Step aside ice cream, gelato has entered the chat. An ice cream lover at heart, I can confidently state that this article highlights one of my favorite indulgences and an area of expertise that has minimal use other than for providing recommendations. Lucky for you, that’s what I’m here for!
Spending four months galavanting through the streets of Florence, Italy, I had my fair share of good food. The pasta is a new level of noodle creation I didn’t know existed, the mere scent of a panini made my mouth water, and the pizza is made with such fresh ingredients that it’s actually not bad for your diet. I’m sure my eating the whole pie in one sitting is not technically healthy, but that’s beside the point. So the food is next level, you get the point (and if you don’t, just wait until my article about Florence’s best restaurants). But the gelato...is out of this world. So unreal that I made it my meal on more nights than I can count on two hands. If that doesn’t scream to you how unbelievable it is, I'm not sure what will.
You guys are in luck because not only will you receive my personal recommendations, but also those of the only two girls who consumed more cones of gelato than I did - my good friends Sydney & Bella! We’re here to give you the details on real compared to fake gelato, the best shops in and outside of the city center, and our favorite orders.
The Basics
First, let’s cover our bases. What is gelato? Simply put, it’s the Italian term for ice cream. However, the two differ in production methods which causes the difference in taste, texture, and nutrition. To compare the frozen desserts briefly, The Kitchn states it best by describing ice cream as “fluffy and full of fat,” whereas gelato is “dense and intense.” Where ice cream is made with more cream and egg yolk and churned at a fast speed to increase volume, gelato is produced with more milk, less cream, and churned at a low speed to create a dense volume. Lastly, gelato has a more intense flavor because it incorporates less fat into the product, which allows the ingredients to show off. Check out more differences between the two at The Kitchn!
What’s also important to note is that there is imposter gelato out there. You do not want your first impression of gelato to be of anything other than the authentic kind, so here is how to spot the fake ones. First warning sign can be spotted before you even enter the gelateria, and that is by simply looking at the frozen treats. “If the gelato is piled sky high in its container, it’s fake and not fresh,” stated Sydney. It’s true, and the best gelaterias will store their products in containers that are out of sight until you’re either hovered over the glass peaking at the collection or until they lift the lid. Also, real gelato is stored in metal containers, not plastic! Another red flag is the coloring. Like most foods, if it’s neon in hue, it’s probably full of dyes and preservatives. It’s no different with gelato, as these products should be natural in color and not a shade from a strobe light. And if you breezed right past those warnings and actually bought a cone of fake gelato, you’ll notice the poor quality texture. “Real gelato is dense, while fake is more fluffy with air bubbles in it,” said Bella. So, beware of the imposters out there and stick to the real deal! Life in Italy has more tips on how to spot the differences between the two kinds if you want to learn more.
The Recomendations
Now for the moment you’ve been waiting for...the best gelaterias in Florence! Brought to you by a few avid sweets lovers, here are our top recommendations for when you’re in this beautiful city:
Gelataria de Neri: frequented often by us all, this shop has such a wide variety of fresh flavors to choose from and is one of my top two gelaterias. My favorite combination here was one scoop of Stracciatella (vanilla with chocolate chunks) and one scoop of Strawberry sorbet. Delish!
Gelateria La Carraia: While located on both sides of the Arno, our favorite location was in the Oltrano and was the go to spot many nights. Favorite flavor here was definitely the Baccio, which is chocolate and hazelnut, with the Arachidi Salate a close second (peanut butter).
Sbrino - Gelatificio Contadino: My top recommendation for gelato in Florence is right here at Sbrino in the Oltrano neighborhood. The Speculoos Biscuit flavor is simply put, out of this world, and my most ordered here. The Stracciatella and the Nebrodi Hazelnut are also phenomenal flavors worth trying, as well as, their seasonal sorbets!
La Fontana: A smaller shop, but one Bella adored nonetheless. “I got the Tiramisu gelato in a cone and wow...the perfect balance of creamy, sweet, and icy,” Bella stated. Follow her ice cream Instagram account @ice_ice_bella for more reviews and photos of the shops we loved!
La Strega Nocciola: Sydney frequented the Oltrano location of this shop and gives a great review of their gelato! “They’re one of the shops that stores the products out of sight,” Sydney said, so you know it’s all fresh ingredients.
What makes Florence’s gelato scene so special is that it has a bunch of small gelaterias scattered throughout the city for you to try. It’s not just name brands and chain stores that you’d see all over bigger cities, but rather more local places with a community oriented business model. The staff at Gelateria de Neri and Sbrino had always warmly welcomed us, allowed us to taste test flavors so we can experience new flavor varieties, and treated us kindly like you would with family. That’s something special in itself, but we all also found that Florence truly does have the best gelato compared to other Italian cities we traveled to. Maybe we’re biased because we lived, loved, and breathed all things Firenze, but how can you not with all the wonders this city offers?! Upon your visit to Florence, be sure to try some of our recommended spots and tag me in your photos. And now that you’ve got our inside scoop, go treat yourself to one!