JoJo's Gelato & Grill

What started as Jim and Marni Danhauer’s food truck in 2015 has since turned into a local favorite for those in the Grand Island area looking to enjoy a little taste of Italy. They tout themselves as an Italian restaurant, although they serve various American dishes as well. Instead of handing out traditional menus, patrons walk right up to the counter to order their grub off of a large television menu that has eye-catching, mouth-watering pictures of all their dishes. On the American side of the menu, dishes include traditional cheeseburgers, pulled pork sandwiches, and Philly cheesesteaks, or fancier items like smoked prime rib, a brisket cheddar sandwich, or a cowboy burger. Chicken and salads are available for those not looking for a red-meat meal. On the other side of the board are Italian-inspired dishes like spaghetti & meatballs and fettuccine alfredo, or a lineup of paninis that range from smoked chicken bacon avocado sandwiches, to rosemary chicken and a traditional Italian panini. And of course, we can’t ignore the sweetest part of JoJo’s Italian-American food lineup, their gelato. Unlike ice cream, gelato has about half the air of your traditional ice cream treat, which gives it a much smoother, dense, and frankly just more delicious taste. My party of three sampled the tender & juicy Brisket Cheddar Sandwich (a real melt-in-your-mouth kind of meal for those who enjoy a lot of meat and cheese), a yummy, traditional cheeseburger, and a special featured item called a “Meatloaf Sammie.” The meatloaf was full of flavor and you could taste the special blend of spices and onions packed into every bite. Although the normal french fries are warm and crisp on their own, I would highly recommend taking a stab at the parmesan truffle fries that have a pretty unique flavor profile. I’d say that they perfectly offset any of the sandwiches! All-in-all, the food was fantastic, and I naturally polished off my meal with a generous portion of rich salted caramel gelato. The next time you find yourself on I-80 with 30-45 minutes to spare for lunch, I would highly recommend taking the three mile detour off the main road into Aurora to enjoy this unique dinery. Kids are mesmerized by the robot that seemingly knows every twist and turn of the restaurant and glides with ease across the floor, and the food is top-of-the-line when it comes to small town eating. Thanks to the staff for their stellar cooking, fast counter-to-table delivery times (maybe that’s on the robot! :)), and just general kindness. Best of luck to the Danhauer family and their future endeavors! Keep up the incredible work!

Superb Philly cheesesteak and spaghetti. Kind enough to let us park the semi truck long enough to do laundry next door. Super cool robot delivered the meal to the table.

My husband and I really wanted to try the gelato, but since we were doing the Nebraska Passport program, we had already had ice cream three times that day! So we got an order of onion rings which were pretty good with ranch which was very good. My husband was excited to find a jar of bacon jam to purchase while we were there. And how fun was the robot delivering our food!

Yes, yes indeed, Italy is actually in Aurora, NE! Awesome gelato, fun robot that delivers your meal, easy for group dining, and tons of parking. The smoked prime rib was especially good too! Fantastic local husband and wife owners. Highly recommended!

I have been here at least five times. The staff has always been super friendly, the food has been fantastic every time. I would highly recommend.

Yum Yum Yum!!! I want to try everything!! All the food was amazing! Can’t wait to stop here again! We made the 3 mile trip from I80 to get here and it was worth the stop. The place is nicely set up and has a drive thru and lots of parking.

Both paninis and gelato were delicious. Nice atmosphere and left with a few other goodies. An excellent short stop off of I-80. There is even a playground close by if you are traveling with kids.

**Fun, Flavorful, and Perfect for Families!** We had such a great experience at **Jo Jo's Gelato and Grill**! This place has something for everyone—delicious food, a fun vibe, and even a *robot that delivers your meal* (my 3-year-old was completely fascinated!- ok we were fascinated too). I had the **pulled pork sandwich** and wow—it was amazing! The sauce was sweet (not spicy), which was a perfect match for the tender meat. The **garlic cheese curds** were absolutely *bomb*—crispy, cheesy, and full of flavor. And let me just say, the **fries** tasted fresh and appeared homemade—golden, crunchy, and perfectly seasoned. We ordered a ham and cheese panini for my little guy. He wasn’t a fan of the pepper or the bread, but he happily munched on the ham, cheese curds, and fries—so I’d still call that a win! The highlight for him was definitely the Italian ice which was a great treat to top off the meal. All around, a fantastic spot with great food, fun tech, and a family-friendly feel. We’d definitely come back! Just passing thru, camping at a sweet lil hideaway at Streeter Park.