Four Generations of Craft and Family

For the Castiello family, food has never just been just about feeding people; It’s been about connection, pride, and passion passed down through generations. The story begins in the late 1800s, as Alex’s grandfather, Antonio Castiello, arrived from Naples and opened a bakery in Boston before moving the business to Revere, where he taught his young grandson the art of dough, pizza, and pastry by hand. When Antonio passed away in 1954, the bakery doors closed and the ovens went silent for a decade. Then, one evening at the kitchen table, Alex and his father jokingly flipped a coin to decide whether to turn the old bakery into a laundromat or bring it back to life once more. The coin hardly mattered — their hearts already knew the answer. In 1964, at just twenty years old, Alex reignited the ovens beside his father, reviving not just a bakery, but a legacy that continues to rise four generations strong.

From Bread to Pizza to Pastry to Gelato

That same young man, Alex, who stood beside his father became a lifelong craftsman of flavor. After mastering Italian breads pizzas, and even pastas, he expanded his talents to cakes and pastries, studying at the American Institute of Baking in Chicago and later at one of Europe’s top pastry schools in Switzerland, Richmont School of Classic French and Italian Pasteries. By the 1970s, his New York–style cheesecake was being sold by the ton every week, earning its place on the dessert menu of the iconic Hilltop Steakhouse. With each new skill came a deeper understanding of what makes food extraordinary. It became a balance between science, art, and heart. So when the craze for high-butterfat ice creams began to fade, yet remained the only kind widely available, he was drawn back to something more refined, lighter, and truer to his Italian roots: Gelato. His version focused on quality not of over indulgence; fresh local milk, real fruit, and pure fresh ingredients blended to create pure fresh flavor.

Tradition Reimagined

Decades later, he still brings his pastry background into every batch of gelato. Highly favored classics like Spumoni, a nostalgic swirl of cherry, pistachio, and chocolate, are being revived. As Alex expresses, "Every August 21st is National Spumoni day, keep up the tradition!" While modern creations mix in the crunch of biscotti, the warmth of amaretti cookies, and the creaminess of cheesecake. Each recipe bridges the old and new, an edible reflection of both memory and innovation. “It’s all about perfection,” he says. “You’ll never truly reach it, but every time you try, the product gets better. That’s the heart of being a chef.” His kitchen remains where experimentation meets discipline and every detail matters. From the milk’s source, to the moment you taste it.

La Famiglia, Always

Today, he works side by side with his sons inside a 110,000 square foot building that once housed the famous Cushman Bakery, a fitting home for a family who’s spent their lives mastering the craft. The same walls now echo with laughter, collaboration, and the hum of tradition being carried forward. La Famiglia Gelato isn’t just a brand name; it’s a tribute to generations who baked, kneaded, and stirred their hearts into everything they made. Every scoop tells the story of a family who never stopped perfecting their craft and never stopped sharing it with others. From the freshness of the milk to the balance of every flavor, it’s gelato made the only way they know how, by hand, with heart, and family always at the center.

Our logo tells a story that runs deeper than design. The image you see within our Gelato badge is a breathtaking sherbert-colored sunset over the St. Anthony's Feast in Boston's North End; One of the city's most beloved summer traditional feasts. It brings in a sea of people gathering from all over to celebrate family, friends, faith and most importantly, food. To most, it's a beautiful summer moment - to Alex, it's home.

Alex grew up right in the neighborhood, actually serving as an alter boy at St. Anthony's Church growing up. He also spent countless summers at the feast surrounded by friends and family. Even his family's bakery once stood just around the corner, where he learned the value of craft, authenticity and passing down tradition through every recipe.

Years later, that same sense of pride, connection and heritage lives on in La Famiglia Gelato— and in our logo. It's a tribute to where it all began: The heart of Boston's North End, under the golden sunset, surrounded by family.