Gelato Envy - Rockaway Guide

Gelato Envy is a deliciously awesome addition to the area, and we’ve fallen in love with many of their unique flavors. Let’s get to know more about the owner, Michael, and his business!

Gelato Envy in Rockaway, NJ - rockawayguide.com

What prompted you to choose Rockaway Borough to open up Gelato Envy?

Initially we were looking for two locations. One for our gelato laboratory (kitchen, production) and a second for retail. The Rockaway location started out as our laboratory for production but early on, learning more about the area and the Boro Plaza Shopping Center, it felt like a small retail presence would be successful here.

How do you decide which flavors to create?

We try to balance our flavor selection between flavors customers can relate to growing up with and flavors that many have not had the ability to taste from around the world. Many of our flavors are seasonal—this allows us to use ingredients that are sourced from local farms. Making every flavor from scratch we have the ability to create any flavor imaginable.

What is the most popular flavor? What is YOUR favorite flavor?

Popular flavors include Chocolate Hazelnut, Cookies in Cream, Stracciatella, Chocolate Envy. I often get asked what my favorite flavor is, and it always depends on what I’m in the mood for at the time. I tend to go with the sorbetto‘s—these are like sorbets and are dairy free but they are smooth and creamy unlike traditional Italian ice.

What is the most unusual customer request you’ve had?

Other than a flavor I’ve never heard of or hot fudge on the bottom of someone’s cup we haven’t gotten any odd requests.

What is your favorite bite to eat in town?

We eat at many different places throughout the area but you can often find me at Missy’s Main St. Café for brunch.

What do you typically like to do on a day off?

Days off are often filled with researching new flavors!

What piece of advice would you give someone starting their entrepreneurial journey?

It’s important to have a passion for what you’re doing because there are a lot of lows and highs you’ll have to navigate.

What is the most rewarding part of owning your own business?

It brings great joy and satisfaction to see a customer sample our gelato for the first time—their eyes light up, the expression on their face, and the overall “wow” that they just had something that they have never experienced before.