Meet Dandelion Gelato, the new sweet-tooth addiction-inducing shop on Main Street. The charming sign, timeless brick Main Street building, and inviting porch draw you in. But it’s the incredible gelato that keeps you there, bringing you back over and over again (speaking from experience here).
There are, of course, incredible classic flavors (you know the kind— chocolate, creamy stracciatella, pistachio, etc.), offered alongside truly one-of-a-kind flavor blends. Flavors made all the more unique because they are created using locally sourced products, such as Hawk and Sparrow sourdough bread (yes, bread!), fruit from Stillwater Farm, and chocolate from Ritual Chocolate. Delicious non-dairy options are also available. I promise: whatever you choose, you’ll love it.
The story of Dandelion Gelato actually starts with pizza and Matt Reschke: owner, pizza chef, family man, restauranteur, enthusiastic Midway local, and business owner extraordinaire. A passion for community is at the forefront of Matt’s work and businesses, and Dandelion Gelato is a prime example of that desire in action. During my conversation with Matt, it became clear that his deep community ties are no accident, but the result of deliberate intention.
Expressing gratitude for how his businesses have been received by the community, Matt explained that, in a way, opening Dandelion Gelato was a way of paying it forward. Looking around on Main Street, he saw that gelato could be just what Midway needed. His goal was to create a place where people could stroll in after a meal at any of the town’s fantastic restaurants, where teens could gather after school, birthdays could be joyfully celebrated, or anyone could unwind with a decadent treat.
Midway first caught Matt’s attention while he was in college; his pizza food truck was booked for an event in the Valais community. Known then as the “Pizza Guy,” he had long dreamed of owning his own restaurant—ideally in a location within walking distance of home. He remembers being captivated by the lush, green mountains and rolling hills that surround our valley.
Matt and his wife, Jessica, were living in Salt Lake City when a friend told them about an old home for sale on Center Street. The house and location seemed ideal, and the couple thought it could be the perfect place to set up shop. They envisioned a restaurant where people could gather, talk, and eat really, really good pizza made with incredible ingredients. Ingredients he now strives to source within 20 miles (or even 20 feet) from the restaurant’s onsite garden, which is his “happy place,” as much as possible.
While living and working in a rural town meant more time on the road, the Reschkes felt the improved quality of life made it more than worthwhile. Matt shares, “At any given day, you can choose to live a small-town life, or be in it.” After purchasing the building, Matt and Jessica threw themselves into what would eventually become The Pizza Yard.
Nobody undertakes the task of starting a restaurant (never mind remodeling a historic building constructed in 1901) thinking it will be without its challenges. However, what they couldn’t possibly have foreseen was that just a few months after purchasing and beginning remodeling in September 2019, COVID-19 would pose a unique challenge.
They, like so many of us, wondered if they would be able to make it, even before they got to flip an “OPEN” sign on the door. Recalling this time, Matt says, “We didn’t know what would happen, but it ended up that we timed it just right. Before we were even open, people were knocking on the door.” Today, The Pizza Yard keeps busy and is one of the mainstays of Midway.
Okay, we love pizza (a lot), but it’s time to get to the gelato of it all. Once again, Matt heard through the grapevine about a space coming available on Main Street, coincidentally right across the street from the Pizza Yard. What does a person who already makes incredible pizza bring to town when a great space falls in their path? Well, incredible gelato to pair it with, of course! Something anyone can enjoy. In his words, “Gelato is just easy. You’ve already had real food, so you can just enjoy it.”
Opening Dandelion Gelato seemed to flow naturally. The space became available, and Matt had connections making production easily feasible. A friend in Provo, who already produces their own gelato, allows Dandelion Gelato’s blends to be made using their industrial equipment. Small, specialty batches are made onsite, but the majority of their gelato is made at the location in Provo. In comparison to the Pizza Yard, Dandelion Gelato seems easy. Matt explained, “Dandelion is possible because it works in tandem with Pizza Yard.”
Dandelion opened just before the 4th of July weekend, seizing the prime summer season. It has been building steadily and organically since then as he implements more of his plans. As the fall and winter seasons approach, expect more flavors, espresso, and a cozy fire to enjoy them by.
So, what’s next for Matt? Hopefully, there will be a trip to Italy in the not-so-distant future to learn more about the craft of gelato at its origins. He also knows his plans are to stay here in Midway. He put it well, saying, “The more you put into a community, the less you want to leave it.”
For Matt, the goal is not to franchise, but to focus on what he’s building, businesses and community. As Midway continues to grow, he believes the way to preserve the loved small-town feel is to “actively do things to make it feel that way… (to) create places that feel small, and small town.” Dandelion Gelato is a decadent manifestation of that ideal, and how it can respect the community it resides within simply by being there, and welcoming locals and visitors alike. So, Midway, this one’s for you!
More info:
25 West Main, Midway
@dandeliongelato
