Cloud Cups brings sweet, unique gelato treats to Fishtown

You may have seen this local and award-winning gelato company before, but never quite like this.

From gelato artist Galen Thomas, Cloud Cups has opened its first brick-and-mortar in Fishtown. Connected to Pizza Brain, the new scoop shop shares an outdoor patio, courtyard and dining room with the world’s first Pizza Museum (and the treats are said to pair “perfectly” with their pizza.)

The menu will ultimately feature a selection of flavors—with 12 at any time, and 90 on deck to move throughout the year—all of which can be bought by the pint, in gelato and sorbet milkshakes and beverages, gelato and sorbet flights, gelato and sorbet floats, plus other beverages and additional menu items on the way.

“I am so thankful and honored to be able to open my first-ever scoop shop in one of the hottest food neighborhoods in Philadelphia,” said Thomas in a statement. “Since my early days of festivals, fairs and food truck events, I am finally able to call this my first home and welcome my first official guests. The demand for our gelato and sorbet has risen over the pandemic, and this is a dream come true.

Thomas continued: “I partnered with Pizza Brain to use their space in my early years and this lets our guests have the best of both world’s amazing pizza and pies plus now a smooth creamy treat for dessert. This is our first scoop shop – but stay tuned as I am working on some exciting surprises for the summer and beyond. Please come say hi this weekend and let us show you what our artisanal gelato is all about.”

The Cloud Cups founder attended Frozen Dessert University in North Carolina and The Carpigiani Gelato University in Illinois, a release states. This particular sweet business was then founded in 2018 and grew through mobile sales to a gelato cart to now, a full-blown scoop shop.

The release also states that after the scoop shop is underway, Thomas will then pursue farmers’ markets, larger-scale festivals, catering, weddings and special events. Cloud Cups will also continue collaborations with other Philadelphia businesses as they do already with French Toast Bites and Lokal Artisan Foods (on their French toast bites gelato and sorbet) at Spruce Street Harbor Park for this summer.

Speaking of collaborations, Cloud Cups and Pizza Brain will also be hosting a series of pop-ups in the future, including speakeasies in the back courtyard.

For now however, Philadelphians can head to the new scoop shop to check out their starting flavors (available until sell-out then replaced with other selections): Cookies and Cream, Apple Jacks, Banana Pudding, Frosted Flakes, Mint Chocolate Chip, Fruit Loops, Pistachio, Limoncello Gelato, Frose (V), Pina Colada (V), Passionfruit (V) and Lemon Sorbetto.

Cloud Cups full roster (which will rotate in) include some fan-favorites such as Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tart, Mint Chocolate Chip, Bourbon Caramel, Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake, Peppermint Chocolate, Blueberry Lemonade, S’mores, Key Lime Pie, Turkish Coffee, Lucky Charms, Peanut Butter, Biscoff and many, many more.

Hours to start will be Thursday to Sunday, from 4 to 10 p.m., with expanded days and times coming later this summer. Philadelphians can also follow Cloud Cups on Instagram at CloudCupsGelato.