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    Hila Gelato Caffe

    4.6 (205 reviews)
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    HILA GELATO CAFFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed

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    Alex M.

    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!

    Churning machines right in front of you
    Helen L.

    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.

    stracciatella, pistachio
    Sarah C.

    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

    2 scoops of heaven
    Joey M.

    "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!

    Medium cup. Pistachio, zabaglione, banana chocolate chip. $9. Texture on the softer side. Good, but not "amazing."
    John N.

    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.

    Darci K.

    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

    Chris R.

    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

    menu
    Melody L.

    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.

    Meg T.

    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!

    S L.

    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 !

    "dubai chocolate"
    Megan J.

    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.

    Brittney D.

    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!

    Small 7 layers yummy
    Fiona T.

    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.

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    A Buttercup Dessert House

    A Buttercup Dessert House

    4.3
    (248 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    This is my favorite dessert spot! I'm not from SF, but whenever I'm in the city, I always stop by…read more The ingredients are always fresh, and the dine-in vibe is so calm and cozy.

    Although they don't serve variations of buttercups, A Buttercup is one of the few dessert houses…read moreoffering Taiwanese-style treats like Bingsoo, Milk Bread Toast, and other Asian fusion creations. I'm always hunting for spots like this because I have a weakness for those over-the-top, Instagram-worthy desserts that look like diabetes in a dish. Like most places in this genre, A Buttercup is small, modern, and minimalist with limited seating. If you plan to go, aim for off-hours unless you enjoy waiting in line for sugar. The decor is cute and trendy, perfect for photos if that's part of your dessert ritual. As they say, "you eat with your eyes first," and when it comes to presentation, this place definitely gets an A+. The desserts look stunning and set high expectations. Unfortunately, that's where things started to crumble. It's like going to see your favorite artist live. You've watched the videos, memorized the songs, and paid for the experience. But instead of the electric performance you imagined, you get someone lip-syncing and barely connecting with the crowd. That was this place in dessert form. We ordered the Mango Bingsoo on our first visit, and when it arrived, we were surprised by how small the portion was. The guy next to us even looked over and said, "Whatever that is, I'm getting that next time." He shouldn't have. The Bingsoo looked great but was bland, and the "snow" was more chunky ice than soft shave. The Thai Tea Roti was also not what I expected. It came with Thai tea ice cream and sauce alongside a roti that was fried to a crunch. Interesting idea, just not the best execution. The sauce and ice cream needed a stronger Thai tea flavor to balance the crispy roti, and the flavors never quite came together. Overall, A Buttercup nails the aesthetics but misses the flavor. If you're here for the photos, you'll be happy. If you're here for the taste, you'll leave with a full camera roll and an unsatisfied sweet tooth.

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    A Buttercup Dessert House
    Menu 1 of 2
    Menu 1 of 2
    Menu 2 of 2

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    Menu 2 of 2
    NaYa Dessert Cafe

    NaYa Dessert Cafe

    4.1
    (794 reviews)
    1.4 mi
    $$
    Vegetarian friendly
    Vegan friendly

    This is my third time coming here and I'm a fan every time!…read more Hokkaido Mille Crepe Cake is my favorite. It's not too sweet and I love the texture and layers. Kaya Pandan Toast is my second favorite. I'm a fan of the bread and how the ice cream mixes with it. Mango Tango is pretty good. Good mango flavor, a good mango bingsoo. The Black Thai tea crepe has a really good tea flavor. The Thai Tea flavor comes out really well. The Japanese Crepe with condensed milk and Oreo was alright. Definitely a lot more interesting and better desserts. They were sold out of the Hokkaido crepe cake another time. 6:45 PM on a Sunday. Never had that happen before. Got the Thai crepe cake instead, which was the only cake not sold out. I like the Hokkaido more. Overall, the dessert is not too sweet! Service is solid. Nothing too crazy or attentive, just average. When it's crowded, the food does take a bit to come. Can get crowded but overall a cute location to eat in. Food is definitely very shareable and I'd recommend sharing with a few people.

    One of my go-to spots to keep in your back pocket for a dessert hangout with friends. It's a cute…read moredessert spot with a cozy vibe and plenty of options on the menu. Usual go-to: Mango Sticky Rice Crepe FOOD: 8/10 Everything I've tried throughout multiple visits is pretty good overall. The presentation is beautiful, and the flavors are solid without being overly sweet. I really appreciate that their portions don't feel too heavy, so it's a nice place if you want dessert but don't want to feel overwhelmed afterward. Some items stand out more than others, but overall it's usually a satisfying experience. SERVICE: 8/10 The staff is always friendly and quick. Ordering is easy, and everything comes out promptly. AMBIANCE: 9/10 The cafe has a cute, modern aesthetic with a cozy feel. It's a nice spot to sit and hang out for a bit, whether you're catching up with friends or just grabbing dessert after dinner.

    Photos
    Chocolate Toasted  cr. foodswithyu
    Chocolate Toasted cr. foodswithyu
    Mango Tango  Cr. mitzifood
    Mango Tango Cr. mitzifood
    The chocolate salted egg lava cake, served
warm with a center that gushes out once you cut it open. 
Cr. janeejaneee

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    The chocolate salted egg lava cake, served warm with a center that gushes out once you cut it open. Cr. janeejaneee
    Dandelion Chocolate

    Dandelion Chocolate

    4.4
    (1.9k reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    I first visited Dandelion Chocolate for a team event and loved the experience so much that I…read morebrought my family back the same weekend. The house hot chocolate was delicious -- rich, smooth, and not overly sweet. The Baked Ghana ice cream was amazing; we have never had chocolate ice cream like that before. We loved it so much that we ordered another large house hot chocolate before leaving. Everyone at the store was incredibly kind to our family, especially with our two small kids. We'll definitely be coming back more often.Amazing service. Please open a location in the East Bay!

    My wife and I stopped by Dandelion Chocolate to pick up an afternoon treat and we shared a…read morechocolate chip cookie and a chocolate flavored canelé. The treats were tasty, but on the pricier side. I believe the pricing reflects the quality of the chocolate used in the products, so to me, the pricing is justified. The outer shell of the canelé had a nice crunch, but the inside actually reminded me of a chocolate brownie, and was less custardy than your typical canelé. Despite not being super traditional, I still really enjoyed the treat. With the chocolate chip cookie, I loved the giant chunks of semi-sweet dark chocolate embedded within it. I appreciate that the cookie itself wasn't overly sweet. With most cookies, I usually can only tolerate having a few bites, or need to have a coffee in hand to enjoy it, but I didn't feel like that was the case here: both treats were delicious. Overall, I would definitely stop by Dandelion Chocolate again if I'm looking for a well-crafted, sweet treat.

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    European drinking chocolate
    European drinking chocolate
    House Hot Chocolate
    House Hot Chocolate
    House Hot Chocolate (Oat Milk)

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    House Hot Chocolate (Oat Milk)
    Garden Creamery

    Garden Creamery

    4.7
    (1.7k reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    So many of my friends have been recommending this place to me and I was super excited to try it :D…read moreDELICIOUSSS My friend and I went here on a weekend afternoon, and the line wasn't long at all (we got really lucky I think). The line moved relatively fast and the service was great! You can't sample too many, but the ones I did sample were amazing already mmhmm! I ended up getting the matcha and jasmine milk tea, both of which I LOVED!! My friend got an interesting combo... PB oreo and thai tea LOL he also ended up liking his a lot. There's parking in neighborhoods! The inside of the shop was really cute and there's quite a few seats inside! :D I will definitely be back. I also heard they have rotating flavors!

    I passed by Garden Creamery on my way to dinner and saw a long line down the block. I came by after…read moredinner for a sweet treat and the line was unchanged, 30 min before close. Thankfully the line moved fairly fast, and when I got close to the front, I saw that they allow three samples per person to keep customers moving. The store is larger than it looks with some seating along the sides and back. I opted a small cup of the lychee black tea and auntie Kendra's garden. The lychee black tea was INCREDIBLE, strong, strong tea and fruit flavor, perfectly creamy, and not too sweet. The more memorable of the two, however, was definitely Auntie Kendra. It was a vanilla base with salty plum juice, passion fruit, and preserved lemon peel. The delicate vanilla, the lemon aroma without the sour tang, the floral, exotic passion fruit, and the unexpected punch of salt and earthiness from the plum juice, this is a WHOPPER of a flavor. Every bite allowed me a new appreciation of the layers of flavors in this scoop. While a bit pricy, Garden creamery is on par with the other local ice cream spots in SF and well, the flavors and my enjoyment of them speak for themselves. I will definitely be making more trips out here to try their other flavors!

    Photos
    Single (strawberry yuzu, genmaicha), double (strawberry yuzu) (11/2025)
    Single (strawberry yuzu, genmaicha), double (strawberry yuzu) (11/2025)
    Ube pandan
    Ube pandan
    Cantaloupe and Vanilla Lilikoi

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    Cantaloupe and Vanilla Lilikoi
    Maruwu Seicha

    Maruwu Seicha

    4.3
    (726 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$
    Women-owned & operated
    Certified professionals

    Perfect matcha consistency, color, and flavor! I loved my yuzu matcha and of course had to try one…read moreof their cheese tarts, which I was pleasantly surprised by. In a mall with a lot of options to choose from, I do think I would revisit for the same items again.

    I came here today with my 90-year-old grandfather for some matcha ice cream. The ice cream itself…read morewas excellent, rich, creamy, and full of matcha flavor. The quality of the food is why I'm still giving this place 3 stars. Unfortunately, the service continues to be disappointing. This isn't the first time I've felt this way whenever I visit. We were helped by a female staff member around 2 PM, and she seemed very unfriendly. When I politely asked for a cup, she just stared at me for a moment without saying anything, then turned around to grab one. A simple smile or "of course" would have made a big difference. As a young person, I can easily brush off that kind of attitude. But it made me feel sad for my 90-year-old grandfather, who deserves to be treated with warmth and kindness. Customer service isn't just about getting the order right, it's about making people feel welcome, especially elderly customers. The food is consistently great, but I hope the customer service can improve to match the quality of what they serve.

    Photos
    Hōjicha Latte Cheese Foam, 1/2 sweet ($6.30)
    Hōjicha Latte Cheese Foam, 1/2 sweet ($6.30)
    Matcha + Hokkaido Milk Swirl Soft Serve and Matcha Tea with Snow Top
    Matcha + Hokkaido Milk Swirl Soft Serve and Matcha Tea with Snow Top
    Hokkaido Latte with Snow Foam

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    Hokkaido Latte with Snow Foam

    Hila Gelato Caffe - coffee - Updated July 2026

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