Va Da Vie

visited here today with my father ! Gelato was not bad lil bit expensive tough !

First time here and first thing I noticed that the place was sparkly clean. It’s a nice little place with good amount of seating space on the outside. We were a group of 3 and all of us ordered a Regular since you get to try 2 flavors. Flavors I really like liked were Stracciatella, Coffe, Chocolate and the best was Pistachio — a must must try! Also the good part is that it is open even on weekends (Sunday particularly) till 8 PM. Will definitely stop by again to try some more flavors.

Smooth and creamy gelato. A lot of different flavors you won’t find anywhere else. We will definitely be going back.

Really distinctive flavors and very, very good. I had avocado honey orange, my husband had blood orange sorbet, and the kids loved the stracciatella. All were delicious. It’s expensive but delicious.

Their gelato flavors are definitely delicious. Especially the lemon ricotta. Must try.

We just got back from Italy and we were craving gelato. They did not disappoint, we LOVED the gelato here. The BIG downside: they close at 8pm. I won’t plan on going back since I typically want gelato after dinner or a movie which is always after 8pm. They should consider staying open later in the summer… even 9pm would be better.

A little pricier than regular ice cream but completely worth it, get the lemon ricotta and the hazelnut it do die for.

Gelato at it’s finest.
Quaint shop with very nice owners. They take a lot of pride in their product and it shows in their customer service and the product that they serve.
If I lived closer, I would be sure to visit on a weekly basis. The gelato is creamy, velvety, rich — divine to put simply. The chocolate is rich but without the overbearing sweetness that you would find in an American chocolate bar or ice cream. The pistachio made with Italian pistachios was the best hands down ever.
If you want good, authentic gelato then this in the only place you will need to come in Charlotte.

Good quality gelato, but pricey for the portion. It’s a small place but they don’t have a ton of variety compared to other gelato shops I’ve been to. Lemon ricotta was remarkable

I would give them 6 stars. .. but. .. I ding them down to 5 because the gelato disappears too quickly. So good. Each time I eat here I feel transported to Taromina, Sicily wandering its crowded streets at the foot of Mt Aetna Yes, they are pricey but it’s cheaper than hoping a plane. This is a summer no-​brainer.

A bit on the pricy side but it does not disappoint. The flavors rotate which is great if you like trying new flavors but not so great if you find one you love and it goes away.
The cannoli with pistachio is great. I love the crunch the pistachio adds. The Pistachio is also great. Almost wish they added chocolate pieces for that crunch. Not sure you noticed the theme but I really like pistachio and crunch.

Va Da Vie is basically the only game in town when it comes to gelato. Their gelato tastes good and I like that they use local ingredients, but it’s pricey by Charlotte standards.
My favorites: Pistachio, lemon ricotta, and banana.
I’d easily bump this review to 4 stars if they had better hours — it would be so nice if they were open later in the summer, on weekends, or both!

About 2 years go my wife and I took an amazing trip to Europe, of which we spent a part in Venice. After 2 separate flights from Germany, a 1 hour water taxi ride, and 30 min walk on cobblestones with suitcases in tow, we finally checked into our hotel in Venice. Sensing a need to hit the ‘restart’ button, I suggested we go and try some of Italy’s famed gelato. Walking up, I was adventurous and ordered pistachio. I never really had/​liked pistachio before, but hey, I was on vacation! What ensued was nothing short of magical. Having a major sweet tooth, I like ice cream. However, this put everything I had tasted to shame — by a wide margin! I was hooked and we stopped for gelato at least 3 – 5 times a day for the rest of the trip. Like I said, I was on vacation!
I told you that story so I could tell you this story. My 3^rd or 4^th time driving through park road shopping center I spotted the white building of Va Da Vie and wondered ‘Is that new? How did I miss this place?’ and confirmed they served gelato. Since my days in Venice, I have tried many different gelatos. I would describe my quest as a junkie hoping to hit that initial high, and had all but given up hope. Still, I figured ‘whats the worst that could happen’ and walked in. After a quick scan of the menu, I ordered the pistachio (I bet you see where this is going). Upon receiving my cup, I took a deep breath and took a bite. The result? I was speechless! In that bite, I found myself transported back to my summer in Venice while my taste buds danced with joy. I had found my unicorn.
These guys are the real deal. With an imported gelato making machine, they use local ingredients to come up with fantastic flavors. I have yet to try something I didn’t like. I recommend pistachio (see above), strawberry, and pumpkin (if they have it). Also the owner and staff are incredibly nice and helpful. Once I went in right at closing. Having worked in the service industry, I know this is NOT how you make friends. However, the owner welcomed me in with open arms. Also they will let you sample any of the flavors before making your decision.
What Va Da Vie has going on is something special. I’m glad that I don’t have to travel halfway across the world to have some of the best gelato.

Decent gelato but definitely my last visit since I walked in, ordered from one associate and paid the second associate. Some where in the process, the owner/​manager came to the front and as I headed out the door mustered up «Excuse me». It dawned on my she ASSUMED that I had not paid. How could I steal ice cream in a 2×4 shop when your associate had to hand it to me?
Sad this will be my last visit to Va Da Vie. I don’t frequent businesses that jump to assuming a customer didn’t pay, versus asking or even more graciously inquiring if they could help me with anything else.
I hope you learn from this review not to assume all minority customers are potential thieves. It is, after all, 2016, even here in the south.

I really love gelato and its hard to find good authentic gelato. This place does a great job and the only reason I did not give them 5 stars is because I usually don’t like all of their options of flavors. The salted chocolate chip was decent but my only option that visit. I also got the chocolate and banana. The banana was made with real bananas and you could taste the freshness. I really enjoyed it.

Looking for a tiny sweet treat after having a meal in and around the Park Road corridor? How about some creamy gelato made in small batches from a husband and wife team who went all-​in to perfect their recipes and hone their craft.
The product line is simple but that’s no dig against them, since it allows for a singular-​focus. House-​made gelato in a small range of flavors that are both seasonal and classic. Sample thru one or many until you are sure of the right flavor or combo for you. Do ask the staff (usually the owners) about the ingredients that went into them– the focus on quality begins at the base ingredients used. Italian pistachios with a uniquely strong flavor, for example, are just one of the many very tasty possibilities here. Seasonal sorbets are also typically not to be missed. Pick a cup size and that determines how many flavor you can combine into a single order.
Just be ready to take your order outside, or to go. They have a few seats, both indoor and out door, but this tiny outpost is smack dab in the middle of the parking lot. Also note their hours– late night diners will have to wait, these guys do not stay open for the after-​dark hours. However, this is a treat worth working into your dinner (or lunch) plans or for just a quick snack in-​between.

Oh, Va Da Vie, how I love thee. Let me count the ways…
1. Pumpkin gelato
2. Cannoli gelato
3. Moreno cherry gelato
4. Lemon ricotta gelato
5. Blood orange sorbet
6. Pear sorbet
7. Pistachio gelato
8. Honey avacado orange gelato
I think you get my point. Best gelato in North Carolina, hands down. Maybe best in the US.
And the guy that runs the shop is one of the most adorable human beings I’ve ever met!

We have chosen this place to celebrate the National Ice Cream day and we were not disappointed! I have been in Italy quite a few times and the second thing I do whenever I land there is get a REAL gelato (first thing is getting a REAL espresso).
This is the best gelato you can get in Charlotte but not quite the same as the real Italian gelato though. However, I can truly say this gelato gets very close to the real thing. The machine is imported from Italy but they do not use truly Italian ingredients but from local farmers, which is still great and the ice cream is really tasty.
The ice cream shop is in the middle of a parking lot which is kind of unusual but at the same time it is a really nicely decorated place with tons of parking around even during busy times. There are not a lot of seating inside though, place is small.
Price is not high as some people complain here… prices are about right. Some people want cheap good ice cream, that’s not going to exist.

Oh my goodness… gelato time!
My husband and I were leaving Cantina (I was very full and ready to head home). However, my husband saw gelato out of the corner of his eye and it was a straight bee-​line towards the small store. So glad we stumbled upon this place!
Va Da Vie is a cute little store right in the middle of Park Road Shopping. There were two people working when we got there and they were extremely nice and helpful. They let us try as many flavors as we wanted and told us what ingredients were in each flavor. I tried the Cannoli… made with fresh ricotta and my husband tried the strawberry… made with local strawberries. Both were amazing! We settled on getting a regular size with half Pistachio and half Strawberry. The pistachio was absolutely amazing. Truly havent had this good of gelato since we returned a few years ago from Venice!!!
This place is absolutely a must try for anyone who loves good gelato!

Va Da Vie + Spoon = Heaven
Lost Unilocaler: «I see the Park Road Shopping Center Sign, but I don’t see you.»
7:55 PM — Posted closing time 8:00 PM — tick tock, tick tock
Slight Panic
Helpful employee: «We’re in the middle of the parking lot.»
Head turns 45 degrees to the left — AHA!!!
Whew, made it — 8:03 but everyone is still smiling and serving ice cream — what gives?
Va Da Vie is family owned and operated, so they run on «happy customer» time. Nice!
Beautiful little shop filled with cold shiny cylinders of incredible gelato. Taste one, or taste them all; they will let you!
All their gelato is made from premium ingredients including fresh milk and cream from local NC dairies. Strawberry, Blood Orange and Cannoli, all great! Chocolate Hazelnut (aka Baccio)= stratospherically good! Stracciatella = interplanetary great!
Dear Family — please cryogenically freeze my body in large silver tube packed with Stracciatella gelato — that is all. Thank you!