If you are looking for a place to wake up your taste buds, take a trip to O' Sole Mio in downtown Batavia for gelato and other Italian fare. Owners Tory and Andrea Chiappelli, along with their partner Tony Natale, are both passionate and talented when it comes to bringing their Italian roots and their love for the tastes and flavors of Italy to their customers.

When they were in the planning stage for the business, Tory reached out to the IL SBDC at Waubonsee for assistance in creating the business plan and financial forecast, and to evaluate her pricing strategies.

"The class offered by the SBDC for new business owners helped us get a perspective on what to expect in putting this project together. We were given incredible tools from this class that we continue to utilize in our day-to-day operations," says Tory.

O' Sole Mio was successful at procuring a loan, which enabled the owners to give the space on River Street, formerly occupied by Congressmen Hastert and Foster, a total makeover. The business opened in March, and is a great addition to the newly renovated River Street streetscape.

Tory attended Carpigiani Gelato University in Bologna, Italy to hone her gelato making skills. O'Sole Mio offers 36 gelato flavors at any one time, so choosing is next to impossible - the more you taste, the harder it is to decide! A sampler platter of either four or five flavors allows you to at least make a dent in the amazing selection. Tory loves experimenting with new flavors, such as fig, lavender and honey, green tea and jasmine, and S'mores, but if you are not the adventurous type, you will find all the traditional flavors from vanilla and chocolate to tiramisu and pistachio, plus many more.

In addition to gelato, O' Sole Mio offers a full bar and café of lighter fare, including a selection of authentic Italian sandwiches. All meats and cheeses are from Italy.

While their Italian heritage was what inspired the business, their love for Batavia and commitment to support their local community is clearly a big part of their mission. They hire local artists and musicians for entertainment and décor, as well as Batavia students to help run the business.

According to Tory, "Batavians have been incredibly supportive. We are so grateful to this community for the way they've banded together in their support. The amazing results we've had so far are completely due to this city's residents and their desire for us to succeed."

O' Sole Mio is certainly 'Bringing the Italian Sun to Batavia' as their motto states. You can get a taste of Italy at 27 N. River Street in Batavia, or check them out at www.osolemiogelato.com.