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Rome’s 15 Best Ice Cream & Gelato Shops

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Hello, fellow Italy lovers! Buongiorno, buongiorno – let’s talk about some of the best ice cream shops in Rome today, shall we?

We’re in the dead of summer, and while walking around the prettiest Roman neighborhoods, a lick or two of beautiful pistachio ice cream makes sense.

Who doesn’t love a wee bit of sugar in their lives?

There are plenty of beautiful traditional Roman desserts to try, but proper Italian gelato is a must-eat while on a trip to Rome!

Rome’s 15 Best Ice Cream & Gelato Shops

There’s honestly nothing a traditional Italian gelato can’t fix – stress or heartbreak!

After a visit to the famous Porta Portese market for amazing vintage and secondhand clothes, dessert always feels like a good idea.

There are many cool bakeries in Rome to get great pastries, but when it’s hot AF, what we need is ice cream.

And the Italian way of making gelato is so amazing, why shouldn’t we enjoy every last bit of it?

Best Ice cream in Rome: Venchi

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Photo: Venchi

Venchi’s location near Trevi Fountain and Via del Corso makes is a great place to start if you’re looking for the best ice cream in Rome.

There’s often a queue there, but with Venchi being located a couple of minutes on foot away from the beautiful Pantheon, it’s pretty understandable.

The gelato shop is one of the most famous in Rome, and offers an incredible range of chocolates crafted following Piedmont chocolate-making techniques as well

Venchi carries a lot of history that ooze through every cone, every flavor, every frescoed wall.

So if you’re about to pop by some of Rome’s makeup shops or want to discover new bookshops, stop by Venchi first.

It’s really worth the wait!

Pro-tip: If you’re staying near the Pantheon, pay a visit to Dolce Rotonda for breakfast or snacks.

Breakfast in Rome is utterly important, and Dolce Rotonda offers the tastiest pastries in town, including decadent maritozzi!

Read: The Best Cafes to Work in Rome

Best Ice cream in Rome: Gelateria S.M. Maggiore

You can easily walk from the Termini station to reach Gelateria S.M. Maggiore, which offers completely handmade, natural ice cream.

It is probably one of the best hidden food gems in Rome, especially considering that the prices at Gelateria S.M. Maggiore are quite affordable.

Nearby, you have one of the most beautiful basilicas in Rome, Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, with golden frescoes and intricate art you won’t see anywhere else in your life.

Nuts, figs, yogurt and pear – Gelateria S.M. Maggiore crafts artistic flavor combinations you shouldn’t miss for the world.

Read: The Best Restaurants in Trastevere

Best gelato in Rome: FataMorgana

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Photo: FataMorgana

FataMorgana is considered a franchise since it counts several shops scattered around Rome, and we have here natural, high-quality ingredients and phenomenal flavor combos.

At FataMorgana, the flavors change seasonally, so you’re sure to always find something new to try.

And that is the mark of a spot which would sell the best ice cream in Rome, isn’t it?

Maria Agnese Spagnuolo, the skillful artist behind the mesmerizing chain truly crafts incredible flavors – chocolate, spirits, coffee, seeds, nuts, fruits, honey…

All that and more, and perfect for true blue gelato lovers!

Read: The Best Jewish Ghetto Restaurants in Rome

Best gelato in Rome: Gelateria della Palma

Established in 1978, Gelateria della Palma is one of the best ice cream shops in Rome, and that’s not only because of their high quality gelato.

No, that’s also because Gelateria della Palma is one of the only gelaterie in Rome which offers over 150 flavors.

It’s also a coffee shop in which you can enjoy beautiful macarons and hot drinks, right in the heart of one of the most beautiful areas of Rome.

Visiting Gelateria della Palma is a blast when you’re visiting Rome for the first time and looking for gelato shops, especially when you see they have about 10 different chocolate ice cream flavors.

Good news!

They also have flavors crafted from soya as well as milk-free, gluten-free and sugar-free recipes – so definitely here one of the best ice cream shops in Rome!

Read: The Best Places to Study in Rome

Best ice cream in Rome: Gelateria del teatro

Gelateria del Teatro is possibly one of the most famous places to eat in Rome, and garners daily commotion and queues of tourists and locals desperately waiting for a tasty gelato.

Amongst the flavors you’ll find there, lavender and white peach, chocolate, pistachio, hazelnut, honey and lemon…

Everything at Gelateria del Teatro is dairy, egg and gluten-free, so you’re also safe if you’re following a specific diet!

Read: The Most Instagrammable Places in Rome

Best gelato in Rome: La Gourmandise

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Photo: Itinari

Chef Dario Benelli is the face and mastermind behind La Gourmandise (greed in French), a very quirky ice cream shop.

Raspberry and rosewater, Sicilian pistachio, dark chocolate and local fruit all taste better than the previous one, and that means you will come back to La Gourmandise.

Everyone who visits does, and after all, how many gelaterie in Rome make their ice cream with goat milk?

It’s true that La Gourmandise is located off center, since you’ll find the gelato shop in Monterverde Vecchio.

However, the whole area is quaint, really one of the most secret places in Rome, and every flavor is worth the trip and the wait once there.

Read: The Most Instagrammable Restaurants in Rome

Best ice cream in Rome: Al Settimo Gelo

Chef Mirella Fiumanò is a self-taught artist in the kitchen who has opened Al Settimo Gelo (play on words with ‘Al Settimo Cielo’, seventh heaven) in the beautiful Prati neighborhood.

Blackberry sorbet, sheep-milk ricotta and caramelized figs, cardamom-based Aghan gelato…

You’ll find all kinds of really exotic, creative flavors in this quaint ice cream shop.

If you’re willing to really try some of the best food in Rome, Al Settimo Gelo should be on your bucket list!

Read: The Most Instagrammable Cafes in Rome

Best gelato in Rome: Otaleg

Otaleg crafts new ice cream flavors pretty often, so if there’s one you like, maybe one visit won’t be enough.

If you’re on the hunt for the best gelato in Trastevere, you’ll find at Otaleg all-natural ice cream with Greek pistachio, mango, dark chocolate chips, fava beans with Pecorino cheese…

In a country like Italy, where gelato is an institution, it simply makes sense that we would find some crazy flavors here and there.

The ice cream making process is a serious thing at Otaleg, which makes for the perfect destination for dessert after a great plate of tonnarelli cacio e pepe in a nearby pasta restaurant.

Read: The Best Halal Restaurants in Rome

Best ice cream in Rome: Günther Gelato Italiano

Günther Gelato Italiano opened in 2012 near Campo de’ Fiori, one of the most touristy areas in Rome.

The large piazza is where you’ll find one of the best markets in Rome, with fresh fruit, homeware, and street food to try again and again.

That’s also where you’ll find a cool place to have breakfast in the morning, TabaCafe, which also offers amazing light bites at night.

Günther Gelato Italiano focuses on a careful selection of their ingredients, with seasonal fruit, water from the Plose mountain, organic milk and partnerships with local farmers.

If you end up visiting, make sure to try the Ricotta stregata or the mug pine gelato – two of the most interesting ice cream flavors at Günther Gelato Italiano!

Read: The Best Vegan Restaurants in Rome

Best gelato in Rome: Palazzo del Freddo Giovanni Fassi Gelateria

Fassi Gelateria is located in the Esquilino neighborhood, behind Termini station, so you’re basically in one of the most central areas of Rome.

One of the best digital nomad accommodations in Rome is located nearby, the YellowSquare hostel, with amazing rooms and even a coworking space.

At Fassi Gelateria, one of the oldest gelaterie in Rome, you’ll be able to try the best semifreddi (frozen dessert), and ice creams crafted with century-old technique since 1880.

Sicilian style brioches with gelato, eggnog flavor, cakes – you’ll find plenty of amazing things to eat at Fassi Gelateria!

Read: The Best Cheap Eats in Rome

Best ice cream in Rome: Brivido Gelateria

Brivido Gelateria was established in 1986, and has since then been offering traditional, artisan gelato.

Vegan and sugar free options are available there, and some flavors are even inspired by regional cakes.

The vegan ice cream flavors are some of the most popular of the gelateria located in Aventino, close to some of the best hidden gems in Rome, like the Aventino keyhole.

Peanut butter, chocolate, mango, pistachio…

It’s hard to think of a flavor Brivido Gelateria does not offer.

Affordable, a visit to Brivido Gelateria makes for one of the most romantic things to do in Rome when it’s super hot and you want to share a moment!

Read: The Most Instagrammable Restaurants in NYC

Best gelato in Rome: Neve di Latte

Neve di Latte has two branches in Rome, one in Prati, one of the poshest areas in Rome, and one close to the Museum of Contemporary Art and Architecture.

Minimalist, modern, Neve di Latte focuses on biodynamic and all-organic ingredients that result in the best ice cream in Rome.

When walking around Prati, discovering new buildings and beautiful streets, an ice cream from Neve di Latte is an amazing way to further relax.

Make sure to try their maple syrup and crumble if you’re near one of the shops – unusual, tasty, it lingers in the mind!

Read: The Prettiest Neighborhoods in Paris

Best gelato in Rome: Fiordiluna

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Photo: Fiordiluna

If you’re looking for the best gelato in Trastevere, a visit to Fiordiluna will make you realize that minimalism can do wonders.

Indeed, Fiorduluna is a small shop, very unique, pure even, with an incredible selection of tastes.

Yes, it might be very minimalist, but the team also works with smaller producers so we can get high-quality season fruits and fresh ingredients blended in creamy gelato.

One of the most interesting flavors at Fiordiluna is chocolate with Sichuan pepper, a nice way to introduce your tastebuds to new things!

The gelateria is considered a trendy place around the famous Trastevere neighborhood, ever since it opened about thirty years ago, really.

There are plenty of things to do in Trastevere, and some pizza or pasta, tiramisu, or gelato are great homages to the exquisite moment you’ll spend there.

Read: The Best Harry Potter Things to Do in London

Best ice cream in Rome near Pantheon: Fiocco di Neve

Fiocco di Neve is possibly the best ice cream in Rome near Pantheon, with different flavors that can also suit non-sweet-tooths like me.

Experiment with ricotta ice cream with pistachio and mint chocolate, or try something more classic like tiramisu.

If you don’t have yet the time to find the best tiramisu in Rome, tiramisu is just as good, if not better, when the weather in Rome is hot.

For those who need gluten free ice cream, you’ll find what you need at Fiocco di Neve, with flavors like coffee or affogato to enjoy while walking around.

Read: The Best Things to Do in London Bridge

Best gelato in Rome: Time Out in Ostia

Remember when we talked about taking day trips from Rome from time to time, to enjoy the stunning nature around?

There are lots of cute villages around Rome that are worth a sight, and one of those small towns is Ostia, on the outskirts of the city.

Ostia also offers, by the way, one of the best beaches around Rome – not the most turquoise, but definitely the closest and cheapest to access.

Actually, when traveling to Rome solo, it’s always a good idea to spend a day in Ostia and Ostia Antica.

Take the Lido train for about thirty minutes from Basilica San Paolo, and you’ll find at Ostia the best ice cream in Rome.

From Kinder ice cream to crema della nonna, one of the most famous ice cream flavors in Italy, and more tangy, fruity sorbets, Time Out Ostia has it all.

The best part?

It’s really affordable, and you can enjoy in Ostia some of the best sunsets in Rome!

Read: The Most Wonderful Lipsticks to Buy in Paris

Rome’s 15 Best Ice Cream & Gelato Shops

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There you have them, all the spots to get the best ice cream in Rome!

Hopefully, you’ll have found here a couple of your new favorites – Venchi and Gelateria Della Palma are two sure spots to get the most delicious gelato in Rome!

Until next time!

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