TasteTeaGelato

Name of business: TasteTeaGelato

Type of business: Gelateria and specialty tea cafe

Owners: Miguel and Arlene Cerda Fabricante, Robert and Abigail Fabricante and Ed and Melissa Lozano

Founded: November 2008

Address: 6560 Lone Tree Way, Suite B, Brentwood

Phone number: 925-626-7644

Hours: Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Number of employees: 9

Products and services: TasteTeaGelato offers several varieties of Italian style ice cream Gelato and Sorbetto, non-dairy alternative. The gelato and sorbetto are made fresh onsite daily. They also serve a variety of hot loose leaf teas. Both teas types are available in organic and fair trade.

“Dine-in customers ordering hot loose leaf teas will be given a tea experience,” Melissa Lozano said.

Also available are milk teas and Tea smoothies, with added gelato, iced teas and ice-teani’, panini sandwiches and soups.

How did you get into the business? “Our love and passion for food and each other’s company,” Lozano said. “As childhood friends and UC Davis alumni, we all enjoy cooking, entertaining and being amongst friends and family, this was a great way to do it while educating the community and promoting healthy alternatives.”

Lozano said that one of the owners entered the 2006 Brentwood Cornfest Cooking Contest and placed first. Another owner entered the same contest in 2007 with with Sweet Chai Corn gelato and placed second.

“Our passion for gelato and teas continued by training with an established Italian Gelato Artisan from Bologna Italy and becoming certified with the Specialty Tea Institute,” she said.


Best part about the business: “Some folks have never heard of gelato, so in addition to educating them about it as a healthy alternative over ice cream, we ask them to try a sample. The look on their faces says it all and that’s what it’s all about,” Lozano said. In addition to gelato, they are introducing specialty tea to the community. They have over 30 teas, including green, black, white, oolong, herbal and pu-erh on display that Lozano said customers could sample and smell the aroma of the variety of teas.

She went on to say that tea is enjoyed around the world and they want to bring it to Brentwood and have their community enjoy what people in other countries have been enjoying for years. “We want the community to experience something different and escape to the warm and happy atmosphere of TasteTeaGelato where people gather to eat, drink, and chill,” she said.

Worst part about the business: “There is no worst part really. It really is just the adjustment of having a business and all the challenges that come with it but with our teamwork. We will overcome these challenges,” she said.


Key to success: “Having great quality products where our patrons can enjoy themselves in an inviting environment that’s relaxing and comfortable. Listening to our customers and taking into account suggestions for improvement. And as always great customer service,” Lozano said.

Biggest misperception about the business: The biggest misperception about the business is that people think they are just another ice cream shop and tearoom. “We serve not only teas and gelato but have a great inviting atmosphere for lunch or business meetings. We serve a variety of sandwiches and soups, as well,” she said. Lozano went on to say that they work to cater to all parts of the community, from families, to young adults, to teenagers, to retirees.

Future plans: In the future they hope to be offering catering services, parties and sponsoring community events. They would also like to make gelato cakes.