8 Summer 2025 | edibleseattle.com At Sofie’s Scoops Gelateria in Olympia, every scoop tells a story. Sophie Landis begins every day by setting the vibe— whether it’s Frank Ocean, The Flaming Lips or Ella Fitzgerald— she chooses music as unique and joyful as her gelato. In the shop, the team chills the gelato case and fires up the waffle cone irons, filling the space with the sweet, buttery scent of freshly made cones. They sample special flavors and prepare for the question every scooper hears on repeat: “What’s your favorite flavor?” In the kitchen, Chris Proctor starts up the pasteurizer and mixes fresh gelato bases. He juggles a mix of prep tasks, from handprocessing fruits and making sauces like fudge and dulce de leche, to mixing waffle batter and greeting local growers making deliveries, offering them a taste test of his latest creation. It’s this blend of craft, community and curiosity that defines every day at Sofie’s Scoops. The shop is named after Landis and her great-grandmother, with a nod to a playful misspelling of her name as a child. SMALL BATCH, BIG HEART Sofie’s Scoops is Olympia’s hyperlocal gelateria WORDS AND IMAGES BY HEIDI ROTH | ADDITIONAL IMAGES BY BEN MATTHEWS Sofie’s Scoops co-owner Sophie Landis loves spending time with guests of the gelateria. A gelato by any other name Gelato’s magic lies in its luxurious texture and flavor intensity. With less fat, minimal air and a denser, silkier consistency than ice cream, gelato offers a richer experience. The smooth, velvety base of gelato is the perfect platform from which Sofie’s bold, artisanal flavors can take center stage. Sofie’s Scoops is the brainchild of Landis and Proctor, both veterans of the service industry with more than 16 years of experience. When the couple decided to go into business for themselves, however, opening a restaurant was out of the question. While they’d enjoyed working at various restaurants throughout Seattle, they’d seen how challenging it is to own a restaurant. “It’s really fun to be the chef, and it’s rewarding to be a server and watch people’s eyes light up when they experience the perfect dish,” says Landis. “What’s not so fun is having the overarching responsibility of making a restaurant work.”
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