When Florencia Mansilla moved to the United States from Venezuela in her early adulthood, she had no idea what the world had in store for her.
Leaving her job as a sports reporter in Venezuela, Mansilla said she became a mother sooner than she expected and dealt with her share of hardships before deciding to follow in her father’s footsteps and become the owner of a gelato shop.
Craving gelato?
Growing up, Mansilla said, like her father, she always had an entrepreneurial mindset. Founded in Katy in 2016, La Argentina Gelato expanded to the Cy-Fair area in February 2025.
At La Argentina Gelato, customers can enjoy scratch-made gelato with recipes created by Mansilla herself. During a process that can take hours, Mansilla creates 20 signature flavors of gelato daily while swapping out a few seasonally.
However, Mansilla said some seasonal items often wind up becoming permanent menu items as they are frequently requested. Most recently, Mansilla created a raspberry flavor for Valentine's Day that is now a signature menu item.
Menu item favorites include pistachio, dulce de leche, Belgian chocolate and salted caramel. The ice cream shop also offers treats such as smoothies, banana splits and brownies with gelato. In addition, La Argentina offers coffee, specialty lattes and teas as well as empanadas.
What's special about it?
The business has won two awards for its gelato, including the Gelato Festival World Masters competition in 2024 and third place in the Gelato World Cup 2026. Mansilla said during competitions, gelatos are judged by their texture and unique flavors.
While the gelato shop formerly sold its products at Central Market, Mansilla said she discontinued her partnership for the time being to focus on her shops in Katy and Cy-Fair. After operating the newest location for a year, La Argentina Gelato is celebrating its anniversary with free gelato from 4-6 p.m. March 1.
Mansilla said customers can expect more dairy-free, health-focused options as well as new fruity flavors in the summer.
