Artisanal Gelato in Italy - What To Look For

Let’s face it - any gelato is good gelato.

Having said that: To find truly great gelato artigianale (artisanal, or handmade), it helps to know what to look for. Here are a couple of our best tips.

As with all of the places we visit, we do a ton of advance research: We read articles about annual award-winning makers; we read on the websites of the places themselves to see how they describe their gelato-making process; we get recommendations from locals; and of course we visit places in person.

On top of that, there are a few tell-tale signs to look for, that distinguish an artisanal gelateria from a place that serves commercially produced stuff.

Those huge, fluffy, brightly colored piles of gelato you see in shops are so damn appealing to look at; but that’s probably an indication that they’re commercially made. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that - you can still enjoy the hell out of that gelato on a hot day!)

But if you are looking for the “real stuff,” you want to look for the gelato shops that are serving from deep, round metal containers. This is the gelato that is artisan-made, kept away from the elements like air and sun in these secure metal containers. It will be made in small batches, and you will see maybe 12 flavors at most, because they are not mass produced. (Note: There are exceptions to this “rule” about the round canister vs the rectangular bins: one of our favorite local shops displays and serves from the latter, and it is absolutely artigianale and excellent.)

Shops like this will alter flavors with the season too - so in the summer, you’ll find gelato made with melons and peaches and berries; in the fall - especially in our area where chestnuts grow and are are prized - you’ll find chestnut flavors, sometimes made from nuts gathered that very morning from local forests. (Any time of year, you’ll find chocolate and cream and coffee flavors, of course.)

Another thing to look for is a flavor that’s particular to the region you’re visiting. For example, in our area you’ll always find a hazelnut flavor. In Emilia-Romagna you might find gelato flavors that include parmigiano-reggiano or balsamic vinegar; in the Chianti region of Tuscany you’ll occasionally discover a wine- or vin santo-flavored gelato.

Again, everyone would agree that there’s no such thing as bad gelato; but there’s good stuff, and then there’s The Really Good Stuff. Eat gelato all day long, but do yourself a favor and hunt out makers with these telltale signs of quality.