Italy offers so many bucket-list-worthy experiences — sipping prosecco at a piazza-side cafe in Venice, lounging on Sardinia’s postcard-worthy beaches, zooming past Roman ruins on the back of a scooter, or searching out the best gelato in Italy!— that you could quickly lose count.
For us, food travelers, no trip to Italy is complete without seeking out a few iconic dishes. Yes, there are a lot of classic Italian desserts we adore. But it’s hard to beat a crispy waffle cone packed sky-high with handmade Italian gelato (I’m a pistachio and stracciatella gelato gal).
Unfortunately, though, not all gelato is created equal. Many things you find in Italy don’t come from quality ingredients. So, how are you supposed to find the best gelato in Italy? We’ve got you covered!
Benvenuto To A Non-Gelato-Shaming Zone
As a gelato enthusiast (who makes her own homemade gelato), I’ve had my share of outstanding and not-so-great. I’ve embarked on extensive hunts in many Italian cities for a top-notch shop or gelateria (pronounced “geh-lah-teahr-eeah”). Is it worth the effort to find the best gelato in Italy by seeking out a spot that makes artisan gelato using simple, local ingredients? Absolutely.
To be honest, even so-called bad gelato can still hit the spot. If you want to enjoy a couple of scoops as you meander cobblestone streets at sunset, you don’t need to investigate every gelateria in town. We’re not here to shame you for your gelato choices but rather to show you what to look for when you want to try the best gelato in Italy.
The Difference Between Gelato And Ice Cream
Before we talk about how to find the best gelato in Italy, let’s discuss how it’s unique.
Gelato is often referred to as “Italian ice cream,” but there are distinct differences. The main ingredients between gelato and ice cream match up — dairy, sugar, and eggs — but the proportions vary. Gelato uses fewer eggs or sometimes no eggs at all and more milk and less cream, so it has a lower fat content.
Also, it gets churned at a slower rate, so it contains less air. The result? A more dense, more flavorful dessert.
The key to that intense flavor is the temperature. Have you ever gotten a scoop of gelato, headed outside to take a photo, and noticed it already dripping down your hand? That’s because it’s stored at a temperature 10-15°F warmer than ice cream.
So it melts quickly, but it’s allowing you to experience the flavors fully.
Not All Gelato Is Created Equal
The truth is, to be the best gelato in Italy, it must be artisan, handmade gelato made with natural, locally sourced ingredients. Why? It is simply a superior product. Everything is balanced, so even a small scoop is satisfying, and this is what all the best gelatos in Italy have in common.
Subpar gelaterie use a powder mix, and you can taste it — it often has a sticky, slightly grainy texture that unpleasantly coats your mouth. You’ll find you chase the flavor with more bites until you’ve filled yourself up on sugar, but oddly still crave something more.
How To Find The Best Gelato In Italy
Fortunately, you can spot the differences between poorly made gelato and a well-made artisan gelato without purchasing a cone — here’s what you need to know to separate the best from the rest.
Observe The Gelateria
The hunt for the best gelato in Italy begins before you step foot in the shop, because you can learn a lot about a gelateria by simply peeking inside.
First, get off the beaten path. Though it’s not a hard and fast rule, gelaterie in the heart of the tourist district often won’t use an artisanal process. Those shops cater to tourists, so they can compromise on quality and charge more, leaving out-of-towners none the wiser.
Decor also reveals a lot. Amazing gelato doesn’t require an enormous plastic ice cream statue outside or heaps of colorful, eye-catching LED lights. Some of my best experiences have been at dimly lit shops with a few wobbly chairs.
Finally, the gelato storage containers reveal a lot about the quality. It is best stored and displayed in metal tubs, as they better regulate temperature. In other words, if you see plastic containers, search elsewhere.
Look For The Magic Words
To find authentic gelato, look for it labeled as artigianale (artisanal) and fatto a casa (made in-house). However, no industry-wide organization regulates the use of these terms, so it’s not a guaranteed way to find the best gelato in Italy. For example, some gelaterie will say theirs is made on-site but still use a powder mix.
Luckily, the ingredients list won’t lie. Good gelato shops demonstrate their commitment to quality by putting a list of ingredienti on display (if you don’t spot a list, ask). Avoid places using ingredients like artificial flavorings, colorings, and vegetable oils.
Eat First With Your Eyes
Another tip: take a look. Pop in, say ciao, and examine the offerings to see if you’ve hit the jackpot and found the best gelato in Italy. A solid gelateria will use seasonal ingredients sourced locally. So, if it sells peach gelato in the dead of winter, it isn’t committed to quality.
Also, authentic Italian gelato will look slightly different from what you might envision. Rather than vibrantly colored, sky-high mountains, you’ll find tightly packed metal tubs with lackluster colors. It doesn’t look appetizing, but what it lacks in looks it more than makes up for in flavor.
Due to gelato’s dense quality and higher temperature, gelaterie does this to lure in passers-by. The same goes for bright colors. A neon yellow or fire-engine red gelato likely contains artificial ingredients.
You might find flecks of the key ingredient in the gelato, like tiny bits of watermelon seed in anguria, strawberry seeds in the fragola, or crunchy bits of hazelnut in the nocciola. Finding these little pieces in the gelato means delicious things on the horizon for your taste buds.
The best way to test a shop is to look at the pistachio. It’s a year-round flavor, so it’s a perfect gauge. You’ve probably found authentic Italian gelato if the pistachio has a bland, gray-green hue and chunks of pistachios.
Rely Ton ried and True Italian Gelato Flavors
You could do everything right, but sadly, you still cannot find a shop that passes the test. Still, even a gelateria that doesn’t tick off all the boxes can have a few star flavors, which will almost always taste delicious.
Since they don’t rely on seasonal ingredients, chocolate, stracciatella, and fior di latte will almost always satisfy a craving. If you want something fruity, lemon is a good bet and one you’ll find year-round.
There you have it: you now know how to find the best gelato in Italy. Now it’s time to perfect those skills with lots and lots of taste tests!
Have you found an exceptional gelateria in Italy? Tell us about it in the comments.
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Photo Credit: Man Holding Ice Cream by Lyuba Burakova; Melting Ice Cream by Mattia; Gelato Display by Jen Grantham
