We all scream for ice cream, but La Divina Italian Café’s expanded menu has Louisiana yelling for gelato.
Carmelo and Katrina Turillo founded La Divina Italian Café in 2007. After living in Florence, Italy, and embracing the mellow Italian lifestyle, the Turillo family brought gelato to Louisiana. 
Learning how to make the Italian treat from scratch, the location opened in New Orleans. According to the café’s website, La Divina is the only establishment in Louisiana to make gelato from scratch without pastes, powders or bases. 
The Baton Rouge location in Acadian Village Shopping Center opened in December 2013. The owners are Lance and Mary LeBlanc.  
The new menu includes chicken tortellini, specialty pizzas and lasagna. The café is also offering breakfast items including Italian grits, the Frittata, the Biscotto and the Classico — two eggs cooked to order with Ciabatta toast, cheese of bacon and Italian sausage.
Lance said the new menu items are not set in stone and are served on certain days for a trial basis. Prior to the menu expansion, Lance said the best item was the Piazza Panini.
Since expanding, Lance  said the lasagna is the best menu option. La Divina hired Chef Eric Lefort, who created the fast selling dish. 
“Lefort was a former customer who expressed interest in developing the menu,” Lance  said. “Since then, we brought him on board.”  
La Divina’s primary product is gelato, and the company prides itself on buying and using locally grown products when possible. La Divina also offers coffee, lattes and cappuccinos. 
“Gelato is essentially an Italian ice cream but it’s not,” Lance  said. “Gelato is made with milk, while ice cream is made with cream.”
Lance said gelato uses about one-third the fat content that cream does, and because gelato uses less fat, the product is served at warmer temperatures. 
“Your taste buds aren’t frozen in your mouth and it makes for a more intense flavor,” Lance said.
With flavors ranging from Crème brûlée  to Pink Flamingo, the café has a variety of flavors for customers’ taste buds. 
Biology freshman Merchel’le Benjamin is a Georgia native, and she said she has friends who have tried gelato and saw La Divina while shopping at a nearby Trader Joe’s.
“I love chocolate ice cream because of the taste,” Benjamin said. “Gelato is an amazing alternative, and I like the texture better than ice cream.”
Benjamin said because it’s her first year at the University she’s excited to try La Divina. 
Lance said he hopes to open a second Baton Rouge location and hopes to offer more menu specials.

Gallery • 5 Photos

Emily Brauner

La Divina Italain Cafe located at 3535 Perkins Rd. expands their menu [gelato pictured is creme brulee].