The 70 best gelaterias in Italy 2024 awarded with the Tre Coni by Gambero Rosso

Artisanal ice cream in Italy is experiencing a golden moment, with a turnover increase of 11% in 2023. This positive trend is also reflected in the organizers of Gelato Day (which will take place again this year on March 24), where sub-zero temperatures take center stage not only in summer but also throughout the year, with a consumption increase of +13%. This bodes well for the future of the entire industry, which, as a whole (gelaterias, ingredients, machines, equipment, displays), is worth over 4 billion euros and employs more than 100,000 people. A flourishing sector in terms of numbers but also quality, as depicted in the eighth edition of the Gelaterias in Italy guide, presented today at Sigep - Salone Internazionale della Gelateria, Pasticceria, Panificazione Artigianali e Caffè (International Exhibition of Artisanal Gelato, Pastry, Bakery, and Coffee)

The Gelaterias in Italy 2024 guide

Ice cream full of flavor, even without lactose, sucrose-free, gluten-free. Ice cream is becoming more inclusive thanks to scientific research and fermentations that allow the achievement of tastes that would be impossible in other ways (such as the story of Iuppi for Everyone in Polignano a Mare and the Puglia-based startup Celery, which we will tell you about in the upcoming February issue). Ice cream is increasingly the result of ethical and transparent production processes, more and more focused on sustainability: a concept that involves both environmental impact and social aspects. A virtuous example is Rocco Naviglio #educazionegelatoartigianale in Foggia, who received the Sustainability Award.

Ice cream made by professionals with a scrupulous, scientific, and curious approach to raw materials; hence the many experiments carried out in the last year: from sea water ice creams to gastronomic ones with unusual consistencies, flavors, and ingredients, inspired more by the culinary tradition of our country than the typical gelato tradition. Think of the chickpea ice cream typical of the Sienese hills, Campana annurca apple and caramelized Tuscan leeks (Rufus in Pisa) or the squacquerone cheese ice cream with figs and flatbread (Ciò Gelato in Rimini). From the successful combination of pepper and Parmesan by Giorgio Lombardi in Novi Ligure to savory flavors, served as an appetizer by Dolce Arte in Cutrofiano on crispy friselline: braised turnips, pan-fried tomatoes, and sea urchins. The result is surprising, and we will tell you more about it in the coming months by delving into the most interesting stories among the over 550 gelaterias featured in the Gelaterie d'Italia 2024 guide.

Some previews

Commendable is the work carried out by many gelato makers on forgotten or lesser-known fruits, such as the Palestinian Limetta (Mara dei Boschi in Turin) or lucuma (Paganelli in Milan), and on chocolate – Andrea Mecozzi, cocoa selector and founder of Chocofair, was right when he said that gelato makers are the most knowledgeable about raw materials. Think of Vincenzo Pennestrì of Sottozero Pennestrì in Reggio Calabria (Best Chocolate Gelato of the Year) or Giovanna Musumeci of Santo Musumeci in Randazzo and Erika Quattrini of Gelateria Quattrini in Falconara Marittima, both newcomers to the Olympus of the Three Cones. This demonstrates that the profession of gelato maker is not exclusive to men (even though there is still no recognized term to "define" women who do this job: gelataia, gelatiera?).

The Emerging Gelato Maker of 2024 is a young woman: Taila Semerano, who, after graduating in economics from Bocconi, decided to return to her Ostuni, first to start her own project (Ciccio in Piazza) and then to follow in her grandfather's footsteps at the historic Ciccio location, to which she brought a breath of innovation. Speaking of innovations, there are 78 new gelaterias in the guide this year, some true new openings, others more long-standing but that have shifted towards quality, confirming the progress of the ice cream world. The days of overflowing tubs and fluorescent colors are now distant, undoubtedly thanks to the master gelato makers of the early days, who can now count on the collaboration of many other colleagues and an increasingly attentive and aware audience.

Special Awards

Emerging Gelato Maker:

Taila Semerano - From Ciccio in Ostuni [BR]

Best Chocolate Gelato:

Sottozero Pennestrì in Reggio Calabria

Valorizzazione delle Produzioni Territoriali (Enhancement of Territorial Productions):

Hazelnut Piemonte IGP from Langhe: Golosi di Natura in Gazzo [PD]

Lemon Costa d'Amalfi IGP: Gelateria della Passera in Florence

Campana annurca apple IGP, annurca variety: L'Artigianale in Pozzallo [RG]

Sustainability Award: Rocco Naviglio #educazionegelatoartigianale in Foggia

Best Gastronomic Gelato:

Dolce Arte in Cutrofiano [LE]

Rufus in Pisa

Giorgio Lombardi in Novi Ligure [AL]

Tre Coni

PIEMONTE

1. Canelin ad Acqui Terme [AL]
2. Marco Serra Gelatiere a Carignano [TO]
3. Alberto Marchetti a Torino
4. Aria a Torino
5. Gelati d’Antan a Torino
6. La Tosca a Torino
7. Mara dei Boschi a Torino
8. Nivà a Torino
9. Ottimo! Buono non basta a Torino
10. Soban a Valenza [AL]

LIGURIA

1. Cremeria Spinola a Chiavari [GE]
2. Profumo a Genova

LOMBARDIA

1. La Pasqualina ad Almenno San Bartolomeo [BG]
2. Il Dolce Sogno a Busto Arsizio [VA]
3. Oasi American Bar a Fara Gera D’adda [BG]
4. Artico a Milano
5. Ciacco a Milano
6. Crema a Milano
7. Lo Gnomo Gelato a Milano
8. Pavé - Gelati & Granite a Milano
9. Terra Gelato a Milano
10. Chantilly a Moglia [MN]
11. L’Albero dei gelati a Monza
12. Sir Oliver a Novate Milanese (MI)
13. Pallini a Seregno [MB]
14. VeroLatte a Vigevano [PV]

VENETO

1. Gelateria Naturale Scaldaferro a Dolo [VE]
2. Golosi di Natura a Gazzo [PD]
3. Marisa a San Giorgio Delle Pertiche [PD]
4. Chocolat a Mestre [VE]
5. Dassie - Vero Gelato Artigiano a Treviso
6. Zeno Gelato e Cioccolato a Verona

FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA

1. Timballo a Udine

EMILIA ROMAGNA

1. Cremeria Santo Stefano a Bologna
2. Cremeria Scirocco a Bologna
3. Stefino a Bologna
4. Magritte - Gelati al cubo a Fidenza [PR]
5. Bloom a Modena
6. Ciacco a PARMA
7. Cremeria Capolinea a Reggio Emilia
8. Sanelli a Salsomaggiore Terme [PR]
9. Il Teatro del Gelato a Sant’agostino [FE]

TOSCANA

1. Gelateria della Passera a Firenze
2. I Gelati del Bondi a Firenze
3. Chiccheria a Grosseto
4. De’ Coltelli a Pisa
5. Gelateria Dondoli a San Gimignano [SI]

MARCHE

1. Gelateria Quattrini a Falconara Marittima [AN]
2. Paolo Brunelli a Senigallia [AN]

LAZIO

1. Tonka ad Aprilia
2. Gretel Factory a Formia [LT]
3. Greed Avidi di Gelato a Frascati [RM]
4. Fatamorgana a Roma
5. Fiordiluna di Eugenio Morrone a Roma
6. La Gourmandise a Roma
7. Otaleg! a Roma
8. Torcè a Roma

ABRUZZO

1. Gelaterie Duomo - Il Paradiso del Gelato a L’Aquila

CAMPANIA

1. Di Matteo a Torchiara [SA]
2. Cremeria Gabriele a Vico Equense [NA]

PUGLIA

1. Michel a Peschici
2. G&co a Tricase [LE]

BASILICATA

1. Emilio a Maratea [PZ]
2. Officine del gusto a Pignola [PZ]

CALABRIA

1. Gelato Cesare a Reggio Calabria

SICILIA

1. Cappadonia Gelati a Palermo
2. Siké Gelato a Milazzo [ME]
3. Santo Musumeci a Randazzo [CT]

SARDEGNA

1. I Fenu Gelateria e Pasticceria a Cagliari
2. Dolci Sfizi a Macomer [NU]