Italian Family Brings a Taste of Home to Santa Barbara with Gelato
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - For one Italian family, gelato is more than a sweet treat. It’s a taste of home, childhood memories and a connection to their roots.
Now, they’re bringing that tradition to Santa Barbara.
Sweetaly recently opened on State Street after the owners’ daughter, who attends Santa Barbara City College, fell in love with the area and wanted to bring her family’s business to the Central Coast.
The family already operates two gelato shops in Utah. After their daughter suggested opening a location in Santa Barbara, the family began looking for a space and eventually took over a former gelato shop.
For co-owner Francesco Amendola, the decision to continue the family business in the U.S. was closely tied to his childhood in Italy.
“For me, gelato is comfort food. I grew up with it,” Amendola said. “Since we were kids, we would just play soccer and then get a gelato at the local gelateria.”
Those memories stayed with him and eventually became part of the inspiration for the family’s business.
“When we decided to come here in the United States and do something, it was an easy decision for us to do something that brings a little bit of our culture here,” Amendola said.
The family makes its gelato fresh every day, using traditional Italian methods and ingredients sourced from both Italy and locally.
That includes ingredients such as pistachios and almonds from Italy, along with locally sourced milk and fruit when possible.
Amendola says the family takes pride in maintaining those traditions and avoiding shortcuts when it comes to quality.
“I went to school over there in Italy to learn how to make gelato,” he said. “Our mission is not only to own a business, but to really bring something authentic to the United States.”
After more than a decade of running their family business, Amendola says opening in Santa Barbara is also part of the family’s larger American dream.
“I hope that the community understands that we are a family-owned business,” he said. “We are trying to live the American dream. And California is part of the American dream.”
For the Amendola family, that dream now includes sharing a piece of their Italian heritage with Santa Barbara, one scoop at a time.
Sweetaly is located on State Street in Santa Barbara.
