The "WE DON'T DO SAMPLES" sign at this bright little spot was a dead giveaway that this was a…read moretrue-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.

I ordered a pint of Seven Layers Hazlenut and Chocolate for delivery. $27 after tip and fees for a…read moredelivered 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.

There are very few places that have taken the literal words out of my mouth and left me in silence,…read morethis is one of them. About a month ago, we visited here for the first time while taking a stroll in San Francisco. What caught our eye was the word small batch gelato. The line wasn't bad on this night so we gave it a go. I immediately saw the very unique flavors and the high quality layouts. To our mistake, we grabbed one cup with two flavors and walked away. When I say we fought over it, our marriage was tested over the gelato. Lol A month later, which was just last weekend we were in town again for another Giants game. This was 100% on our guaranteed stop list. This second time around we each had our own cup of goodness, of sweet delicious remarkable goodness. I am hooked, I am unapologetically hooked. I am telling every single person about this place and in two weeks when I go to a business trip up north, I will pay another visit.

Gelato is that magical dessert that is easily enjoyed at any time of year and for any occasion…read more It will brighten your mood, it will comfort you, and it totally tastes like a warm hug! North Beach in San Francisco is home to Lush gelato. This unique gelato shop features small batch house made deliciousness. Their waffle cones our house made as well. You will find unique flavors that will leave you wanting to go back over and over again. Chocolate honeycomb? Yes please! Point Reyes Blue Cheese? Sounds crazy? Delicious. Brown butter? Yes! These are just a few of rotating flavors. There is a great selection to choose from, and you will say yes to all of them. Boysenberry cheesecake is one of my favorites, and the ricotta and lemon is a close second. The gelato is creamy, decadent, and each bite is a little taste of heaven. I adore this part of North Beach because there's so many wonderful restaurants, shops and being able to go to Lush gelato is truly the cherry on top!

Great place for gelato and sorbet! I got a small cone with two flavors: lemon and mango. The lemon…read moresorbet tasted like I was eating a frozen lemonade and the mango sorbet had a strong mango flavor. They have free samples and the service was good! There is seating inside and outside.

This cute little gelato cafe is right in front of china town. There were three workers behind the…read morecounter but none of them greeted us as we came in (the last customers were leaving & we were the only ones who came in at that moment). So I already didn't feel welcome. Luckily, there was a kiosk where you can order. I always find that super convenient because I can take my time looking :). One of our orders was incorrect (they gave us one scoop when it should've been three different ones). Because we luckily had our receipt, they corrected it. I ordered the stracciatella & mint chocolate chip. I find the consistency to be more icy than creamy which is what I look for when eating gelato. Still flavorful though so we were happy with it! 7/10.

I was on my way out of town while walking through Little Italy and I wasnt really hungry until I…read morewalked by like every spot and this place caught me when I saw someone eating this sanny with good looking bread. I walked past it and got like a block away and was like maaaaaan shiiiiiittt Im turning around lol. I went back and came to get a sanny and Im happy I did, I was planning on eating it on the walk. The place has a lot of choices like a regular deli youd find in the northeast. San Francisco has definitely the best Little Italy as far as choices to pick from and its really big and spread out. I had the Goodfella. Roast beef, prosciutto, salami, provolone and basil. I added the pesto and olive oil and replaced the provolone with fresh mozzarella. Best part was there was an old ass lady who made the sanny and she loaded it lol. The bread makes the sandwich and it was really soft and crunchy. Soo good. I 1000% recommend this place and I am sure she makes all the sandwiches the same!

Wowowow …read more... Visited Alimento twice, my most recent being today -- 6/27. It's a small deli shop that offers gelato, sandwiches, and pastries. They also have quite a large selection of alcohol and cigarettes-- which could make for a good quick pick-me-up. I visited on a Wednesday night and got myself a cone with two scoops of Hazelnut Brownie + Stracciatella -- which were honestly so yummy. It was stretchy and soft and made for a perfect dessert after dinner. You are allowed only two samples though so be wary of your choices. Today, when I went -- I was excited to try their sandwiches, I was looking at the menu and the Alpino caught my eye. Normally, not a fan of bacon but this sandwich was fresh- the mix they offer in sauces and veggies were so good. The sandwich was refreshing to eat with a decent amount of turkey slices they packed in. The bread was also toasted and gave a nice crunch with a soft interior to every bite. The sandwich is admittedly a little pricey, but I would purchase again. Now the customer service, like other reviews may have mentioned was a little off at times? It didn't feel friendly or welcoming at times and when I was ordering I felt rushed or ignored-- I was trying to order two sandwiches to which, she immediately began to make the first one without a single word. I chose to wait until she was done because I wasn't sure when I could let her know about the other order as she was moving back and forth between stations, but she finished and I let her know about the other order to which she said, "How many more sandwiches?" Honestly, that comment did throw me off a little, but I told her this was the last one and she did make it quite quickly. Now, I'll give her the benefit of the doubt as she could be tired or not feeling the best-- but I would say I just wished she was a bit more acknowledgeable toward the customers behind the counter as it did make me discomforted by her lack of response and also the reaction she had when I let her know about the other sandwich. She did at least tell me to have a good day afterwards, so I do hope this isn't going to be a reoccurring incident as I really do love coming to Alimento for the gelatos and sandwiches. (~_~;) I would recommend coming here if you're visiting around North Beach! Alimento makes for a great lunch spot with their sandwiches or a nice sweet treat with their gelato. ^o^

Best ice cream in SF. Bar None. Highly recommend this lovely little super high quality gelato shop…read more I've eaten gelato all over Italy and this place matches the best ice cream in Milan and Florence. Great staff too! Will be taking friends and family here soon!

Philmore Creamery is classic gelato and sorbet done right. I have come by twice already and each…read moretime the flavors I got were fabulous. The line can get long but they move fairly fast. They have a policy where each person can only try three flavors, in the interest of keeping the line moving. The inside is a bit cramped with some seating inside and a refrigerated cabinet with ice cream based treats, as well as a cute spot for "dog parking" by the door. I really like their giant ice cream figurine outside. The first time I visited, I tried their dark chocolate sorbet and mascarpone gelato. This combination was absolutely HEAVENLY. The chocolate was rich and not too sweet, and the mascarpone tasted exactly like a tiramisu. I am always amazed by how they can get chocolate sorbet to taste just as good as chocolate gelato, as there isn't any milk. The second time, I tried their matcha blackberry ice cream and strawberry sorbet. The matcha was smooth and strong, and paired beautifully with the two summer flavors. The strawberry sorbet is limited to only a few weeks and it's so, so good, like summer in a cup!! This is one of my fave spots in the city for classic flavors with perfect execution. I can't wait to try their coffee and pistachio flavors!

First time trying this place was at the Union Street Festival and they had a vendor spot right…read moreoutside their physical shop. Unfortunately, since they were in ice cream carts outside on a very sunny day, it was served slightly melted. We got a regular cup (came smaller than most ice cream shops) of their pistachio and Strauss yogurt, both really delicious, but tell me why did it cost $15 for that??? I'm sure the fair played a part in the price inflation, but I don't think any ice cream I've ever had can justify that price and I LOVE ice cream. It's really good ice cream but extremely overvalued. Not any better that ice cream shops that serve that size for $5-$6.

I will say that I love gelato as it is quite an enhance upgrade over traditional ice cream. And…read morewhat better way to enjoy that experience than a visit to the Marina District of San Francisco where I had the opportunity trying out "GIO Gelati". Located directly at the corner of Union St/Buchanan St in the heart of the Marina, this wildly popular place that is owned and operated by Italians has been in operation dating back to early-2018. The hours of operation here are quite generous as they're open daily from 10:30am-9:30pm with extended hours until 10:30pm on Friday & Saturday. The interior layout is small yet big enough to showcase several items for purchase; whole & ground coffee, jams, spreads, snacks, and even pasta sauces. And if gelato isn't your thing, they also have quite a bit of Italian cookies and desserts for purchase. Finally, if you wish to enjoy your gelato before it melts, they also offer a couple of small tables & chairs inside as well as one public restroom. Now onto the gelato itself! Much of their gelato is dairy-free & vegan plant-based with some of their gelato offering the addition of sugar, water and/or milk. They offer 4 different sizes (kids, small, medium, large) in either a cup or cone. And if you're thinking outside of the box, they also have a nice variety of espresso drinks as well as fresh pastries that are baked daily. Since I wasn't too hungry (after a big dinner), I went with a kids size cone of their "Italian Crema". This was a rich, velvety texture of creamy deliciousness. And since it was considering a 'kids' size, I didn't feel too guilty enjoying this. I will say that the customer service here was top notch as the employees allowed me to sample a few gelatos prior to narrowing down my selection. The prices are also quite reasonable as they are lower than some of the other places in San Francisco as well as gelato spots I've been to in Los Angeles and New York. With a charming interior setup, prime location, and delicious gelatos, I am giving "GIO Gelati" a perfect five-star rating.

A charming dessert shop. The exterior and interior are modern with charming flourishes throughout…read more I found their frozen confections to be mediocre, but their signature creations were great. Service was kind. Don't Stay for Breakfast: Disappointed by this one, was 1-dimensional and no better than any run-of-the-mill ice cream bar. It lacked the maple flavor I was looking for. The only highlight was the crunch from the waffle flakes. Pavlova: A significant step-up from the other dessert. Visually, the pavlova wrapped around the presentation of fruit is quite beautiful. The pavlova was light, airy, and had a nice sweetness. The fruit filling was decadent, and added variety to each bite.

Everything I tried her was Amazing! From the pastries to the handcrafted chocolates and macarons. I…read morecan't wait to go back!

Exploring the neighborhood after playing miniature golf nearby at Holey Moley and also visited Hua…read moreZang Zi, a Buddhist temple converted from a church (formerly St. Johannes Evangelical Lutheran Church) because it looked so interesting. I digress. We then went to La Copa Loca Gelato to get some coconut gelato. So good! A must visit. Located on 22nd Ave and Capp.

I lived near La Copa Loca for almost two years, but I didn't come more than a handful of times, and…read moreI regret that. It's the little gelato place that could. I was terrified the entire time I lived nearby that this place would close, but it outlasted me in the neighborhood, and I stopped by recently, and it is still going strong. The gelato is good, but I always came here for the smoothies, which are excellent. It's in an out-of-the-way spot and across the street from a rowdy bar full of lecherous men, so keep your daughters close, and your pepper spray closer. I'm kidding! (Sort of.) It is adorable how many families bring their kids here. During the day, they put a couple of tables out on the Capp Street sidewalk, and since this is the end of Capp that is barricaded, cars won't be rushing by. The ultimate get is to come when the taco truck is parked at the barricade. When that happens, you can enjoy some fine Mexican food-truck food and wash it down with some heavenly gelato. My only criticism: They need to fix the case! It has been cracked since 2023, if not before then.