The Rome IndexThe Rome gelato guide
How to find real gelato, what everything is called, and which flavours to try first.
Spotting artigianale gelato
Covered metal tins rather than piled-up display mountains, muted natural colours (pistachio is grey-green, not lime; raspberry is dark burgundy, not hot pink), and a short seasonal menu are the reliable signals. Stainless steel lids on the tubs keep the product at the right temperature and away from the air that degrades flavour.
The vocabulary
Una pallina (one scoop), due palline (two scoops), in cialda (in a cone), in coppetta (in a cup). Crema means egg-custard based; frutta means fruit-based and usually dairy-free. Fior di latte (pure cream) is the benchmark flavour for judging a gelato shop's quality — if it's good, the rest will be too.
Flavours to try
Pistacchio di Bronte (Sicilian pistachio, intensely savoury), nocciola (hazelnut, particularly good when it tastes of real nuts rather than Nutella), crema all'uovo (rich egg custard), and any seasonal fruit in summer — particularly fragola (strawberry) and melone (cantaloupe).