The "WE DON'T DO SAMPLES" sign at this bright little spot was a dead giveaway that this was a true-to-form European gelato shop, and sure enough a charming Italian woman served us from behind the counter. Without a doubt, we knew we'd be getting an authentic dessert!! Dropped in at 9:30pm on a Friday night, and felt like we stumbled into a magical little corner of Valencia. The gelato here is whipped up in these futuristic spinning machines with bubble lids; they almost look like washing machines. Absolutely whimsical. The flavors are expansive and fresh; the strawberry was excellent, though the Greek yogurt was our surprising favorite. There were so many unique and intriguing flavors (from orange and cinnamon to strawberry balsamic), we'll absolutely have to stop by again. The real charm of this place comes from the story; we read about it while waiting in line and were absolutely captivated by the story of love, community, and heritage that shapes Hila. It's well worth a read, and honestly sold us on the shop (although the gelato definitely still carries its own!). The story of Hila breathing life back into an old parlor is absolutely heartwarming. I wish nothing but much success for the future of Hila. read more

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Food: the gelato is good but not worth the wait. Service: the young lady helping me was super nice and friendly. Ambiance: cute store. read more

Pros - Fairly spacious seating area - They have a large iced cake selection (in addition to their gelato) - Kind of unique in SF Cons - Not much taste (including the "special cup" flavors) - $6.00 for 1 small scoop, $10.00 for 2 - Quite a lot of sold out flavors - Extra $1.50 per scoop for a lot of flavors At the end of the day I'd rather go to Salt & Straw or Smitten, more flavorful and more value for your bucks read more

Hila Gelato Caffe - Gelato Cakes - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

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We were craving ice cream and got intrigued by this address with great reviews we had never heard of. Heh... I'd say it's a great concept, the churning bowls aren't something we've seen elsewhere. Now the flavors were lacking, the Belgian waffle was fresh... out of a plastic wrapper and thrown in the microwave. Prices are high for what you get, especially with so many good ice cream places in the city. We won't be back. read more

Very cute gelato shop! Seven layers was nutty and sweet. I do wish the gelato was more solid as it melted pretty quickly (or maybe that's how it's supposed to be..) we came in as a big group and we got served pretty quickly. read more

Hila Gelato Caffe - Seven Layers Hazelnut and Chocolate - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

My friend insisted on making the trek from the Castro to Hila Gelato on Valencia St. in the Mission, and I happily obliged because I'd heard wonderful things about Hila's gelato. When we entered the shop, I was impressed by the variety of flavors. In addition to the classics (lemon, stracciella, pistachio), there were unique, fancy flavors such as almond-orange and Mont Blanc. Sampling flavors isn't allowed, but the Mont Blanc sounded like something I would enjoy (it's white chocolate gelato served with a drizzle of espresso and a dollop of whipped cream). Since the cafe was quiet in the late afternoon, we were able to find seating at the single table inside the cafe, tucked in the nook by the window. The gelato was incredibly smooth and decadent - definitely worth the steps! read more

Hila Gelato Caffe - Signage - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

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The gelato is delicious and the service was superb. Such a friendly local place to quench your sweet tooth!

Twirling machines. What! How cool. I was torn between choosing chocolate hazelnut and pistachio. Chocolate hazelnut won. A bit disappointed that the flavors were mute. Creaminess-yes. We sat at the children's s bench. Good thing we didn't break the bench. So glad for benches.adult bench was occupied. I got the kid size $6. read more

Hila Gelato Caffe - Churning machines right in front of you - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

"Hey, hey, it's George! George is on TV eating a sundae. His face is covered in ice cream and fudge. He is taking a bite of ice cream and dripping it all around his mouth." - Cosmo Kramer, Seinfeld da Scene: was in the Valencia area stomping around and did a YELP! search to see what was around, Hila popped up so we checked it out. da Grub: been back several times, tried over a dozen flavors so far, all soooooo good. Like that 1st hit of anything, if it's good, ur HOOKED. This my 1st was a double scoop of choc w/ a minty glaze, in a lil'waffle cup... amazing! My go to's are the Lilikoi/Passion Fruit, Pistachio & Espresso. Cant wait for them to come back from holiday break... maybe with new flavor ideas?! da Service: 1st time in I confidently greeted "ciao!" , then as we checked out, "grazie"... then was tested by a short conversation in Italian, where I sheepishly admitted, my language skill was very limited! She smiled and said, "well if you continue to eat my Gelato, you'll be Sicilian in no time"... very gracious and friendly service always. Pull the trigger on any flavors, my strategy now is to try 2 each time, fruit paired with a decadant sweet. Strawberry w/ Espresso or Lilikoi and Vanilla... mmmmm! read more

Hila Gelato Caffe - 2 scoops of heaven - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

Cute Italian gelateria with a nice assortment of flavors. I tried their "medium" cup, which includes up to three flavors for $9. I opted for pistachio, zabaglione (Italian custard), and banana chocolate chip. They were all good, but if I'm being honest nothing really "popped." The zabaglione was probably my favorite of the bunch, not too sweet, not too creamy, and a pretty unique flavor profile. The banana was refreshing. The pistachio was a bit of a letdown, as I felt it was rather bland and the pistachio flavor didn't really cut through. Their ice cream is all homemade, and the texture is on the softer side (think soft-serve, but a bit more firm/grainy). It's good, but not something I would go out of my way to eat again. I felt that the price was a bit steep for the portion size, and there are other ice cream shops in the area that offer a bit more value. I also didn't like that they don't offer samples (and have multiple signs reminding you as such). I get it, but I also feel like the flavors are unique enough (who really knows what zabaglione is unless your family is Sicilian?) that they really should reconsider this policy. read more

Hila Gelato Caffe - Medium cup. Pistachio, zabaglione, banana chocolate chip. $9. Texture on the softer side. Good, but not "amazing." - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

We were taking a stroll, and saw Hila. It's always my moral imperative to try gelato. Gelato always brings back fond memories of home, fond memories of Italy, and I just love it! Hila wasn't that place. The staff was rather curt, and even the people standing in line seemed unhappy to be there. Dessert should always make you happy. Always! I ordered the strawberry gelato, and it really had the consistency closer to sherbet more so than gelato. Sadly, it lacked that deep flavor of strawberries that make a summer afternoon special. It actually tasted more like a strawberry want to be icee. Nothing special, nothing memorable, and painfully expensive. If you're in San Francisco, proper in your searching for dessert, there are definitely better gelato and ice cream options out there read more

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Stopped by on a Saturday evening, and the line was not too long. We got Gianduja and the Orange chocolate chip flavors. The toppings for the Orange chocolate chip added fun texture and flavors which we enjoyed. The gianduja flavor was a little on the weaker side for us, more like a chocolate milk rather than dark chocolate/nut flavors. read more

First and foremost the gelato is good. My complaint is with the worker who prepared my cannoli without gloves or washing his hands first. I watched him serve everyone in line and handle the register but never once did he wash his hands. I then watched him grab the shell of my cannoli with his bare hands and make. Again I just wanna be clear. My complaint is not with the quality of the food. It's with the man who raw dogged my cannoli behind the counter. read more

came here for the special brioche but I thought it was dry, and some of the ice cream flavors were too sweet. the pistachio didn't taste of pistachio enough. the concept/flavor picking was difficult to grasp since the "special" cup flavors were actually just base flavors with toppings. everything was also pretty expensive. the ice cream had good, stretchy texture though read more

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Me and my girlfriend were around the neighborhood to check out this spot after dinner. Hila the owner which is also the name of the gelato place was super friendly excellent customer service and recommended some recommendation flavors and was really helpful read more

Hila Gelato Caffe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Cute gelato cafe where you can see the gelato being churned as you wait to order. Lots of flavors to choose from. FYI they do not do samples. Some of the special flavors cost an extra $1-3. Stuck with the classic pistachio flavor and it did not disappoint! Super smooth and creamy, and not icy at all. Strong pistachio flavor and there were even a couple grains of ground pistachio left, which I liked. The small cup costs $5, which feels a tad pricey compared to other places for how small of a scoop you get. It only took a few bites to finish. Great option for gelato in the Mission. read more

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I ordered a pint of Seven Layers Hazlenut and Chocolate for delivery. $27 after tip and fees for a delivered pint Ouch. How do people afford these delivery meals every day? I was urged to hold my nose and try it by someone I generally trust, because they raved about this place. The biggest offense was the misleading description on the Doordash menu, but Google's info has the same impression as well--that is, it claims to be "topped" with corn flakes. TOPPED!! Not middled, not bottomed, not everywhered. I don't particularly care for bread product in my ice cream or gelato because it just gets mushy..and boy were these corn flakes ever mushy. Its such a gross texture. I was desparate for chocolate hazelnut. Desserts given bready garnishings isn't unususal, Super Duper does it with their shakes. As a topping I figured it would be easy to shovel off...wrong. What I paid $27 for is a gigantic wad of mushy corn flakes with chocolate drizzled through the cracks and I can't for the life of me taste any hazelnut. This was disgusting. I am extremely disappointed. A pint of corn flakes costs what, $0.50? I was ripped off...enjoy the profit margin. I'm no stranger to gelato. I've been to Italy several times and not American tourist areas but hometowns of long-time Italian friends: Poggiardo, Lecce, Castro Marina & Castro Alta, Galatina, Otranto. I've made gelato there myself. I worked in a gelateria that's actually managed to stay alive in the Bay Area for 20 years, Gelateria Naia. WhileI don't go to new places with expectations of what I had somewhere else, I do appreciate a balance of value and quality. I was left feeling so far from either in my first experience with Hila's gelato that it's the first time in probably a couple years that I couldn't stop a bad purchase from ruining my night. It really came down to the price tag for delivery: $27 for a pint! And not a single spoonful worth ingesting. How do I ever give this a try again? I don't see how it's possible. I just wanted something I could eat and then tell my friend (who recommended this place enthusiastically) it was worth the money or not. I couldn't eat this. Every spoonful was a huge glob of mushy cereal. read more

Hila Gelato Caffe - "When you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you." -Cornrich Nietzflake - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

Hila Gelato Caffe was our first stop on our ice cream/gelato crawl today and it was the honey's favorite. He got a scoop of the salted caramel and pistachio, and I got an espresso. Both our favorites were the salted caramel hands down. I found the flavors of our scoops not incredibly strong or overpowering, so I really enjoyed the caramel flavor that might usually be a little too rich for me. The scoops were less firm than expected but the perfect size for us. There's not much seating outside, one large bench and one child sized bench, but all in all we enjoyed our visit and would absolutely return! read more

Hila Gelato Caffe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

Run, don't walk, immediately to Hila Gelato Caffe on Valencia. Let me tell you why! For me personally, gelato has always been Italian for, "Not quite as good as Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream". Sorry and that was true for me until last night at Hila's. Walking home after a meal of delicious dosa and South Indian cuisine at Udapi Palace at 21st Street and Valencia, I strolled by a colorful bright storefront that had an incredible array of spinning, well-lit frozen treats that were all in rows under clear bubble domes. It looks fanciful and wonderful and intriguing so I entered the building. Turns out to be Hila Gelato Caffe, inspired by the frozen delightful gelatos of Sicily! I talk up the store gelato selctress behind the counter who tells me this is a business that makes small-batch hand-crafted Sicilian gelato just like from the Old Country, with the added fun of freezers that also spin the gelato to keep it uniformly fresh and delicious and frozen. It is a bit science fiction and a whole lot of delicious-looking flavors both of the candy-type variety and the fruit variety. No one would accuse me of being super excited to spend $14 on a large bowl of gelato and last night at Hila's it was no problem for usually-tight-with-money me. A large bowl comes with one to up to five individual flavors. I ask the gelato selectress to "please make me the best bowl of gelato you can right now with these flavors." The gelato selectress composed the following symphony of flavors in my large bowl: - saffron - ricotta cheese - pistachio - chocolate - mango Thoughtfully the mango was placed at the bottom of the gelato stack to be a fruity ending to the denser-tasting flavors above it. Perfect and thoughtful and absolutely delicious. I will be back to Hila Gelato Caffe also to talk more about Sicily and southern Italy with the delightful proprietor from Sicily who spoke to me after I tasted her gelato for the first time. Seriously this is gelato truly worthy of being called better than ice cream!! Run, don't walk, to Hila Gelato Caffe. read more

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Stumbled upon this place after lunch. They do not offer samples which was a bummer because they have so many flavors to choose from. They are pretty pricey too so if you end up getting a flavor you do not like, you are out like $10 (which happened to me). The gelato I ordered was unfortunately bland. read more

TLDR: I don 't believe in standing in lines so it took me a little while to try Hila and I will admit I'm sad I waited so long! Hila is a welcome addition to Valencia and it takes all of my will power to not stop in every time I am nearby (3x/week). Longer: Does your family have a story they always tell about a cute thing you did when you were little? Well, one of the stories my family tells about baby Meg (me) is about ice cream LOL! It's been true love from my very first lick. Fast forward to a chaotic summer in college... I had a part time job in an ice cream shop in my nook of Seattle. We served Snoqualmie Gourmet and there was always one gelato option--my first intro to the Italian Auntie to my beloved ice cream. Fast forward a decade to a family vacation to Italy (#BLESSED), where my sister had previously studied for a semester and learned to speak Italian *very* well. My goal for the 10 day adventure: eat gelato at least twice every day. Mission accomplished! All that backstory is to say -- Hila is the real deal!! My sister taught me the important key word when selecting a gelato shop to try while traveling Italy: ARTIGIANALE aka artisan And that is 10000% what Hila is offering up. I go for classic flavors and am very weird about mixing flavors, while my boyfriend has a very large sweet tooth and mixes allllll sorts of things I'll never even consider trying. Hila has options for both of us xD BF has also enjoyed an affogato during one of our visits; it was too late in the day for me to drink caffeine, but it smelled rich, like good Italian espresso should. Most recently, with the "dubai chocolate" craze, Hila has created their own version that is absolutely bomb dot com backslash your mom. Back to my earlier point about using ALL of my willpower to not stop in 3x/week, this little treat of a mini sundae is the primary reason. The pistachio butter is what really sets this over the top for me, and I will be sad if they ever take it out of their rotation. The interior of the shop is small with a few seats, plus one or two benches outside, so be willing to take your treats to go. It's funny reading some other reviews, so be sure you order the gelato and not sorbetto options if you want creamy. Other reviews mention "pricey", but I'm not sure what people expect to pay when the gelato is made daily, churning right in front of your eyes as you select your flavor(s). This is not the place to bring your kids if they want bubblegum plus sprinkles and blahblahblah. Mitchell's is just down the road, go there. This is gelato. Act accordingly. read more

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A very disappointing experience - from the cleanliness of the shop to the lack of flavor gelato. Wouldn't come back.

Finally tried this spot and was definitiely missing out before! The gelato was creamy and soft, and they even have these tubs that mix the gelato continuously lol. They had a good amount of both fruity and creamy flavors (def trying passionfruit next time). The line might be long but the service is quick at this no frills spot. They also have the cutest dessert cups for sale with various desserts like cheesecake and tiramisu and I will be coming back for those! read more

Hila Gelato Caffe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

Be warned: pricey! If you're going for volume of gelato, this place isn't your spot. I ordered a small which comes with 2 scoops. The scoops are very small, almost the size of poke fish scoops. My first scoop was pistachio and the second was 7 layers which is hazelnut chocolate cream and cornflakes (+$1) . Both were really good. My friend had the sesame and said it wasn't good. They have their main gelato flavors and the second flavors next to it use the same base but with toppings for an additional $1. They have a cozy bench inside by the window and another seat inside, but that's it. read more

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Very friendly service. Italian owned business. Plenty of vegan options. Went with a combination of lemon and dark chocolate vegan gelato. It hit the spot. Cozy place in the Mission. Got it in a cup. $6 for small. Next time will opt for getting in a cone with sprinkles which is another option. Recommended! read more

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OMG this ice cream store have very unique favor , everything fresh made in house , very tasty and staff are very helpful, you have to stop by try it ! read more

Hila Gelato Caffe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

So yummy! I had the almond and cinnamon. My bf had the lemon and strawberry. Cinnamon and lemon were standouts for sure!! Almond was so smooth. We can't wait to come back and try other flavors read more

delicious gelato with high quality ingredients. the owner is so friendly and truly makes all her gelato with love and authenticity. the store was also clean and organized. i love the little cubby by the window to enjoy a sweet treat. read more

Hila Gelato Caffe - Pistacchio - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

no complaints. solid quick stop by! i got the dark chocolate gelato and pistacho. lowkey the pistacho wasn't as potent in flavor. read more

Hila Gelato Caffe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

Strong 3.5 gelato place! I do think the approach here is authentic and reliable and more about real ingredients. But we all do have different opinions and this place just isn't the one for me. Not even comparing this to other gelato or ice cream as I understand the approach here is different but feels a bit icy and less smooth. read more

On a Summer stroll at my old stomping grounds in San Francisco on Valencia street walking from the Valencia Gardens to Valencia and 25th street . In between my Valencia street stroll a surprise on ice awaits. This place has handmade Italian gelatos and it's hella tasty and it's called Hila. I call it Hella ( Hila) because it's Hella good. This spot may look familiar because it was the same location of the former gelato place called Xanath which means " Hidden Flower" in the indigenous people of Mexico Totonacs native language ( the birthplace of Vanilla). I had to get the Vanilla custard gelato. It was so tasty and it was not too sweet . The vanilla almost tasted the same as the former Xanath gelato spot. I then had to try their pistachio gelato on a waffle cone and it was amazing. It was silky and enjoyed every scoop. Inside they serve croissant and crepes. They also have a bar serving espresso. This place also offers Gelato making classes. This is an ideal way to enjoy the Summer of Love . Highly recommend for the flower child. I plan to go to Hella( Hila) in the future to get gelato and espresso hella more times because it's a hidden flower. The gelato here sings to me like an uplifting Italian opera rendition of America the Beautiful a cappella and this place also serves delicious waffles and crepes made with Nutella Go to the coffee bar and get an expresso on a rainy day just bring your umbrella so you can also grab a vanilla custard gelato at Hila and when you ask me how good it is I will have to say "Hella" read more

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The best gelato and affogato I've ever had. I would upload a picture but unfortunately I ate it too fast. Ricotta gelato affogato. Heaven sent. read more

Literally the best gelato I've ever had! When you walk inside, you can see all the gelato churning. You can tell the owner invested extra to ensure their gelato stays creamy. Got the Stracciatella and lemon sorbet. Stracciatella was very creamy and not too sweet and not too heavy. Wish the chocolate shards were a bit bigger for more texture but other than that, best Stracciatella I've ever had. Lemon sorbet was pleasantly sour with a perfectly balanced hint of sweetness. The churning helped since it was not icy unlike other sorbets I've had. Super refreshing after a heavy meal. Would highly recommend!!! read more

Hila Gelato is one of the best gelatos I've ever had in the states! It is a woman and LGBTQ owned business, and the owner was super nice and quick. I chose the medium cup with three flavors: mixed nut, mixed berry, and chocolate chip, but honestly, every flavor is a hit! The gelato is creamy and soft. There is limited seating. There is also some pints available to take home. Overall, really fresh and delicious gelato and made with local ingredients. read more

Hila Gelato Caffe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Review from April 2024. Service was excellent--staff was helpful and patiently explained flavors and process of what went into the gelato. Tried a couple of flavors (there's quite a few options) and decided on dark chocolate and almond. The texture is creamy and it isn't too sweet, and I found that the flavors are quite balanced and not artificial tasting. Hoping that the next time I'm in SF I'll be able to visit! read more

Hila Gelato Caffe - Dark chocolate & almond - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

We went out for dessert and came here for a second round of ice cream/gelato. It was a good find with special flavours like Sichuan peppercorn & lemon and cherry & vanilla. They were both quite tasty albeit very gourmet in size. Not a lot of seating, so it's more of a grab and go spot unless you don't mind standing around. read more

Hila Gelato Caffe - cherry & vanilla (top) Sichuan peppercorn & lemon (bottom) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

Cute spot! Randomly stumbled in around 9:30pm and it was popping. No samples but they have some really fun flavors (pumpkin, blueberry, cucumber, etc). Got a medium with grape, limoncello, and yogurt. My personal favorite was the yogurt! It's not tart like greek yogurt but is creamy and smooth. In fact, all of the flavors had this light, fluffy & smooth texture. Was very delicious and fun to see the gelato being churned(?) Would go back! read more

Hila Gelato Caffe - medium (partially eaten...) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Delicious Sicilian gelato and very friendly staff! As someone else mentioned, I ordered a small pistachio scoop in a waffle bowl and enjoyed it; I did notice the flavor was a little more mild than other gelato I've had. Also, this is more a matter of preference, but I love having actual pistachio nuts in the gelato when going for that flavor. This is more on the smooth side texturally. Would return! FYI for warmer months, there is a small table inside ideal for people watching on Valencia Street and a couple benches outside. read more

3.5 STARS hila gelato caffe is located on very busy valencia street, which makes it a great stop for dessert after dinner. parking can be difficult to find because the area is usually so busy. when my friends and i visited, the shop was busy, but service was fast! the person who served us was very friendly. the gelatos were constantly churning in machines on the countertops, which was cool to see! they don't offer samples, but every flavor we tried was a hit. note that the flavors change often! - strawberry gelato (5/5): tasted just like fresh strawberries! very light and refreshing, with the perfect balance between sweet and tart - mango gelato (4/5): to us, it tasted more like pear than mango, but i do like pear sorbet! it was light and refreshing with the perfect level of sweetness - peanut butter gelato (5/5): my favorite flavor! very nutty without tasting overwhelmingly of peanut butter, and it wasn't too sweet. it was surprisingly creamy and delicate - black sesame gelato (3/5): it was flavorful but a little too nutty. i would've liked it with more of a sesame flavor like in asian black sesame desserts - saffron, rose & pistachio gelato (5/5): this was my favorite flavor! i loved the strong floral flavor of the saffron gelato, and the chopped pistachios added great flavor and texture. it was topped with a small dried rose, which added a light rose flavor - dubai chocolate gelato (4/5): this was a special flavor, which included the dark chocolate gelato with a dubai chocolate topping (pistachio cream and knafeh pastry). the dark chocolate was rich with a great balance between bitter and sweet. i enjoyed the flavor of the pistachio cream and the crunch of the knafeh. i wish there was more of the topping though, since i tasted mostly the dark chocolate gelato, and it didn't really have a strong pistachio flavor - raspberry cheesecake semifreddo (1/5): make sure to wait a few minutes for the semifreddo to thaw out as suggested! i liked the texture, which was a little thicker than a mousse, but i wasn't a fan of the flavor. the raspberry was too sour, and the cheesecake part was too cheesy. i did like the pistachio topping but overall just wish it was sweeter - tiramisu semifreddo (2.5/5): the mascarpone cream was a little overpowering and too tangy, and the bottom of the semifreddo was too bitter. however, it tasted better eaten in one complete scoop from top to bottom hila gelato caffe was a great place for gelato, but we weren't as big a fan of the semifreddos, which were pretty expensive ($10) for their size. the gelato was very smooth and silky, and i could tell it was made from fresh ingredients, which made the flavors really stand out. the portions initially looked small, but they were definitely enough! it was a very authentic experience, and it's a good option for dessert in the area. read more

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Twirling gelato under shiny domes had me hypnotized! I've never seen a rainbow of churning gelato in a display case before, so this was a fun spot to check out. The only downside: no sampling allowed. I went with the worker's recommendation of pistachio. It's not too sweet (woohoo!) and lightly nutty. I do wish the pistachio flavor was stronger. read more

Hila Gelato Caffe - Pistachio gelato - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

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