Balsano’s Gelato Cafe

Very icey. $ 5 for small portion. Worst gelato of my life… first gelato I didn’t finish. This was the Power & Light location. Seemed like gelato had melted and been re-​frozen.

The staff is really friendly. That’s where the positives end. This place is still a gelato joint right? I just want to make sure before I go wrongly accusing them of serving ice cream labeled gelato. I tried this place twice and both times I was served ice cream with the quantity of air rivaled only by Blue Bunny. Gelato is suppose to be DENSE and not inflated with air like ice cream.
They also have whimsical hours at this place. When inquiring about their hours of operation, the clerk said, «we sorta just open and close whenever.» If I was a hippie with money and time to spare, I wouldn’t mind accepting those hours for an establishment but unfortunatelyI work for a living and need structure and reliable hours so I can fit you into my schedule.

Hating to know that Balsano’s will no longer be on the Plaza a year from now (the people behind the Plaza have declined to renew their lease), I feel like I should write it up so those who don’t know about it might go before it moves and follow it wherever it ends up.
Balsano’s has a small but delicious menu. The food isn’t something that’ll change your life, but it’s a darn good lunch on the Plaza. They’re a great local business with familiar faces behind the counter, and quick service. You can sit down and have table service or just walk up to the counter and take your food out. They’re mainly known, I guess, for their gelato. I’ve never had the gelato. It’s next to my salon so I scoot over there for a quick lunch often.
My favorite is the chicken salad on a croissant. Very dill-​y. Add mustard.

Pleasant, very small place tucked into a crevice at the plaza. Service is a bit slow and at times moody. Gelato is very good, particularly wedding cake and pistachio. Pricey for Ice Cream, I mean gelato.

Let me tell you, the gelato is Excellent. It is 4-​star gelato.
The service? S– L– O– W
And really indifferent, too. This is America… not western Europe. We kind of expect to be treated like customers [i.e. your ONLY source of profit].
So the rating was knocked down to 3 stars.
I had a sample of the lemon… creamy good
and a sample of pistaccio… great depth and really excellent flavor.
My small cup [costing $ 4.38!!!] was the peanut butter chocolate, and it was a killer. Like marbled peanut butter fudge without too much sweetness.

Very nice little place, the gelato is really good and it makes a great stop when you’re walking through Plaza on a warm day.

Balsano’s is an intriguing, adorable coffee shop tucked in the folds of the plaza in Kansas City. The shop serves the simple pleasures of life: peanut butter and jelly, oatmeal, and omelets. More importantly, it has the best chai your taste buds will ever indulge in. Your order is taken at a sophisticated table and the drink is brought to you in a mug. Balsano’s chai is smooth and sweet and perfect.
The barista during round number one had a peculiar niceness to her. She was very polite and efficient; simply lacking an abundance of enthusiasm. Upon second visit, the two men behind the counter were absolutely incredible. Adorned with heart melting smiles, they offered sample upon sample of hand made gelato. The entire time, these men provided the prized enthusiasm that every hard working, genuine barista should crave.
The only problem with this café was that the drinks are made far behind the counter way out of the customer’s eye sight. Thankfully the drink was delicious, or this would have been a huge problem.
Balsano’s also serves Harney and Sons tea, a gourmet tea that will intrigue your lips with delicate, delicious flavor.
Balsano’s is a perfect, quiet get away on a rainy day or the ideal location for a romantic date.

I’m no gelato expert, however I can definitely tell you this isn’t that great. Most of the flavors were bland. I don’t know what other gelato establishments KC has to offer, but surely they’re better than this one.