The Best Ice Cream in Rome? One Man's Journey
It's July and serious eaters' gustatory thoughts turn to ice cream. Every city has its creamy delights, its "drips-run-down-the-side-of-your-face" pleasures, and here at Serious Eats we have decided to explore the ice cream culture of every state and city we can, in the US and beyond. Today we explore the Eternal City, Rome. We have been inspired to do so by a enlightening (hey, it is the Eternal City) story in the New York Post by David Appell. I like his fundamental premise: "Partly because of its size, the Eternal City has some of the finest gelaterie on the planet. Unfortunately (and any New York City bagel lover can understand this) there are plenty of hacks gelato serving gelato-ish--bluntly, people who don't know from it." Sounds like Appell subscribes to the Serious Eats mantra: Passionate, Discerning, Inclusive
Appell's Top Five:
Giolitti: 107-year-old original location near the Pantheon, Belle Epoque setting with lots of marble and mirrors; his favorites: gianduia, chocolate, semi-freddo ai torroncino (runny pink ice cream cake), Via Uffici del Vicario 40, one other location
Al Settimo Gelo (Seventh Gelato Heaven) NE of the Vatican in the Prati neighborhood near Piazza Mazzini, very friendly service; Appell's favorites: a la Barolo, cardamon, "Iranian" (cream with rosewater, saffron, and pistachio) Via Vodice 21/A
Gelarmony: vaulted space also in Prati; Sicilian orientation; Appell's picks: cannoli, cassata (ricotta/candied fruit), profumi di Sicilia (jasmine), vitamine dell'Etra(orange, lemon, and grapefruit). Get your ice cream on a brioche. It's what Sicilians do. Via Marcantonio Colonna 34, one other location
Alla Scala: located in a small piazza across from the baroque Santa Maria della Scala church in the Trastavere neighborhood; Appell's picks: pear, pineapple, kiwi, banana, fragola (strawberry), or frutti di bosco (forest berries). Via della Scala 51
San Crispino: Two blocks from the Trevi Fountain; Appells favs: Vahlrona cocoa, the zabaione (Custard made with reserve Marsala) and the house San Crispino--cream subtly sweetened with honey. Appell's complaints: you can't window shop (the bins have lids), don't ask for a sample (not gonna happen) and don't think of sitting down (you can't). San Crispino is my personal fave in Rome, but Appell is spot on when it comes to the place's attitude. But I had a grapefruit ice cream there that I still remember every lick of. Via della Panetteria 42, two other locations.
For a third opinion on San Crispino here's my friend Faith Willinger's take on it.
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5 Comments:
All gelato is good in Rome, as is the pasta, bread, and espresso. Here, it makes sense to search out the "Best." There, you can get a killer spaghetti at the airport Holiday Inn (yes, there is one, a shuttle ride from Fiumicino... .)
Sandro at 11:51AM on 07/12/07
Giolitti's gianduia is so good that I've broken my "no one flavor twice" rule for it. The best part--no matter what size you choose, you always get to pick three flavors; it's just the size of the scoop that differs. Unfortunately, their array is so vast that getting to pick three doesn't make the choice that much easier.
klg19 at 11:52AM on 07/12/07
I have to agree I never had a bad meal or the most heavenly gelato anywhere in Italy
Rae729 at 2:14PM on 07/12/07
I will throw my support behind Giolitti's. In my four days in Rome we went there three times. So delicious.
capndesign at 2:42PM on 07/12/07
I have to agree again with placing Giolitti's at the top of the list. My first visit to Rome my friend and I went all five days, and each day each of us got three different flavors. 2 x 3 x 5 = almost all of their varieties--but not quite.
The gianduia is transcendant. They have a fruits-of-the-woods berry flavor that will also bring tears to your eyes. Oh, man, and the tiramisu flavor! But, truly, you can't go wrong no matter which you choose.
klg19 at 11:18PM on 06/22/08