Discover the best gelato in Rome

To discover the best gelato in Rome follow Natasha Foges on a taste test. She tried Roman gelato all over the city and here is her scoop along with some local gelato rules. Take a look. The information below is based on The Rough Guide to Italy, your travel guide for Italy.

How to find the best gelato in Rome?

Rome may be awash with gourmet gelato but plenty of places still serve bland and boring. To avoid both and understand why the city rules when it comes to the creamiest of ice cream, follow this guide.

Avoid whipped mounds of luridly coloured gelato as they always contain artificial thickeners and chemicals. True gelato should come in subtle shades which reflect the natural flavour of its ingredients.

So remember: banana gelato is a soft, cream colour; pistachio is always palest green, and white with a hint of green is what to look for in mint gelato. Now discover the best places to try gelato in Rome right now.

Rough Guides tip: Explore our detailed guide on how to get around Rome to feel more confident during your Rome holidays.

1. Gelateria del Teatro: expect to queue

Gelateria del Teatro on Via dei Coronari has a lovely location right next to a pretty, old theatre - hence the name. It's incredibly popular, so arrive expecting to queue for more than a few minutes.

Proud of its 200 plus recipes all developed on-site, the gelataria serves up different flavours every day, often in very surprising combos. If you want to wake up to gelato, think about staying at Luxury Navona near Gelatario del Teatro.

2. Il Gelato di Claudio Torcè: possibly the best gelato in Rome

Visit Il Gelato di Claudio Torcè at one of several locations in the centre of Rome. These all-natural gelato pioneers are famous for sweet and savoury recipes and give you plenty of different flavours to choose from.

If you're in the mood to go beyond gelato and discover the rest of the city from a culinary angle, think about booking a place on a fun food tour of Rome with gourmet local guides to show you round.

3. Carapina: boozy gelato pioneer

Carapina is the home gelateria of legendary Simone Bonini who's known for his divinely boozy gelato which incorporates premium ingredients and delivers deliciousness with the most subtle of kicks.

Despite the booze, this gelato has a fresh, creamy finish and it's best savoured at one of Carapina's tables. If you want to stay nearby, Nikis Collection Navona is right next to the gelateria. To find local hotels take a look at where to stay in Rome an area by area guide.

4. Come Il Latte: cutest gelataria in Rome

Come Il Latte means 'like milk' and the cream-heavy gelato with a luscious, silky texture that's served here more than lives up to the name. If you want to add your own taste twist, it's also famously big on toppings.

Plus, with floor-to-ceiling milk bottles and chocolate fountains, Come Il Latte is one of the city's cutest ice cream parlours. To discover the local techniques and tricks, try a gelato making workshop in Rome.

5. Otaleg: creative Trastevere gelataria

Find Otaleg in the heart of Trastevere, the name is gelato spelled backwards and along with its gourmet ingredients and creative flavour pairings, this gelateria lets you watch the magic happen at its out-front gelato laboratory.

The owner and master-creator behind Otaleg was trained by Claudio Torcè and the combination of fun and deliciousness here is irresistible. If gelato alone doesn't completely satisfy you, try a street food tour of Trastevere as well.

6. Gelateria dei Gracchi: seasonal gelato flavours

Don't miss Gelateria dei Gracchi for its fresh, local ingredients and and strong focus on seasonal flavours. This is the gelateria celebrities love, and it was a favourite of the late Anthony Bourdain, so expect to queue.

Prefer to leave planning and booking to experts? Have a look at some sample itineraries. Both Complete Italy or Italy Itineraries offer inspiration. All Tailor Made Trips can be modified together with your local expert, then booked for a stress-free holiday. Click 'Modify this itinerary' to contact a local Italy expert.

7. Fatamorgana: healthy and delicious gelato

Fatamorgana first opened in Monti in 2003 and is now a Rome mini-chain. Famous for experimental flavours and all-natural ingredients, it's also one of the city's best places for delicious, gluten-free gelato.

Ready to travel to Italy? Find out about the best time to go and the best places in Italy as well as the best things to do in Italy. For inspiration use the Italy itineraries from our Italy Travel Guides and our local travel agents in Italy. A bit more hands on, learn about getting there, getting around the country and where to stay in Italy once you are there. And don't forget to buy travel insurance before you go.

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