Former Uchi Chef Makes This New Dallas Ice Cream Shop Anything But Vanilla: Inventive Flavors and a Secret Brunch Now Beckon in SMU Land

We’ve got the scoop on a brand new ice cream shop coming your way early this fall. Baldo’s, the popular Dallas food cart, is opening its first brick-and-mortar location on Hillcrest in the former Goff’s space. The chef-driven creamery will bring unusual and inventive treats to the SMU neighborhood, which happens to be the old stomping grounds of the Baldo’s team.

The Dallas-based Tritex Group has been working with Baldo’s to plan for its launch over the past six months.

“SMU is home to so many incredible memories for us,” Tritex Group’s Tyler Kleinert says in a statement. “We wanted to create a space that encourages SMU students and Dallas families to build their own memories by spending quality time together in a fun atmosphere.”

Led by executive chef Aldo Sandoval (who most recently was head pastry chef at Uchi/Uchiba, and previously worked in the kitchen at The Mansion Restaurant), this ice cream shop will be serving up “anything but vanilla.” Instead, you’ll find flavors like Salted Butterbourbon and Prickly Pear Jalapeño, affogato creations (ice cream swimming in espresso), and champagne sorbet floats.

Sandoval will experiment with both sweet and savory flavors – but nostalgia is always part of the recipe. Children and kids-at-heart will love the playful flavors such as Fruity Pebbles and Cookies & Cream – not to mention the edible cookie dough. On the other hand, adventurous eaters can go wild with flavors like Cinnamon Cayenne.

The chef isn’t limiting himself to ice cream, either. Baldo’s plans on offering pastries and a secret Sunday brunch.

“Our flavors are unexpected and engaging,” Sandoval says. “We invite our guests on a culinary adventure. With our signature pairings, customers can feel free to explore various flavors outside their ice cream comfort zone.”

Baldo’s first brick-and-mortar shop is expected to open in early September. For now you’ll have to seek out its (sometimes elusive) ice cream cart. We did hear that it will be hanging around the Dallas Arboretum this weekend…