By opening a Gelato Picks gelateria after retiring from a career as an oil and gas executive, owner Dietmar Neidhardt said he hopes to encourage others to pursue new passions—even at an older age.

“I did nothing extraordinary, nothing somebody else couldn’t do as well,” Neidhardt said. “I wanted to prove that, even after 65 [years old], you could do and create something.”
In addition to gelato and sorbet, Gelato Picks sells cakes, crepes, cappuccino. (Asia Armour/Community Impact)
In addition to gelato and sorbet, Gelato Picks sells cakes, crepes, cappuccinos. (Asia Armour/Community Impact)
How we got here

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, Neidhardt took online courses from Carpigiani Gelato University in Italy. Every Sunday, he said he would serve his Sugar Land neighbors samples of the gelato and sorbet he had made.

“I became the hero of the street because there was no restaurant open, no nothing open. People had nowhere to go,” Neidhardt said. “After about three weeks, [my] neighbor said, ‘When we get out of [the pandemic], you need to open a shop.’”

Neidhardt followed this advice to open Gelato Picks in July 2021.
Flavors at Gelato Picks rotate every week, the owner said. (Courtesy Gelato Picks)
Flavors at Gelato Picks rotate every week, the owner said. (Courtesy Gelato Picks)
On the menu


In addition to freshly-made gelato, Gelato Picks sells coffee, crepes and made-to-order cakes, such as a baked Alaska, and a log-shaped dessert made of alternating layers of cake and whipped cream called buche de noel.

Popular gelato flavors include “traditionally-made” pistachio, stracciatella and the gelateria’s Tex-Mex, which is a mixture of peach and mango, Neidhardt said.

One specialty item Neidhardt prepares is spaghetti gelato—which originated in Germany, he said.
Made to look like a plate of spaghetti, this specialty dessert is made from vanilla-lemon flavored gelato, strawberry syrup and white chocolate shavings. (Asia Armour/Community Impact)
Made to look like a plate of spaghetti, this specialty dessert is made from vanilla-lemon flavored gelato, strawberry syrup and white chocolate shavings. (Asia Armour/Community Impact)
Made to look like a plate of spaghetti, the dessert starts with a base of whipped cream, which is then topped with vanilla-lemon gelato pushed through a pasta press. This is covered with strawberry syrup and white chocolate shavings in place of tomato sauce and parmesan cheese.

Why it matters


Neidhardt said he wants to spread the message that it's critical for retirees to stay active by trying new things. He strives to exercise his mind daily and utilize what resources are available to him, he said.

“Older people have a lot of potential that’s not used,” Neidhardt said. “I felt so much surplus after retirement. I wanted to do something completely different to challenge myself. It wasn’t rocket science—I just tried.”