Ask a Rome dweller where to find the best gelato, and prepare for a diatribe on the topic. Even beyond the ingredients, texture, or ambiance of the shop where it’s served, what constitutes “the best” is also a sum of neighborhood pride, openness to innovation, and backstory. Over the past two decades, Roman gelaterie have gradually added to the city’s beloved old-school spots some intrepid gelato “labs” and convenient but quality counter shops all over the city’s map. Whether masters of classic cioccolato or experimental flavors (magnolia flower, Roman “mentuccia” mint, or persimmon, say), these 11 shops both inside the city’s center and beyond are worth seeking out.
A Classic in Centro Storico: Giolitti
Giolitti is Rome’s gelato centurion. The 120-year-old caffe has its original 1940s decor, including the wrap-around bar, parlour tables, and its unforgettable lighted lettering fanning out above the entrance. While every gelato concoction from tartufo to cassata is on the menu, one (or two) of the 50-plus flavors, ungarnished in a cup or cone, is the way most locals go—from suited politicians to uniformed school kids, who are all likely to be in there at the exact same moment. —Via degli Uffici del Vicario, 40
Peak Pistacchio in Prati: Gracchi
Two decades of serving the ideal dense yet fluffy pistacchio scoop—made with intensely flavorful Bronte pistachios—is enough to award Gracchi’s several locations a place on the map. But an additional charm of the business is its minimalist bolthole space in Prati, where mostly Italian is spoken and faithful fans line up outside during the warmer months.
—Via dei Gracchi, 272
The World’s Best Ingredients in Prati: Al Settimo Gelo
A neighborhood gelateria through and through (think no frills design, straightforward service, and a steady flow of regulars), this place has an astounding sense for sourcing: Iranian saffron, organic orange blossom honey, raisins from Pantelleria, and Verdelli Siciliani lemons from a family-owned farm all make an appearance in the flavors. —Via Vodice, 21
A Family Affair in Sant’Eustachio: Corona
From the street, this tiny, unassuming storefront might look like any other business in Centro Storico, but owner Giancarlo, his son Alessandro, and his daughter Viviana take turns behind the counter and in the back lab making sure that’s not the case. Among the modest number of offerings, legends like the dark chocolate with rum and prunes or the stracciatella are balanced with homerun novelties like fresh kumquat. They also make granita, saturated with ripe seasonal fruit, like lemon, gelsi (mulberry), or a perfect strawberry. —Largo Arenula, 27
Peak Caffè Culture in Campo Marzio: Ciampini
Not just a gelato bar, Ciampini is a highly posh sit-down caffè in the center of Rome, where visiting among the Romans is an immersive experience. The owner’s grandfather, founder of the city’s famous Tre Scalini restaurant, invented Rome’s widely known tartufo dessert—a little frozen chocolate bomb, there made with 13 types of chocolate. Ciampini’s own cioccolato fondente (dark chocolate) gelato, doused with whipped cream made in house, is—no surprise—one of their most superlative flavors. —Piazza di S. Lorenzo in Lucina, 29
Quality Obsessed in Sallustiano: Come Il Latte
At this counter-service-only bar that does things the old way, the cones are handmade and the menu features a whole subsection of ricotta-based gelati, like ricotta fichi caramellate e nocciole (ricotta, caramelized fig, and hazelnuts). They also serve frozen yogurt and cremolati, a type of pulpy, ripe fruit slushy. Located in the central but still niche Sallustiano neighborhood, it’s walking distance from Termini Station, but far enough to be off the radar of tour groups. —Via Silvio Spaventa, 24/26
Goat Milk in Monteverde: La Gourmandise
Maker Dario Benelli uses the very specific Maltese goat milk as a canvas for his gelati, infusing it with herbs and spices to form one-of-a-kind flavors. He translated inspiration from Renaissance recipes into specials such as his crema allo zafferano e noci (saffron and walnut cream) gelato and fiordilatte al finocchio selvatico (milk and wild fennel) flavor, and is known for combinations like cioccolato caramèlia al caffè e cardamomo—a chocolate caramel with coffee and cardamom. —Via Felice Cavallotti, 36b
