“Will it gelato?” Splendora’s says, “Yes.”

Splendora’s Gelato serves all the staple frozen treat flavors. Vanilla, chocolate, mint chip and… ghost pepper honey raspberry? Never mind sublime takes on the ordinary, it’s the extraordinary flavors that make Splendora’s, located at Stonefield, a must-try.

Colorful walls and pleasant servers welcome Stonefield shoppers who enter Splendora’s. Charming crochet critters adorn the countertop. Chalkboard calligraphy lists prices for gelato (scoops, pints and quarts) and drinks from the espresso bar. It’s $5.25 for a two-scoop small, $6.25 for three and $7.25 for four. Two should be plenty, though the other options are great for sharing — or for the indecisive. On Fridays and Saturdays, the owner bakes homemade cupcakes that go for $3.25 each, but come for leftovers on Sunday for a dollar off. The cupcakes are vegan, and there was a gluten-free option when I visited. 

Even those averse to weird and wonderful flavors might name Splendora’s their favorite frozen dessert spot. Fruit-lovers will enjoy the tangy lemon, the juicy mango or the tart raspberry. Combine said raspberry with a scoop of chocolate for a wonderful balance of sweet and sour. Anyone offended by “vanilla” used interchangeably with “default” has a rich, creamy gelato waiting for them. The real star of the show, however, is the creativity displayed by the non-standard varieties.

“My ideas just come from eating so much,” says the owner, P.K. Ross. “Everytime I try something new, I can’t help asking myself: ‘Will it gelato?’” Ross tells of making a fish sauce caramel gelato for a “Feast of the Seven Fishes” themed fundraiser dinner hosted by Lampo. Dining at Broadcloth (a fine dining restaurant located in The Wool Factory) led to the ginger kabocha flavor, inspired by the sauce served with the cobia. Kabocha is a squash, also called Japanese pumpkin in the U.S. — not an ingredient a layman would consider for gelato. 

After many samples, I chose one scoop of banana leaf pandan pawpaw and one of spicebush plum (the ghost pepper honey raspberry was too much for me, alas). Both were divine. The first was mild, somehow vanilla-y, coconutty and fruity — banana, of course, and mango — all at once. The second balanced the sweet acidity of plum with warming autumnal spices. Splendora’s is where “never tried” becomes “all-time favorite.” You won’t just go for dessert, you’ll expand your culinary horizons. Adventurous customers need not fear running out of new flavors; the menu rotates weekly, and Ross is always innovating. 

Gelato isn’t the only option; the homemade vegan cupcakes similarly include staples and inventive flavors. I tried ginger pawpaw and gluten-free plum almond chocolate. The ginger pawpaw was like a coconut cake made mildly fruity, and the plum almond chocolate was dense, with a great balance of flavors. Near the cupcakes, there is often another baked-good oddity to try, such as pandesal — a traditional Filipino bread roll.

Splendora’s can be found in the Shops at Stonefield and is open Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday from 12-8 p.m. and 12-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

The Splendora’s menu on a blackboard. Photography by Josh Black.