bringing joy to others since 1984
A LOCAL TRADITION
​In 1984, Peter Edmonds and his father opened the first Gelati Celesti on West Broad Street in Richmond, Virginia. They believed great ice cream should be made with care, in small batches, and with ingredients that make every scoop memorable. That belief shaped everything they created.
More than forty years later, that same spirit guides us every day.
What started as one shop has grown into eleven locations across Richmond and Hampton Roads—first under
the ownership of family friends Steve and Kim Rosser, who purchased the business in 2010, and now led by their children, Suzy and Tom, as
co-presidents since 2023.
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Bring joy to others by making the best ice cream possible scooped up with the best service.
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For 40 years, we've been scooping up joy and premium ice cream, staying true to our original mission. We continue to churn our ice cream in small batches using Italian equipment that minimizes air, making it uniquely flavorful, thick, and creamy. Our customers are like family, and we love creating delicious memories, one scoop at a time!
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MEET SUZY & TOM
Continuing the family tradition of scooping joy to our local communities.
Our history
1984
Our flagship West Broad shop was founded by father and son, Peter and John Edmonds, debuting with Chocolate Decadence, which remains a customer favorite to this day.
1990
At the request of local restaurateurs, we began selling ice cream to some of Richmond’s premier restaurants.
2010
Steve and Kim Rosser, long-time family friends of the Edmonds, purchased Gelati with a commitment to continuing the tradition of handmade, small-batch, premium ice cream.
2011
Our first central kitchen was established, setting the stage to bring more joy to RVA.
2013
The Gelati Celesti food truck, fondly named Celeste, hit the road, delivering scoops and smiles to events throughout Richmond.
2014
By popular demand, our third location opened in Short Pump.
2018
Our Grove Avenue shop opened. We also opened a new, larger kitchen to support expansion, while continuing our commitment to handmade, small-batch, premium ice cream.
2019
Suzy Rosser re-joined Gelati Celesti to open our first Virginia Beach shop, serving freshly churned flavors over the southside in Hilltop.
2020
We opened our Swift Creek shop, and Suzy Rosser joins the leadership team overseeing all retail locations
2021
We expanded in RVA with the opening of our Mechanicsville shop and also opened our second Virginia Beach location, Town Center.
2022
Tom Rosser joined Gelati Celesti overseeing business development. Our Chesapeake shop opened, bringing us to 10 joyful locations throughout RVA and Hampton Roads.
2023
Owners Steve and Kim Rosser passed the scoop to the next generation, naming Suzy and Tom as co-presidents. They maintain the same commitment to quality and community that began with the Edmonds in 1984
2012
We opened our second location, scooping joy to our neighbors south of the river in Bon Air.
2024
We celebrated our 40th birthday with a 40-cent scoop day at all 10 neighborhood shops.
2017
We opened our Scotts Addition shop, bringing our handcrafted ice cream to four distinct areas in RVA.
2025
Our fourth Hampton Roads shop opened in Red Mill Commons, south of our other two Virginia Beach locations.
