The Mile End's Dalmata Gelateria started out with one rogue soft-serve machine

When the team behind Le Violon opened their Italianate brasserie in the old Maison Publique space, they inherited a soft serve machine. No big deal, just a small quirk of the building. But one batch of impromptu gelato turned into another, and before long, it became a signature post-dessert moment. Even The New York Times took note.

Fast forward a few months and a tiny storefront opens up on Bernard and Clark—a former barbershop, now reimagined as a 300-square-foot swirl of veined marble, pink and orange panels, stainless steel counters, and Wes Anderson symmetry.

Behind the design: Dan Climan and Dave Dworkind of Menard Dworkind, who’ve managed to turn what could’ve felt like a takeout window into a cinematic gelateria. Tucked behind the grand gates? A courtyard that feels like a secret garden, right down to the tribute sign for the original “Salon Raphael.”