Gelato in Rome is unlike any ice cream you’ve had before, with fresh and natural ingredients, seasonal flavours, and daily in-house creations. No trip to Rome is complete without a stop (or three!) at a traditional gelateria for this famous Italian dessert – and you don’t need to wait for the temperatures to heat up to enjoy it. The locals know that gelato is a year-round love affair. Whether you like to indulge in this sweet treat for morning tea or during an evening stroll, there are a few gelaterias in Rome that stand out from the rest. From the first gourmet gelateria to historic shops dishing it up for decades, here is our guide to Rome’s best gelato.
FataMorgana
FataMorgana’s motto is “no tricks, just nature”, and that’s exactly what you’ll get at this beloved gelato shop. Created by Maria Agnese Spagnuolo, the shop uses natural and organic ingredients. They also dream up fairytale flavours that you won’t find anywhere else.
Try out the charming Thumbelina with Sorrento walnuts, rose petals and violet flowers, or the Snow White with vanilla, apple and raspberry. There’s even the Kiss of the Prince with decadent lashings of hazelnut and chocolate. We also love the whimsical flavours like Thought with ginger, horseradish, lemon peel and pink grapefruit.
FataMorgana also has vegan, nut, dairy and gluten-free options, so everyone can tuck into their delicious gelato. With nine locations across Rome, you’ll never be far from FataMorgana’s charming delights.
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Come Il Latte
Tucked away on a side street in the Sallustiano quarter, Come Il Latte serves up one the best gelato experiences in our guide to Rome. Chef Nicoletta Chiacchiari has carefully designed a beautiful interior and you’ll first be awed by your gorgeous surroundings before checking out the incredible gelato flavours.
There’s all kinds of infusions like ricotta with caramelised figs and hazelnut, mascarpone with Gentilini cookies, and brie, blueberry and caramelised hazelnuts. You’ll also find classic flavours like rich chocolate, creamy lemon sorbet and even gelato tiramisu. Best of all, everything from the gelato to the wafers is made onsite, with milk from grass-fed cows and local farm produce.
There are also sugar-free and vegan flavours. Plus, if you want a flavour combo not already available, the chef will whip it up for you on the spot! Don’t miss the special fountain which flows with dark and white chocolate into the crisp wafer cones.
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Fiordiluna
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Located in the heart of the historic Trastevere neighbourhood, Fiordiluna has been serving up delicious gelato for almost 30 years. This small, colourful shop takes a minimalist approach to their gelato. There are only a few special ingredients in each flavour and they use little sugar. The result is fresh, high-quality gelato and incredible flavours like black cherry ripples and custard and cookies.
Aldo, the owner, ensures his shop only uses ingredients from small producers and local, fair-trade farmers. While he focuses on classic flavours like chocolate, coffee and lemon, you’ll come across the occasional twist. One of the beloved favourites is duetto, a mix of pistachio and hazelnut. It was created when Aldo accidentally dropped a bag of Piemonte hazelnuts into the pistachios.
Fiordiluna is a family business with a truly authentic touch. You’ll find stone-ground pistachios, speciality machines that produce gelato onsite, and unique, local ingredients like donkey’s milk. The shop also creates bean-to-bar chocolates for the perfect souvenir to take home – you’ll never forget Fiordulina!
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Otaleg
Otaleg – gelato spelt backwards – has quickly become a crowd favourite in Rome, thanks to its incredible gelato and open-view workshop. With a slow-making process and high-quality ingredients, you’ll adore this smooth and incredibly fresh gelato. You’ll also find different flavour combinations every day, based on seasonal produce and revered artisan Marco Radicioni’s imagination.
Some of the most outstanding flavours are the eggnog with Marsala wine, the cacio e pepe with Pecorino cheese and fava beans, and the beetroot sorbet. We also love mango with dark chocolate chips, passionfruit with cocoa beans, and gorgonzola with blond chocolate and hazelnut. If you’re after something more classic, you’ll also find flavours like strawberry and pistachio.
Gelateria dei Gracchi
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This famous gelateria was one of Rome’s first gourmet gelaterias, opened by Alberto Manassei, a renowned gelato guru. Its first location was in the Prati neighbourhood, close to the Vatican. Today there are four branches across Rome, so you’re never far from this incredible gelato experience.
Lines regularly run out the door, but it’s always worth the wait. Everything is made in house, from roasting nuts to peeling fresh fruit. You won’t find any artificial colours or preservatives here, and there’s even lactose-free and gluten-free options available.
Try out the traditional, seasonal flavours like apple and cinnamon, dark chocolate and orange, or zabaglione, made with egg yolks and Marsala wine. The locals also come here for their addictive bonbons. These are tiny balls of gelato dipped in dark chocolate and covered in chopped nuts. Delicious!
Il Gelato di Claudio Torcè
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A pioneer of all-natural gelato and daring flavours, Claudio Torcè is always a winner in our guide to Rome’s best gelato. There are eight branches and over 100 flavours, ranging from traditional sweet flavours to savoury, bold creations.
Choose from classics like pistachio and eggnog or try something bold like wasabi and capsicum, habanero and gorgonzola cheese. Founder Claudio Torcè is a master of flavour experimentation, so you can’t go wrong, whatever you choose!
Gelateria del Teatro
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Everything about Gelateria del Teatro is the real deal, from the stacks of fresh fruit in the window, to the trays of chocolates on the counter and the draws spilling over with almonds, hazelnuts and pistachios. You can even watch the magic happen in the onsite laboratory where everything is handmade from the crunchy cones to the creamy gelato.
The creative flavours are seasonal and you’ll find dreamy delights like rosemary, honey and lemon. We also love lavender and white peach, and sage and raspberry. The traditional way to enjoy gelato here is in a cone with olive oil and fresh, sugar-free cream on top. There’s also dairy, egg and gluten-free flavours available, so everyone can dig in!
Have you visited any of the gelaterias in our guide to Rome’s best gelato? Where is your favourite place to eat gelato in Rome? Let us know in the comments below! To discover more about this beautiful city, take a look at our Italy destination guide.