Jädelino: Valerio Venti and Tiina Karhu

Jädelino Gelateria brings a cool taste of Italy to Helsinki, Finland and there is a wonderful love story behind every delicious scoop.  Owners Valerio Venti and Tiina Karhu are the husband and wife team behind this cool gelato haven in the trendy Teurastamo area.  This area was once the home of the city abattoir, or better known as a slaughterhouse.  Yes, but don’t fret yet! This entire area has been completely renovated and the old slaughterhouse buildings now are happy homes to some great restaurants, breweries, a smokehouse (as in for food), a pasta factory, a cooking school and much more.  Throughout the year, many food events take place in this newly refurbished part of the city.  So, I highly suggest checking out Teurastamo when in town; you just might be pleasantly surprised.

The one thing that was missing from this all-star food line up at Teuastamo a few years back was a place to get ice cream.  This is where Valerio and Tiina saw an opportunity and made an entrepreneurial leap of faith.  Valerio comes from a business management and communications background in Italy and Tiina came from a business controller background in Helsinki.  Now you can begin to understand the “leap of faith” I am talking about.  The soon-to-be gelateria owners left their jobs and traveled to Italy. They found themselves in Abruzzo learning the secrets of making world-class Italian gelato from an ice cream maestro that Valerio had always admired.

Jädelino Gelateria: Valerio Venti & Francesca Antonini

As you may well know, Italians are very passionate over their gelato, and I’ve come to learn that Finnish people are too.  Love ultimately connected Valerio and Tiina, now their passion for the best quality gelato was connecting them in business as well.  Once the couple returned to Helsinki, they set their minds on opening an Italian-style gelateria and their career change was in full swing.  With entrepreneurial foresight this husband and wife team secured a location in Teurastamo.  They wanted to create a place where families could come with their children for ice cream, office workers could stop by for a coffee and ice cream break, or for those that dined in the many area restaurants could come for an after-dinner gelato.  Hence, opportunity was knocking  loudly and Jädelino was born!

Jädelino Gelateria: Iida Leppänen

But what does Jädelino mean? The name Jädelino is a combination of the Finnish nickname for ice cream – jäde and the Italian suffix “ino” meaning small.

Therefore, Jädelino  represents this couple’s ice cream dream at its fullest. They successfully created a quaint, friendly gelateria that serves top quality, homemade ice cream made with only the best ingredients.  The gelato flavors at Jädelino are very creative as well.  I had a peanut butter-olive oil gelato that was extraordinary. The pistachio (made with an imported pistachio base from Sicily) and the tiramisu gelato are fantastic as well! I even tried licorice gelato (I’m not the biggest licorice fan) but it was surprisingly delicious and I would definitely order it again.

Jädelino Gelateria: Peanut Butter Olive Oil & Mint Chocolate Chip

All in all, it’s inspiring to see people follow their “foodie” dreams and make them come true. Jädelino Gelateria has anchored its place in Teurastamo with its long colorful list of lavish ice creams. I can see myself returning there time and time again when in Helsinki. Once you taste their ice creams, you’ll head back to Jädelino, too.

Sorbetto alla Papaya

And remember to say ciao or moi to Valerio and Tiina.  Please tell them Franco sent you, and ask to try the gelato del giorno, their special flavor of the day.  It will be fantastic!