By Daniela Osio. Cover image Dariya Yetekbay and Isabella Medrado.
In Florence, gelato is often judged by height and presentation, with places like Amorino and Venchi drawing crowds for their picture-perfect cones. Yet true gelato culture lies elsewhere. In a city defined by art, the most authentic experiences are sometimes the least obvious, and the best scoops are no exception. The real Italian gelato shops worth finding are hidden through the narrow streets of Florence, waiting for those willing to look.
How to Spot a Gelato Tourist Trap in Florence
As a tourist, it is typical to get caught up in crowds. You may be intrigued by the enormous mountains of brightly colored gelato, but the truth is that those large and fluffy mounds of ice cream are made with artificial thickeners, hydrogenated vegetable fats, emulsifiers, and preservatives to maintain their shape without melting or collapsing. Often these gelato shops are located near major attractions and tourist hot spots, raising the price of their inauthentic product to lure people in.
Did you know Vivoli, the viral spot for trying affogatos, reportedly sells over 1,000 affogatos in a day? Now, I’m not saying this is a terrible coffee shop, because clearly the statistics say otherwise, but if you want a more original experience than waiting in a 45-minute queue to get the same product as everyone else in line, keep reading for some insight into a more traditional experience.
The first red flag to look for in a potential Florence gelato tourist trap is the height of the product. These towers of ice cream contain excess air incorporated through excessive whipping, which means you are paying for volume rather than product. Instead of falling for the first light-up “Ice Cream” sign in your face, look for the smaller gelato shops hidden in alleyways displaying metal tubs of gelato that you can’t actually see inside. This is a great sign that the gelato is made fresh and stored in the traditional refrigerated way.
Artisanal Gelato in Florence: Why the Sign on the Door Tells You Everything
In Italy, gelato doesn’t rely on decoration or scale: its quality comes from ingredients and technique. Italians take great pride in the effort and time it takes to produce such a high-quality dessert. When a gelato shop displays the sign “Gelateria Artigianale” it means they make their product by hand to the highest quality. Batches are usually made fresh each day, and the best gelato shops don’t always stick to the same stereotypical flavours. Niche gelaterias love to explore different flavour combinations, giving your taste buds a distinct experience with every bite you take.
The Florence Gelato Shops Actually Worth Your Time
The gelato shops that do this best are Gelateria Perché No, Sbrino, Gelateria D’Neri, Gelateria Badiani, and Gelateria della Passera, featuring extraordinary flavours you would never think of: combinations such as Ricotta and Fig, Cherry Rum, Raspberry Mojito, Pear and Caramel, and of course endless options with liqueur, as Italians will do anything to have one more drink!
Gelateria Badiani Florence: Where to Try the Original Buontalenti Flavour
Buontalenti is a Florentine flavour similar to the taste of Panna Cotta, with a very rich history behind it. Gelateria Badiani writes: “Bernardo Buontalenti, architect and creative figure, directed shows and fireworks and set up a programme of festivities like no one ever before. He arranged sumptuous banquets, at the end of which he served a frozen cream to which he had added a very precious spice coming from the newly discovered Americas: sugar”. According to tradition, this is one of many special flavours featured in Badiani. Stop by Via dei Tosinghi to taste a part of Florence’s history!
The Florence Gelateria Making the Wildest Flavours
My personal favourite gelato shop in Florence is Sbrino. It specialises in ever-changing flavours such as Speculoos, a caramelised spiced biscuit (a fan favourite), Rose, Lavender Honey, Egg Cream, Pomegranate, Rice, Flower Fields, Crunchy Cherry, Pumpkin Seeds, and many more. Sbrino has four different locations on the other side of the Arno River, and it is definitely worth a visit!
Why the Best Gelato Shops in Florence Are Always Off the Beaten Path
So, look beyond the obvious: gelato is more than just sticking to what you already know. It’s about curiosity and letting yourself be surprised. A name like Egg Cream might throw you off at first, but that’s exactly the point. Some of the best flavours are the ones you almost didn’t try. In a city like Florence, where creativity shows up even in something as simple as a scoop of gelato, step out of your comfort zone and walk past the crowds to discover gelato for yourself.
