The Row attracts Toms River's growing Orthodox shoppers — or anyone who loves gelato

The Row attracts Toms River’s growing Orthodox shoppers — or anyone who loves gelato

Posted by author February 3, 2025 Shopping

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TOMS RIVER — Winter might not be the time most people think of having a tasty gelato.

But at Miele Artisanal Gelateria on a chilly morning, a steady stream of customers perused the case and selected from flavors including lemon pie, blueberry creme brûlée, tiramusi and chocolate Dubai (chocolate and pistachio).

Miele opened at the end of September as the latest tenant in The Row, a shopping center on Route 9 that caters to the township’s growing Orthodox Jewish community. Among the stores in the center, located between Cox Cro Road and Hickory Street, are Eigner’s Bakery, Fino Custom Clothing, and Ishtabach restaurant, a Toms River branch of a famous Jerusalem eatery.

Offices are located on the second floor of the shopping center.

Miele means “honey” in Italian, and owner Doron Bensusan has been in the gelato business for more than 20 years. Bensusan traveled from Israel to Italy to learn how to craft gelato from Italian experts in the creamy dessert. Miele makes all its gelato in-house, and the Toms River store’s selections are kosher.

“We make all the gelato here on the spot,” Bensusan said. The store also makes 32 flavors daily, and also makes all its own cones (24 flavors). The store also has a full Italian coffee bar, where patrons can order espresso, latte, macchiato and other coffee drinks, including iced coffee. Belgian waffles on a stick, macarons, biscotti and eclairs are also baked at the store, and milkshakes are also available.

Miele gelato has been available for some time in local retail stores, like Gourmet Glatt in Lakewood, but the Toms River location is the first gelateria in the area.

Bensusan is particularly proud of his outdoor space, which includes plenty of chairs and a fountain. “It will be beautiful in the warm weather,” said Bensusan, who opened Miele Artisanal Gelateria with his business partners.

Gelato, a frozen dessert that originated in Italy, has become more popular in the U.S. Made with milk instead of the cream used in ice cream, it has a creamier texture than traditional ice cream. Gelato sales made up about $11 billion, or 5%, of the U.S. frozen dessert market, in 2023, according to industry figures. That amount is projected to grow to nearly $23 billion by 2031.

Sam Ellenbogen, who has lived in Toms River for nearly a decade, said he’s happy to see shopping centers such as The Row open and doing well.

“The Row is a really up and coming shopping center,” said Ellenbogan, a member of the Toms River Jewish Community Council, a group of Orthodox Jewish community leaders. “… Retail is really what drives the economy. I’d rather spend my money here in Toms River than go to another town.”

Ellenbogen noted that developers are investing millions to build shopping centers and other stores that cater to the growing Orthodox community.

“They are really doing a job on these properties, putting a lot of money into building beautiful properties,” he said. “It’s a tremendous beautification for the town.” There are more than 2,000 Orthodox Jewish families in Toms River, he said.

Ellenbogen noted that businesses like Miele also provide jobs for local residents. Among the recently opened establishments is Bravo Pizza, a kosher pizza restaurant that is the Ocean County branch of a famous New York City pizza joint.

The growing number of retail establishments in Toms River means Orthodox Jewish families don’t have to go to Lakewood regularly to shop.

Seasons, a popular kosher grocery store with a branch in Lakewood, is coming soon to a new shopping center at Cox Cro Road and Route 9, a relief to residents like Tova Herskovitz, who, like many of the Orthodox Jews in Toms River, orders her groceries delivered from Lakewood.

“We can’t wait for that to open,” Herskovitz said of Seasons. “It will be great to be able to shop nearby.”

As for Bensusan, he is also opening an upscale kosher pizza restaurant La Mossa Pizzeria Romana, right next-door to his gelateria. He said the pizzeria will offer Italian dishes in addition to pizzas in the Roman style, rectangular pies with thin crusts that can be topped with a variety of ingredients.

Bensusan, who lives in Norwood in Bergen County, said he is optimistic about the potential for growth in Toms River.

“The community is growing and I think we provide a top-notch product,” he said.

Jean Mikle covers Toms River, Seaside Heights, and several other Ocean County towns. She’s also passionate about the Shore’s storied music scene. Contact her: jmikle@gannettnj.com, @jeanmikle.bsky.social, @jeanmikle.