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.”

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.”