Since When Are Spaghetti & Meatballs a Dessert?!

Forget the fact that spaghetti and meatballs form a dinner entree. At Paciugo Gelato, the signature Italian menu item is transformed into a drool-worthy dessert. The dessert shop chain serves up innovative desserts daily (bubble waffles; gelato-stuffed donuts), yet the spaghetti reinvention is its most popular recipe, drawing customers from around the world to try the viral treat.

The spaghetti “noodles,” composed of three scoops of homemade gelato, are dispensed out of a pasta machine, visible to café guests so they can observe the process. The “meatballs” are added next, which are Ferrero Rocher chocolate candies. As for the toppings, employees use strawberry puree (formulated from local farmer’s market fruit) to replicate spaghetti sauce and coconut or chocolate flakes for “parmesan cheese.” The dish is topped off with “breadsticks,” aka ladyfinger biscuits. If you’re more inclined to taste a “pesto pasta,” the restaurant customizes the dessert with green tea or pistachio ingredients (according to one’s preference) as well.

No need to visit an Italian restaurant anytime soon—Paciugo permits you to skip straight to dessert.