Carolina's team opens Crema Gelato in Mirvish Village this fall
Chef Graziano Totora and restaurateur Michael Marshall are bringing Naples-style gelato to the emerging food hub on Markham Street.
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The restaurateur and chef behind buzzy Dundas West Italian spot Carolina are turning toward la dolce vita with a gelato shop launching this fall.
Michael Marshall and chef Graziano Totora discovered something in their travels to Italy's Amalfi Coast: gelato shops there don't just serve the frozen dessert — they serve it atop warm brioche buns with whipped cream, or with edible spoons. Toronto's gelato shops, for all their quality, haven't caught up.
For Totora, the move feels natural. "His first job when he immigrated to Canada was making gelato at a very popular place in Woodbridge," Marshall explains. "It kind of naturally progressed into this."
They're opening Crema Gelato at 597 Markham Street in Mirvish Village, the up-and-coming development that's drawing several other food and drink concepts — many of them Italian. Marshall sees the potential: "It's a beautiful street, like those old homes are so nice. Once it gets hustling, bustling, and everyone's in there, it'll be like the equivalent of a piazza in Europe, you know? Somewhere where you can hang out, and afterwards you have a nightcap at Crema, have a gelato."
The pair plan to set Crema apart with a playful, vibrant atmosphere reminiscent of shops in Totora's Naples hometown. "It's going to be not just a gelato, but an experience," Marshall says. Crema Gelato is expected to open in early fall 2026.