The Best Gelato Shops In San Francisco

San Francisco has such a rich dairy scene that it demands separate guides to cover the entire dessert spectrum. We’ve got your road map to the best ice cream shops, the ideal itinerary for soft serve, and, now, a list of the places serving great gelato. Whether you love this (generally) eggless wonder for its dense texture and pronounced flavors, or if you just want something sweet and actually don’t care about the nuanced differences between frozen desserts, this is the guide for you.

THE SPOTS

Hila Gelato

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The Mission has a wealth of dessert options, but Hila Gelato should be your first choice regardless of the temperature. The Sicilian-style gelato is incredibly creamy and the flavors rotate constantly. Our favorites usually lean on the fruitier side, like the blueberry that’s chock full of small berry bits that taste straight from a farm stand in the Central Valley. Consider this the perfect way to cool off on a 72-degree San Francisco day.

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When you need a midday treat that also functions as a caffeine boost, beeline it to Philmore Creamery. Their gelato (along with some dairy-free options) comes in pretty classic Italian flavors like pistachio, stracciatella, and vanilla bean, all of which can be doused with a shot of espresso. Grab an affogato of your choice and slurp away while window shopping along Fillmore St.

Marco Polo Italian Ice Cream

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SF has its fair share of gelato spots, as well as scoop shops with Asian flavors. But Asian gelato? That's what's happening at this Sunset spot. Their creamy gelato, in flavors like red bean and pandan to coconut and durian, is incredible. If you're torn, go for the black sesame, which has a not-too-sweet nutty taste. This stuff is thick enough to frost a cake—a sign of a scoop done right in our books.

Bella Trattoria

$$$$Perfect For:Casual DinnersBig Groups

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Attached to Bella Trattoria in the Richmond is a sit-down gelateria with a long wooden communal table with enough room for a gaggle of frozen dessert enthusiasts, also known as your friends. Some of their 12 flavors are dairy-free (like pineapple, watermelon, and lemon), while the rest are standards you’d find at most other gelato shops in the city (pistachio, vanilla, and chocolate). Our favorites are the amarena and mint chip. Stop by whenever the gelato hankering arises in the Richmond, or if you need a change of scenery for dessert after downing the handmade pastas in the restaurant’s main dining room.

Gio Gelati

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This gelateria and mini-grocery store hybrid in the Marina serves ultra-smooth, mostly Italian flavors like stracciatella and tiramisu, as well as fruit-forward vegan gelato. Of course, you can get your scoops in a cup or a cone, but you could also get them stuffed inside bread. Ask for a brioche bun that’s been split wide open, and filled with a big scoop of your choice of gelato. No matter the approach, we always suggest ordering a filled-to-order cannoli on the side and grabbing a seat by the window to count how many passing dogs are wearing fitted jackets.

La Copa Loca

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This long-standing Mission gelateria serves Mexican-inspired flavors that you won’t find at other scoop shops in the city, like cherimoya, mamey sapote, and lucuma. Our favorites are the Mexican vanilla and mango. And for the lactose-intolerant and sugar-free among us, La Copa Loca also has a decent selection of soy-based and sugarless gelato and sorbet. Get your scoops in a cup or sugar cone, or maximize your gelato intake and ask for sundae or milkshake.

Lush Gelato

$$$$Perfect For:Dessert

This North Beach spot has a small, frequently-changing selection of gelato flavors like brown butter & chocolate honeycomb, fresh mint chip, and dulce de leche, which you can order in a pint or a scoop to-go. There are a few tables inside, or you can take your mound of frozen dairy to Washington Square Park right across the street.