about
we’re an organic, artisanal gelato shop located in downtown mill valley. all of our gelati & sorbetti are made from scratch on-site using local, organic & seasonal ingredients.
we believe that small production gelato made fresh daily using organic milk and local produce creates the best tasting, most healthful product.
our passion for creating delicious food in a beautiful environment with small-town friendliness provides the soul of noci.
our story/us
michael & liana orlandi opened cici in june 2007 & changed the name to noci in may, 2010. based on a desire to make a gelato superior to anything else available locally. after moving back to our hometown, we realized there still wasn’t any organic ice cream, let alone a hand-made one. michael had the idea to open a gelateria in the back of his head for a few years when he mentioned it to liana... together we took the plunge. we love being an integral part of our community through involvement with local issues, friendships, and business partnerships that have emerged since we opened.
we believe in the slow food philosophy. this means that we believe in using whole, natural foods from our local farms. we believe food should be enjoyed, savored, and honored. we believe that all people should take time to know where their food comes from and enjoy eating it.
in 2008 we were selected to attend the international slow food conference in italy called terra madre. we went as representatives for slow food marin petaluma. we met delegates from all over the world who believe in protecting wholesome and culturally relevant foods. we learned about political, environmental, and social issues facing food in our world today. we would love to talk more about these issues with you if you’re curious.
affiliations
Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce
environmental friendliness
our business practices are based on a philosophy of making a minimal environmental impact. we accomplish this goal by buying 100% renewable energy from the Marin Energy Authority, working with the Bay Area Green Business Program, supporting Marin Organic through our membership, buying only organic dairy products and organic produce. we believe in providing a product for the community that is not only free of harmful substances, but also fun to eat.
FAQ
(frequently asked questions)
what does cici mean?
cici was the nickname of michael’s Italian grandmother cecilia
what does noci mean?
noci is the Italian word for nuts
why did you change your name from cici to noci?
so we could trademark our name.
we were unable to trademark cici so we changed it to something similar
what’s the difference between gelato & ice cream?
fat content & air content
traditional gelato contains far less fat and is more dense
our gelati are between 4-7% fat (ice cream is between 12-24% fat or more)
our sorbetti are naturally fat free (unless you’re talking about chocolate...)
our gelati have about 20% air (ice cream traditionally is 50%)
what is sorbetto?
sorbetto is the italian word for sorbet (which is a french word)
all sorbetti are dairy free
what is the difference between sorbetto & sherbet?
sherbet contains dairy (up to 2% milk fat)
allergy info
liana is both allergic to tree nuts and a celiac, so we are very aware of the challenges that food-allergic people face. as a result, we follow strict protocols when making our products & serving them. while we do use nuts in our kitchen, michael is meticulous in the handling of these nuts in order to prevent cross-contamination. we are aware that mistakes can happen though, so please let us know if you have an allergy and we will do our best to help you make a safe choice. our employees are trained to know which flavors contain allergens.
our gelato is gluten-free, with the exception of cookies and cream. (we’re looking for a good gluten-free sandwich cookie, if you know of one, please email us!) we only serve gluten-free cones to prevent cross-contamination. we also use a separate server for each flavor. our sorbetti are dairy and egg-free.
is your product safe for people with food allergies to...
gluten/celiac: yes, please tell your server so you may be served safely
tree nuts: yes, please tell your server so you may be served safely
peanuts: yes, but avoid the cookies and cream
egg: most of our gelato flavors contain egg, please inquire with server
egg: all of our sorbetto flavors are vegan and do not contain egg
soy: we do not use soy but our chocolate contains soy lecithin
corn: we do not use any corn or corn derived ingredients in our frozen products
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