The best italian Gelato in Rome, best gelateria in the Eternal city. You cannot find the best ice creams in the tourist big gelaterias of Rome but in smaller places which produce natural and authentic flavours every day. Ice cream doesn't have to be beautiful, but tasty!!
The first time that we hear about gelato as we know it today (before that, there were only sorbettos), is in Florence when Bernardino Buontalenti, personal chef of Caterina de Medici prepared for the first time a cream with sugar, eggs and ice.
In 1686 the first gelateria in Paris was opened by Procopio dei Coltelli, it was actually called café Procope and became a meeting point for artists and important people of that time.
On top of my favourite gelaterias in Rome are:
1) Otaleg! has the best ice-cream in Trastevere district. There are a few places where you can taste the Roman nocciola, the Roman hazelnut. Otaleg! will be a pleasant surprise for those who are walking through the narrow streets of Trastevere.
2) Hedera, located near the Vatican state on a pretty street called Borgo Pio. The building is covered completely by ivy plants and near is also the famous passetto connecting St Peter's Dome with St Angel s castle. Here 6 creams and 6 fruit tastes are produced every day. My favourite tastes here are the Pistache from Sicily and the Roman Hazelnut DOP.
3) The Gelato of La Romana is the ice-cream Romans like the most. On Sundays and on special occasions you have to wait 5/10 minutes in line. The cones and cups can be filled with delicious tastes and at a very cheap price. There are two shops one near Porta Pia and one near Piramide. If you take the cone don't forget to put some chocolate at the base.
4) San Crispino. Here the flavours are all preserved under different temperatures and are hidden by a cover. Very interesting specialities are the tastes with base Rhon, Whiskey and Marsala.
5) Grom is a chain famous all over the world. In Rome you can find many small Grom shops that are producing gelato every day with high quality raw ingredients coming from all over the world.
6) Fatamorgana is a must when you are walking in the Monti district. Here you can choose among many classical as well as some particular flavours.
7) Venchi. If you like chocolate Venchi has the most delicious chocolate in Rome. In the shop near the Via del Corso a huge fountain of chocolate is pouring chocolate all day. Another Venchi is at Eataly, a huge shopping mall dedicated to high quality food located at the Ostiense Train station, near the Piramide of Rome. Here you can enjoy a delicious ice cream while walking between scaffolds full of italian deliciousness.
8) Gelateria dei Gracchi. The specialty is the Pistachio from Bronte. You cannot choose among many flavours because all products are made every day with seasonal flavours from Italy.
9) Guttilla. Even if outside the ancient city walls, it is worth to take a taxi and enjoy this tasty ice-cream. Located on the Via Nomentana, it is in front of Villa Torlonia, a beautiful green park. After the gelato you can have a stroll in the park and admire the obelisk from the 18th century and the particular owl-house (casina delle civette).
10) Procopio is a gelateria since 1922 at Piazza Re di Roma in Rome. It takes the name from the man who opened the Café Procope, which in Paris sold for the first time gelatos.
