CasaGela is preparing for its US debut and has chosen the Greater Houston region as its first location. According to a recently filed Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation permit, CasaGela is planning to open in The Shoppes at Kingsgate at 1345 Kingwood Drive, Suite A.
“We want to be a place where guests can enjoy delicious, fresh, healthy items at reasonable prices,” co-owner Alban Shahini said in an interview with What Now Houston.
“We will have real Italian chefs making real gelato in-house every day. Our open kitchen will let guests watch the gelato being made daily, along with everything else on the menu. We wanted to bring this full experience to Houston, and we chose Kingwood as our starting point because the location meets so many of our requirements.”
The plan is to open the new Kingwood CasaGela in Spring 2027.
“We are bringing the concept, the chefs, and the ingredients directly from Italy,” Shahini said.
“As a family-owned and operated business, we are known across the country for outstanding service and quality while keeping prices fair. And, of course, we want to serve some of the best gelato our guests have ever tasted.”
The Shahini family owns and operates CasaGela through Shahini Holdings, the same group behind Brooklyn Pizzeria. The name combines casa (Italian for “home”) and gela (derived from the Italian verb gelare, meaning “to freeze”), translating to “a home for gelato” or the “house of delight.” Founded on family recipes and traditions brought over by the Shahini family, it features 100% Italian gelato churned fresh in-house daily by Italian chefs, using imported Italian ingredients.
“Our inspiration comes from Europe, where gelato, coffee, bakery, pastry, and dessert are a big part of social life,” Shahini said.
“Catching up with someone doesn’t have to mean lunch or a full meal. It can simply be gelato or coffee. In Houston, it is remarkably hard to find a gelato and coffee shop where customers can taste 100% authentic Italian gelato. There are gelato places, but we know how many of them operate, and most customers would not be happy to learn that the product is shipped in frozen from other states or countries.”
CasaGela’s menu includes daily-churned gelato, sorbetti, an Italian espresso bar, fresh pastries, panini, and traditional desserts like tiramisu and cannoli.
“Everything will be done to the highest possible standard, and our mission is to build a community where local customers can stop by and become our new friends,” Shahini said.
CasaGela is anticipated to open in The Shoppes at Kingsgate at 1345 Kingwood Drive, Suite A, by Spring 2027.
