ANNOUNCER: Tacoma's charming Proctor District is booming with new retail and dining spaces opening their doors nearly every month. This week, Dutch and Jackie hit the area's newest café, Alegre Bakery and Gelato. Boasting house-made baked goods, handmade gelato, roasted bean concoctions and a hearty wine and brew selection, Alegre is a hot spot, day or night.

JACKIE: The space has a neat industrial vibe with some warmth breathed into it thanks to dark wood accents and plants. I beelined to the gelato case featuring a dozen handmade gelatos with rotating flavors from classics like vanilla and chocolate to compelling creations lemoncello, peanut butter and pancetta, to name a few. They even have dairy-free options.

DUTCH:  It was a hot day when I visited and the gelato case was barely visible with the families crowded around for a serving of gelato, which is made locally at the sister store in Edmonds. I grabbed a cappuccino and sat in the window to people-watch all the happenings at the Proctor Farmers Market.

JACKIE: I brought the kiddos with me and they happily noshed away at single scoops of gelato resting atop tasty waffle cones. The affogato was my go-to and delighted with a double scoop of your preferred flavor, mine being dark chocolate and two perfectly pulled shots of espresso made from Café Vita's roasted beans. It's a real treat with rich creamy gelato being complemented by the bitter and complex flavor of the coffee.

DUTCH: There are plenty of fresh pastries available including scones, tarts and even single serving-sized pies. A popular pastry here is the brookie -- half brownie and half chocolate chip cookie. It is very popular with the kids when they aren't getting gelato. I also ordered an apple pie to-go and enjoyed it later. The thick buttery crust is filled with plenty of apples and cinnamon that isn't overly sweet and topped with more cinnamon crumble.

JACKIE: I was tempted by the many baked goods, too, but settled on the fruit and yogurt tart. Beautiful fresh berries sit atop the yogurt that is nestled inside a crumbly, graham cracker crust. Their newly expanded menu includes kid-friendly and adult floats. Prosecco and sorbetto anyone?

DUTCH:  The expanded menu also includes several adult beverages like scratch Bloody Mary, beer and even a cactus prickly pear margarita.  I'll need to come back for that.

JACKIE: This is definitely a tucked-away gem that will have me coming back for more.

Alegre Bakery and Gelato, 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., Sunday-Thursday; 6 a.m. to midnight, Friday-Saturday, 3820 N. 27th St., Tacoma, 260.225.3473, alegrebng.com