let’s go get gelato,’” Ramer said.
Not every Claremont student has made it to the new location yet.
Iman Morlot SC ’27 regularly visited the Bacio di Latte at Westfield Century City and said she was excited to hear about the new location’s grand opening. Her usual order? A cup with half pistachio and half sweet cream.
A busy schedule has kept her away for now, but she plans to visit the Claremont location for a sweet treat and study break.
“I need to add a little more whimsy to my life right now,” Morlot said. “I think it’s been just straight work.”
When she and her friends crave ice cream, they usually go to Bert & Rocky’s. Soon, though, she plans to visit Bacio di Latte with friends as a dessert-and-hangout spot.
“Certain friends and I were texting about visiting for sure,” Morlot said. “So it’s in the near future.”
Students are not the only customers already familiar with the chain. April and Brian Soash, retired residents of Monrovia, California, traveled about 20 miles to walk around the Claremont village and happened upon the gelato shop.
Even though it was only their first time at Bacio di Latte, April Soash said that they had already heard of the company because of a then-upcoming new location near them in Arcadia.
April Soash said Bacio di Latte stood out to her because of its atmosphere.
“What I like is that you walk in [and] it’s very clean,” April said. “It’s just that it has an ambiance to it.”
Bacio di Latte may become another stop for visitors already drawn to the village.
It may be too early to officially call Bacio di Latte a Claremont favorite, but from first-time visitors to longtime fans of the chain, the shop is certainly carving its own place among other sweet spots in the village.
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