Where to eat gelato in Calabria: the best gelaterias of the region

Every gelateria has its own speciality to be tasted. Below you will find a list of the best gelaterias in Calabria according to our guide Gelaterie d'Italia 2023, ranging from the small village coffee bars, to the classic gelaterias, to contemporary pastry shops.

Where to eat gelato in Calabria

Catanzaro and surroundings

Amedeo – 2 Coni

Over time, the café has become a landmark for city locals (and beyond). The gelato is well made, with a fair choice of flavours and a focus on creams, without taking away from the fruit-based flavours. Try the Cremino Barretta, a fiordilatte-based gelato perfectly mixed with creamy chocolate, and also their Dark (dark chocolate, very dark). The offer on the menu is variegated and particular: both the cafeteria itself and the food at the table, with babas filled with cream and fresh fruit, as well as gelato-filled croissants (also with the addition of cream). The pastries and cakes are good. The restaurant is open from early in the morning until late at night: excellent for breakfast or for an aperitivo. Other locations in Catanzaro and Soverato.

Catanzaro – via Alberghi, 10 – 0961 702237

Marons Glacès – 1 Cono

A place with a large outdoor area, just a few steps from the seafront. Thirty years of experience, a massive variety of gelato flavours (more than fifty), with gluten-free, sugar-free and for vegans available. The ingredients of the gelato are fresh and of good quality, and certainly such a wide offer gives the opportunity to find very special flavours. In addition to gelato, on the counter you can find mignons, dry pastries, fresh cakes, pastries of different flavours and many  things for breakfast, such as croissants and saccottini. Another strong point of the place are the cakes: apart from the simpler ones available in the fridge, they are made especially for important events.

Catanzaro Lido – lungomare S. Pugliese, 131 – 0961 34580 –

Il Massimo del Gelato – 1 Cono

Master gelato maker Massimo Provenzano combines his love for gelato gelato with the on for his region: quality raw materials, always fresh, handpicked and paying homage to the region. A simple, unpretentious place, with few seats but with a service so kind that ends up surprising. For those who are undecided on which taste to pick, Massimo will be capable of making them taste all, even more than once. Here each taste is created independently, without the same footing for all, so that each one has a unique flavour. The choice is not wide but manages to satisfy every palate. The fiordilatte is very good but the Bontà di Massimo, a balanced mix of almond, pistachio and the Calabrian citrus fruit par excellence, bergamot, is not to be missed. Other locations are in Catanzaro Lido and Cosenza.

Jacurso (CZ) – via Nazionale, 24 – 0968 70057 –

Il Regno del Gelato – 1 Cono

Master Gianfranco Buccafurni's art of gelato making is now well known, so much that Jacurso is famous throughout Italy for its gelato. The business, opened in 1953, continues the legacy of gelato produced in a meticulous way, as in the past, with local and highly selected ingredients, and with eggs from cage-free hens and fresh milk. In addition, no semi-processed products, additives or emulsifiers are used, for a genuine gelato with an excellent texture. The flavours change according to the season, but there are some “musts” by which the gelato shop has won several awards over the years, such as dark chocolate, blood orange and hazelnut flavour. Other must-try proposals are dried fig or mulberry flavoured gelato. In addition, they produce granitas in classic flavours, which can be enjoyed with hot brioche. Other shops in Soverato and Lamezia Terme.

Jacurso (CZ) – via Nazionale, 81 – 0968 70028 –

Casa Mastroianni – 2 Coni

This is the kingdom of Francesco Mastorianni, a master gelato maker who leaves a mark in all his creations, an ice-cream that is just right by texture and by palate, the result of high quality ingredients and modern technology for its production. The pistachio is very good, but are worth the temptation even other particular creams. Among the offer are also sorbets made with fresh fruit like lemon, strawberry and coconut, cremolate (to go with brioche), macaroons, dry pastries, spreadable creams including bergamot, and colombe (even mocha-flavoured). On the pastry front, Francesco is at his best on desserts, with fresh pastries, mignon and otherwise, and cannoleria, with classic Sicilian cannoli with different toppings, freshly filled, to be enjoyed on the spot or to take away. Other locations are in Soverato, Cosenza, Amantea, Pizzo and Catanzaro.

Lamezia Terme (CZ) – via San Rocco, 19 – 0968 437107 –

Morè – 1 Cono

A well-kept place, not far from the seafront, which is definitely a required stop, especially in summer, for those who want to taste good quality gelato, or just have breakfast. The flavours of their gelato are quite classic, from fruit, berries, lemon and coconut, but creams are also popular: coffee, kiss, trifle, pistachio, hazelnut and chocolate. Their fiordilatte (in which they use real vanilla beans) is very good. Cremolates are also available, to match the brioches, which are soft and generous in size.

Soverato (CZ) – via Chiarello e Poliporto, 10 – 0967 21516

Bar Jolli – 1 Cono

Stalettì is a Squillace’s Gulf small village of a few thousand inhabitants where there is a bar that is worth a visit, either for the magnificent terrace with a pergola vine and a majestic bougainville, or for the fantastic cremolatas with seasonal fruit: figs, watermelon, blackberries, almonds, pistachios, chocolate, coffee. In summer, to try the one with merendelle (sweet peaches typical of the area) to go along with the fragrant brioche. Are worth tasting also the gelatos, both classic and the more creative ones, such as the mascarpone millefeuille, the fig and walnut, and the rum croccantino. Fast and polite service.

Staletti (CZ) – piazza Roma, 9 – 333 3064761

Cosenza and surroundings

Juve Bar – 2 Coni

Daniele Gaglianone opened this bar in the city’s old town centre in 1956 and, from the 1970s onwards, started a production of homemade gelatos and granitas that quickly became the reason for his great success. Laudable technique combined with great creativity and constant research, from the draft of raw materials to the combinations proposed. This is how the famous Gioia Mia flavour was born, chocolate enriched with whole hazelnuts, almonds, pieces of nougat, pine nuts and dark chocolate chips, to be enjoyed while sitting at one of the small tables in the square. Fresh fruit granitas, with wild strawberries, citron, lemon, refresh during the summer. In addition to all this, there is a rich variety of home-made truffles, a must-try, with pistachio, coffee, chocolate, even in the “affogata” version (fully immerged) or served in a dark chocolate casket.

Belvedere Marittimo (CS) - Piazza Dante, 1 – 0985 274161 –

La Cremeria Vitaro – 2 Coni

In the restaurant, with its indoor hall and large outdoor area, the ingredients used to make the gelato are well displayed on a blackboard: fresh milk, eggs from free-range chickens, pistachio from Bronte Dop, IGP hazelnut, liquorice, almond from Val di Noto and single-origin chocolate, with all the fresh fruit at 0 km. Quite wide is their offer, divided between fruit-based flavours such as strawberry, Rocca lemon and mango, and cream-based flavours that are also special, such as Il Golosone, made with eggs, butter biscuits and gianduia, and Crema Jolanda with ricotta and praline nuts. The more simple flavours such as pistachio, zuppa inglese and their fiordilatte are also good. The pastries are also worth trying. The venue's strong point is definitely the open laboratory, which respects the philosophy of “complete transparency”.

Cosenza – piazza C. Bilotti, 8 – 349 5009087 –

Reggio Calabria and surroundings

Bar del Tocco – 1 Cono

Giuseppe Rinaldis is a serious craftsman who never loses enthusiasm, but above all he is a proud singer of his land, which he celebrates with his granitas made with fresh local fruit (but also almond, coffee, chocolate) and with his cremolatos, a regular date especially in summer, which make the most of the raw material used. The same goes for the gelato, a classic, genuine and well-processed and preserved product, to be tried in fiordilatte, hazelnut, pistachio and zuppa inglese flavours. At the pastry counter there is a wide-ranging  assortment of shortbread and pastries, above all the soft Sicilian brioche. Mixed cups and affogati for the gluttonous, and just as many savoury proposals for aperitivo or snacks. The atmosphere is that of a village bar, typical and well-kept, with tables in the small square.

Gerace (RC) – piazza del Tocco, 7 – 0964 356028 –

Gelato Cesare – 2 Coni

Just before the city's seafront, the café opened in 1918 and boasts more than 100 years of activity. Selected raw materials and a wide choice of flavours. They start with timeless classics for those who do not like to experiment and go on to more unusual ones, such as Annona di Reggio Calabria and Passion Fruit, the Italico flavour with ricotta cheese, figs and raisin wine, or Scassata regina, with ricotta cheese, marzipan variegated with pieces of Sicilian cannoli. Desserts are also among the offering, and their sorbets (pure fruit such as bergamot, prickly pears and mango) are also good.

Reggio Calabria – piazza Indipendenza, 2 – 392 9402220 –

Gelateria Matteotti – 1 Cono

The place is both a café, an ice-cream shop and a place to have an aperitivo in the dehors, which is very nice and well-kept. The menu is with no doubt wide and the choice, therefore, manages to please everyone, including the different flavours of gelato displayed on the counter. The creams are the most tempting (try the tiramisu) but for those who are in the mood of a good, tasty and genuine fruit gelato, a taste of this is a must. On offer are different multi-flavoured cups with special names (coppa fragolosa, coppa lungomare, coppa i love you) and also sorbets, wherefore only fresh, high quality fruit from the best consortia in Italy is selected, such as Mandarino tardivo di Ciaculli and Limone di Sorrento, and only low-mineral water is used for the base. For the sweet tooth, the gelato or granita can be followed by an inviting hot brioche.

Reggio Calabria – corso Vittorio Emanuele, 39 - l.mare Matteotti – 0965 891161 –

Cremeria Sottozero – 1 Cono

A dehors overlooking the seafront and a passion that has been going on for over 50 years are the strong points of this restaurant run by Vincenzo Pennestri. Quality and local raw materials, which also follow the seasonality for everything fruit-based. There is a great choice of gelato, but the Pennestri’s new born are the cones with flavours already combined with one another: “Il Calabrese” has figs and walnuts, nougat, cream, walnut kernels, nutella with hazelnuts and royal hazelnut; “Il Fruttoso” with melon, coconut, strawberry and dehydrated coconut and also “Il Goloso” with cookies, caramel, cream, sweet milk and “Capriccio” (but there are many others).

Reggio Calabria – corso Vittorio Emanuele, 83a – 0965 24170 –

Trebottoni – 2 Coni

A friendly welcome, clean location, but above all the great quality of the sub-zero proposal that includes a  careful choice of ingredients, craftsmenship produce, innovation and truly delicious ice-cream flavours, about twenty or so in seasonal rotation (except for the strongholds that are always to be found), all to be tried. This, in a nutshell, is the picture of Trebottoni, a modern gelateria opened in 2021, which in a short time has gained a respectable position in the consideration and appreciation of its already big clientele. The young master ice-cream maker as well as owner and pastry chef Demetrio Romeo, successor to a tradition in the business descended from his grandfather and father (since 1983, the Romeo family has owned a pastry bar in the city), has been working with his hands in the dough since the age of 18, with the precious support of his brothers Antonio and Paolo, expressing his art with the aim of combining past and future. Future yes, but always with feet on the ground because the customer's satisfaction comes first. Try the 'L'Illegale' cone, really a must-try.

Reggio Calabria – via Giuseppe de Nava, 40/I – 0965 627532 –

Province of Vibo Valentia

Ercole – 1 Cono

For the Pizzo Truffle, an all-Calabrian speciality and the first gelato in Europe to be awarded the I.G.P. classification, there is no need for an introduction and here, since 1965, you can taste one of the best in the area. The best known and most popular is the classic version, with hazelnut gelato and a dark chocolate heart, but you can also try the 'white truffle' with white chocolate, coffee mousse and “smeraldo” with pistachio flavour. Not to be outdone are the gelatos and parfaits, with coffee and hazelnut, coffee affogati, mixed cups, the famous “cioccolata imbottita”, a chocolate delight with almonds and gianduja parfait, as well as granitas and gelato panettone.

Pizzo (VV) - piazza della Repubblica, 18 – 0963 531149 –

Gelati Tonino – 1 Cono

If you have never tasted a cone with tuna, 'nduja or onion, and you are passing by or on holiday in Tropea, the advice is to leave aside hesitation and pay a visit to Tonino, here recognised as “the genius of gelato”. A thoroughbred craftsman, he has been daring and experimenting on the savoury front since a long time, and with good results, especially, of course, in the version with onion, an icon of the area. For the traditionalists, as well as for those who cannot tolerate gluten, there is a large assortment of classics, made with controlled raw materials and preserved in cockpit freezers. Truffles, such as the pistachio one, cannot be missed, nor the refreshing seasonal fruit granitas. A bar of the good old days that is always nice to hang out, even to chat with the owner, at the counter’s forefront and happy to tell his story. At his side the family, friendly in welcoming and serving customers.

Tropea (VV) – corso Vittorio Emanuele, 52 – 340 3449657