When visiting Rome, eating gelato at least three times a day is acceptable. (As well as eating gelato in the airport at 9 a.m. for breakfast before catching your flight home). Feel no guilt. You are likely to find gelato shops on every street and great ones at that. Before I get to naming off the best gelato shops in the city, it’s important to know how to spot a great gelato shop when visiting anywhere in Italy.
1. Always look at the colors of the gelato. Only the best stuff will have more natural colors. Gelatos with vibrant colors are more likely to have artificial dyes added to them.
2. The height of the gelato in the containers also says a lot. Avoid shops that have high mounds of gelato. Seems like something that wouldn’t matter, but it all comes down to the texture of quality gelato. Gelato is much softer than ice cream and naturally shouldn’t be able to keep form when piled high. If you go into a shop and the gelato is piled high, it means there are additives added to keep it from losing form.
3. Look out for the containers being used. Gelatos in metal containers are a tell-tale sign of quality. Even better are containers with lids on them. This shows that the shops care about keeping the gelato at the proper temperature.
So, what’s the difference between gelato and ice cream?
For a girl who works in an ice cream shop, I get asked this question a lot. Gelato is much denser compared to ice cream and is kept at a warmer temperature, making it much softer. Another major difference is the fat content. Gelato is made with a lower percentage of fat.
With all this new information, you won’t have a problem finding the highest quality gelato in Italy, but here is a list of the top gelato shops in Rome to get you started. There’s not much more you need to know about these shops other than the gelato is great, the customer service is great, and the atmosphere is great.
1. Gelateria Fatamorgana
2. Gelateria dell’Angeletto
3. Gelateria dei Gracchi
4. Gelateria San Crispino
5. Gelateria del Teatro
6. Giolitti
7. Neve di Latte
8. Cremilla
9. Gelateria Artigianale- I stumbled upon this place one night and it ended up being my favorite! For some reason when I went to save it on maps after I had left, the name of the shop didn’t pop up. I was eventually able to narrow down the address of the place so here it is, otherwise, you won’t be able to find it. You’ll know you’re there if you see an Irish pub across from it.
Via del Governo Vecchio 52
00186 Rome, Italy
Extra!
You really can't go wrong with flavors to pick from! My personal favorites were Amarena, a sweet cherry gelato, as well as Nutella (obviously, since it's Italy). Lemon is also really great if you're looking for something more refreshing!
If you're really unsure of what flavor to pick, ask whoever is helping you, what the most popular flavors are, and their personal favorites. This will help you narrow down your options. Samples are always great too!
