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Recently, gelato/ice cream places have stepped up their creativity game — either that’s inventing new flavors, decorating their interiors to be more Instagram-worthy, or pushing out new marketing campaigns to attract new customers. Caravaggio has done barely any of these. Okay, okay, I got to credit them for their wonderful interior decorations, but their flavors — the essence of what makes or breaks ice cream shops — are not comprised of weird mixtures of multiple flavors or styled with creatively long names. They have genuine flavors like “Brazilian Arabic Coffee,” “Indian Mango,” “Belgian Milk Chocolate,” “Stracciatella,” just to name a few. However, what makes this place stand out is their amazing craftsmanship in making gelato. Not only every flavor I have tasted is absolutely delicious, the owners’ commitment to making great gelato is impeccable. (Fun fact: The owners are both physicists!) This place is a “hidden gem” on Berkeley Shattuck, but honestly, it shouldn’t be. This place’s gelato far exceeds all the other gelato shops in Berkeley. Additionally, they give you huge scoops. They use fresh ingredients (fresh milk, fresh fruit, etc., I have seen them making gelato) and no sugar. They are gluten-free and have many vegan options. They also change their flavors often, and I am always blown away by their selection.

Freshest Ice Creams – Menu with Prices – 8053 Callaghan Rd, San Antonio

Really good hidden gem in San Antonio. They are right next to the sprouts and a vegan bakery (that also looked tasty), so I guess it is a prime area for vegan options. Their ice cream is lactose free, some made with coconut milk and others with different lactose-free options. The texture is more like gelato than traditional ice cream, and it is SO delicious! I got the trio with Brazilian, Rum, and Dulce de Leche ($5.06). All of the flavors were super good and complex. I think my favorite flavor was rum, I highly recommend it. The owners were so sweet, and you are allowed to try samples of the ice creams before deciding. They also brought out a sample of their tea, and I will definitely be getting a cup of that next time. It smelled like apple cider, and it had a really nice cinnamon flavor. Overall, I liked this place a lot!

Gelato-go Sarasota – Menu with Prices – 14 S Orange Ave, Sarasota

This is the real deal, authentic Italian Gelato in America. You owe it to yourself to try this place. To me, Gelato was synonymous with overpriced ordinary ice cream, until I visited Florence, Italy and had Gelato at a well known place. The Gelato I had in Florence was a 10, the best ice cream I had previously tasted in America was a 6. Since I came back I have had Gelato at dozens of places trying to duplicate my Florence experience. Gelato-go comes the closest. They use Italian machinery, and ingredients imported from Italy. Every flavor I have tried here has been excellent. I rate them 9/10, and far better than any other place I have tried in America. I have made several visits. Their coffee is amazing also.

Five Senses Coffee House Menu with Prices 6010 S Western St #300, Amarillo

I love the location because I love on the South side of town so all of the other coffee shops are farther away and they’re always packed! I also love their coffee – I’m not a coffee connoisseur but I’m not a fan of the coffee in a lot of the places around town but I love this coffee! They have oat milk (I know it sounds crazy, hear me out!) which I’d never heard of but is creamy and tastes good. I hated having whole milk but skim milk makes it taste watery and almond milk has too strong of a taste. Oat milk is my new go – to and it’s all thanks to this place! The people that work there are also super nice and recognize me as a regular, always making conversation and recommending new drinks to try.

Frost Gelato – Menu with Prices – 11800 W Broad St Unit 1058, Richmond

Let’s make one thing clear – gelato is NOT ice cream! You might as well call Chuck E Cheese a pizzeria if the difference is not important to you. For those who appreciate the dense delight that gelato is, Short Pump finally has something worthy of Vivoli’s world famous gelato in Florence, Italy. FROST is a gelato chain found mostly in Arizona and California, and once again, the first east coast outpost finds its way to RVA! Beyond the employees greeting you with “Buena Sera” and “Ciao” it’s the taste that will take you away to the Mediterranean. And certainly do have a taste (or two) before you commit to a flavor. There are so many to choose from that just going in blind may not be to your ultimate advantage. Besides the two dozen gelato flavors that range from the European classic “Straciatella” (I know, you’re looking it up right now) to their unbelievably sinister Dark Chocolate, there are at least a dozen non-dairy sorbetto choices for those who crave the flavor without the dairy. Ask questions, discuss which flavors pair together the best, they will help you. As far as the cost is concerned, yes you are paying more (five bucks for a small) but the quality makes the price you pay worth it. For the toddler who can’t tell the difference between gelato and their soothe toy, this may not be the best use of your money. For for the discerning palate, Frost delivers the frozen goods and puts you right in the middle of Florence where the clock runs just a little slower, especially when eating gelato. So slow down and try some but remember – DON’T call it ICE CREAM!! Prego!

Cool Gelato Italiano – Menu with Prices – 7373 E Scottsdale Mall, Scottsdale

Wow, wow, and wow, Love the owner. He is funny and personable. The coconut Gelato is the bomb! What is “cool” about this place ( pun intended) is that they have other options to hold the Gelato. Yes, they have the cones, but they also have a German pancake crepe sandwich type of option and a make it yourself Macaroon. The Macaroons are imported from France. They put in the Gelato as filling. I have never had a Macaroon that way before and let me tell you, “Delish!!!!!!!!” I definitely want to go back and try the german pancake sandwich. I purchased a bag of cookies and a hazelnut dark chocolate piece of speciality candy too. The candy was to die for. I really did not care too much for the Gluten free cookies though. Of course, that is by no fault of the shop. I am glad I live far away from this place or I would be here daily. Manga! Not sure I get the price comments on other reviews. It is no more than other places for quality dessert. My guess is the rent in Civic Center is high which explains why Peppin’s closed and has not been rerented in years. Yes, the Gelato here is way better than at Gelato Spot plus the owners are delightful. I have never had whipped cream on Gelato, is that common? I am shocked that someone made such a rude comment about the owners being Italian. They were so personable, funny, and kind when I was there tonight. You get what you give I suppose.

Swedish Scoops Homemade Gelato & Coffee Bar – Menu with Prices – 26 N Raymond Ave, Pasadena

Have you been to Sweden? If yes and you’ve been missing their Swedish gelato, then head over to Old Town Pasadena for an incredible treat. For those people like me who haven’t been to Sweden, this is your chance to have a taste of their incredible treat. The shop is crisp and clean with a few tables to sit on. At the back of the store is the gelato lab where you’ll witness through the glass window how the magic begins. The staff is always friendly and accommodating. They had been so patient while I try different flavors. Can’t blame me as all flavors were outstanding making it really difficult to choose just one. Behind the glass shelves are an Assortment of 32 delectable creamy flavors with vegan options. You can try some of the flavors before deciding. Gelato here is made with high quality, fresh ingredients and no artificial sweeteners or preservatives. Gelato could be ordered in a cup, cones or adorable kiddie mugs. Scoops offers not only gelato but also Swedish candies, sundaes, smoothies, pastries, and other treats. The shop is also a coffee bar with hot or cold choices including teas. Sandwiches, salads, or wraps are also available. Talking about the perfect place to sit down for a meal, get coffee, and a scoop of gelato for dessert. Look no further as Swedish Scoops is the right place to be!

Café Gelato – Menu with Prices – 7901 N Kings Hwy, Myrtle Beach

We are on vacation and stumbled upon this gem! We may have been there every day sense First time for gelato- SO good! I may judge pistachio by the color and theirs doesn’t contain food coloring and is the perfect mix of nutty and sweet! Also the portions are huge. I’ve been to gelato places before where it’s literally a half a scoop and served with a tiny spoon… this place’s small is 2 scoops and you can choose 2 different flavors – SCORE. Second time for coffee- let’s be honest most mom and pop places who do espresso can be hit of miss, most of the time big misses… well theirs is quite honestly perfect in my book. And for being a new shop that’s pretty great. Third time for breakfast – breakfast sandwiches were good- nothing extraordinary but they didn’t disappoint! We also got the chance to meet the owner who is wonderfully friendly which is also an added plus! Great for kids, great for a quick breakfast or lunch and there’s always time for gelato! (If I could add anything to the menu it would be an affogato! Y’all already have everything you need to offer the perfect selection! Any scoop of gelato with a shot or 2 of espresso )

SomiSomi Soft Serve & Taiyaki – Menu with Prices – 23330 Grand Cir Blvd Suite 150, Katy

With Houston getting more and more boba shops, it’s only necessary to add ice cream shops too right? I love that Somi Somi is tucked away in Katy Asia Town and its only a 15 minute drive from my job! Compared to Bae, Aqua S, and Sul BingSu, I feel like Somi Somi will give them a run for their money! Within the area, I like how Somi Somi offers different flavors and change out their ice cream swirls ever so often. I’m usually not an ice cream person, but Somi Somi has won me over. Aqua S is decent and Bae is decent too. Bing Su doesn’t even compare to Somi Somi, so I’d recommend you all give this establishment a shot! Flavors: on different occasions, I’ve gotten their ah-bong which is the taiyaki ice cream filled with your choice of filling (red bean, cheddar, taro, custard, nutella and red bean/cream cheese). The first time I went, I ordered the milk tea & matcha ah-bong (upside down of course, so they put it in a cup with the fish on top). IT WAS SUCH AN AMAZING FLAVOR and the filling I got was custard (I’m a sucker for custard filling desserts so this won me over). The second time I went, I ordered the black sea same and milk tea ah bong, upside down and custard filling. Every visit I’ve had, I’ve never had a bad experience here and they’re going to be here for awhile! Can’t wait to see what other rotational flavors and seasonal flavors they will have here! Follow me for more food recommendations in Houston: Instagram.com/TasteWithTee @TastewithTee

Sorella Gelateria – Menu with Prices – 219 N Limestone, Lexington

Over the summer, I read a book called “Love & Gelato.” It’s about a teenager who lost her mother to cancer and went to live with her unknown father in Italy — there’s a summer romance mixed in there. (I recommend this quick read if that’s your thing, otherwise, feel free to ignore the book recommendation.) Well. After I read the book, I realized it had been a good ten years or so since I last had some gelato — the one and only time I’ve ever had *real* gelato before. And. I absolutely had to get some gelato in my stomach sometime soon. Now, I’ve never had gelato in Italy, but know there is a lot of ‘gelato’ out there (I’ve eaten in the ten years since) that isn’t really gelato at all. To find something real, or as close to real as possible, is kind of hard. Did a quick search online and…. Lexington has a place with gelato!! Later that week, after a visit to the Arboretum, I dragged my husband and toddler to Sorella to cool us off, satisfy my gelato craving, and introduce my husband to gelato. Sorella is a beautiful shop in a fun neighborhood of Lexington. We spoke with the store owner and she mentioned that she (or was it her sister?) learned how to make gelato in Italy and brought that knowledge to this gelateria. Delighted, I sampled a variety of amazing flavors before deciding to get the Forest Berry gelato to share with my son, who was going through a berry phrase at the time. My husband picked a chocolate flavor. Friends, this is *REAL* gelato. The flavorful, light & fluffy, delicious gelato that sets it apart from ice cream and similar desserts. And my son, who didn’t like ice cream (I know, right!?) devoured his portion of my berry gelato. My husband, however, who is set in his ways and loves his chocolate ice cream, liked it but was a bit unsure about the gelato texture. Don’t worry… I’ll work with him on that. LOVE, love, love Sorella!!

Passione Gelato – Menu with Prices – 55 Smithe St, Vancouver

Wow, wow, wow. Passione Gelato’s gelato is made straight from love. My brother just moved into the apartment building right across the street and while I was hanging out with him, I was craving something sweet, so we popped on over here to grab some gelato. Sal, the owner was working and greeting everyone as they came in. First off, this spot is located just right outside The Douglas building entrance, so unless you’re around this area you could easily miss it. But let me tell you… this spot is worth searching for. Second, they have an assortment of different flavours ranging from Hojicha to Cherry Nikka. I’m a bit boring when it comes to ice cream, so I got a double scoop of strawberry and tahitian vanilla. This tasted so different than other gelatos I’ve had in the past! Both the strawberry and tahitian vanilla were so creamy and delicious and the texture compared more to ice cream than gelato. While the strawberry was a winner in my book, the tahitian vanilla was my FAVE. Dare I say the best vanilla gelato I’ve had….? It was so creamy with a subtle hint of sweetness and honestly I could eat a whole pint of this. My mom got the passionfruit gelato and my brother just got a hot chocoloate, which were both great, but I still loved mine the most. I’ll definitely be back to try more flavours (let’s be real I’ll probably get one big scoop of that tahitian vanilla next time). Thank you Sal and thank you Passione Gelato!

Amorino Gelato – Menu with Prices – 2965 Oakland Dr, Kalamazoo

Mom and I were out and about this weekend when I told her we’d have to run into Sawall’s for some probiotics and almond milk, some of my typical health-nut stuff. What I didn’t tell her was that I was using it as an excuse to finally try Amorino. But lucky for me I didn’t have to be sneaky about it because when we walked in and she saw the Amorino counter she wandered over there like a moth to the flame, or a fly towards the zapper light, or a June bug towards the window screen. I think you understand what I’m trying to say. Usually a bit of a tightwad with money, she forked over the $16.00 for my cone and her bowl without hesitation and didn’t even count the change when it was handed back to her. “Hi… Mom, are you there?” I’m starting to wonder if the woman was abducted by aliens lately but I’ll worry about that later. The process is a bit cluttered. You pay at the register and then hand your receipt to the next available gelato server and tell them what flavors you’d like to have on your cup or cone – after specifying which you’d like during the paying process. The cluttered part comes with the sampling. Not only can you have as many flavors as you like on your cone or in your cup, you can try as many flavors as you’d like. Regardless, once you do get everything figured out and choose your flavors it is well worth any wait behind people that want to try every.single.flavor. For my cone I stuck with my old favorites from other gelato boutiques, Stracciatella, Tiramisu, and pistachio. Mom basically had the whole kitchen sink; the stuff is delicious. ++++++++++++++++ Located inside Sawall’s Health Food Store in Oakwood Plaza If it’s hotter than 65 outside don’t be like me and take your cone out to the car. Unless you enjoy watching your tasty, tasty gelato melt down your cone, which it seems to do a bit faster than ice cream. Definitely get a cone: It’s fun to watch them create the gelato flower and fun to eat.

A La Mode Gelateria – Menu with Prices – 14254 S Padre Island Dr #101, Corpus Christi

WOW – a gem gelateria with a national reputation from the owner’s appearances on the Food Network (Cooks vs Cons and Cutthroat Kitchen), located in an otherwise nondescript shopping center on Padre Island was an amazing place for outstanding desserts. We are not sure how much longer this place will be located here – parking is difficult and the space is tiny. If the owners keep showing up and kicking butt on the Food Network they will have to find a bigger space – and when they do, we will follow them there — the gelato a crepes are that good! Gelato is made fresh every day, and you can tell from the big flavors and the consistency of the gelato that they don’t cut corners on the quality ingredients! We had the crepe with Nutella and bananas, topped with a scoop of tart, tangy Raspberry sugar free gelato. Adding a scoop of gelato is a $2 upcharge, but the cold gelato paired with the warm crepe and fillings is a wonderful sensory experience well worth the money! ? The raspberry gelato was so delicious, providing needed acidity to offset the sweet stickiness of the ripe banana and the Nutella. Wow that was a great combo, and we hope to have that again one day ? Gelato offerings change daily, so we have hope!! The crepe itself was sweet and tender, thick enough to hold up to the fillings, but not rubbery or over cooked at all. It was just the perfect accompaniment to the fillings we chose, and was made to order with skill on a very cool crepe griddle. Another of our group got the Nutella and strawberry crepe with a scoop of sweet cream gelato – also delightful! We recommend this as a destination place in the Coastal Bend for gelato – go out of your way to come here. You will be glad you did! 5 not-so-secret-anymore stars ?