Gelato Classico Italian
Category: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt [Edit]
Neighborhood: North Beach/Telegraph Hill576 Union St
(between Stockton St & Via Ferlinghetti)
San Francisco, CA 94133 (415) 391-6667
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: No
- Parking: Street
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
14 reviews
Neighborhood: Nob Hill
"It is here! Fro-yo in Russian Hill! They offer a daily rotation of flavors with two categories to choose from: regular and tart, and they…" read more »
69 Reviews for Gelato Classico Italian
The Coppa Mista is amazing!!!
This is my favorite local gelato spot and the inspiration for my running. They have a nice selection of light and 97% fat free gelato that I generally look at before ordering my regular Coppa Mista.
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I've never known such a thing as "bad gelato". I don't think it exists. I think it's impossible to have bad gelato... like bad ice cream. Can dessert ever really be bad?
The shop is cute and right in the heart of north beach. It's only a block away from Naia and if you have the choice, go here over Naia any day. The prices are standard for gelato: about 3.50 for a small and 4.25 for a regular. Same small portions and same small spoons, but very rich, creamy taste.
I sampled the lemon poppyseed and unlike many yelpers, I was not a fan. But I do love the coppa mista. Amazing combination that was rich, nutty, but not overly sweet at the same time. I had that with the hazelnut, which was the best I've had but I'm sure there are better ones out there.
Great little place, but my one complaint is that they nickel and dime you to death. 25 cents if you want a waffer cookie no bigger than 2 inches diameter to go with your gelato... you think they could at least give it to you complimentary if desired. I did not want a cookie. That was not the point. The point is I'd like to know that I wouldn't be charged extra in order to get one.
Other than that, great shop and great location. Good flavors. Have not tried their sorbet, but I will at some point.
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I'm a sucka for a good ice-cream.
Tried green tea, mango, coffee and ginger gelato - never dissapointed!
I'll agree with the last reviewer that two flavors intermingle, though the woman at the counter did try to have two distinct halves in my cup.
I got the strawberry cheesecake and the white chocolate decadenza so they actually mixed well.
I lived 2 blocks away from it in San Francisco, so I'm kind of embarrassed that I never tried it until I was a tourist.
What I had was very tasty and I would go back the next time I'm jonesing for something sweet in North Beach.
Love the White Chocolate Decadenza. Not to mention that I top it up with Limoncello Poppyceed. Word up! It must be the ice cream rush cause I'm still kinda high untill now. They are very creamy and thick.
There's limited seating available but there's a bench right outside of the shop. As the matter of fact, sitting out has so much better view.
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I went here today while I was roaming around downtown and North Beach. After hanging out, loafing around, and people-watching in the middle of nearby Jefferson Square, we decided to head over and get some gelato. We were in the mood for it: we had caught some rays, spotted the store as we walked up for a late lunch at North Beach Pizza, which is also nearby, and we just decided that we had a collective sweet tooth. We weren't disappointed.
There was a man who was quite charming and rather friendly giving us the gelato. The prices are a little high but given gelato, they're actually quite decent or "regular," for lack of a better term. I had two flavors in my regular-size: white chocolate decadenzza and strawberry cheesecake; they both sounded (and tasted) rather good. They also mixed quite well. My best friend also had a regular with cookie dough and chocolate (something or the other), which she said was super fantastic as well.
We left pleased. Pick up a card, as they have a buy ten, get one free special. You'll probably come back a lot.
Pretty good gelato. I especially liked the limoncello poppyseed - yum yum.
Server was super nice and let me taste like at least 4 different gelatos (because I'm indecisive) and they were generous scoops too.
However, I have to confess my heart belongs to Naia (how could it not when there's one down the street from me in the Castro?) and I was really sad to find out after I got Gelato Classico that there's a Naia just down the street.
All you lemmings can line up for the latest Fro-Yo grand opening...I'll be at Gelato Classico throwing back the tastiest gelato this side of Rome.
I know, I know...gelato isn't the best thing in the world for a man watching his waifish figure but when I'm in the mood for a treat (aka wandering drunk around North Beach) I'll take some creamy gelato goodness and make it a double.
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Date & Time: Saturday June 14, 2008 In between Musical Acts at The North Beach Fest
Company: Kam, Michael & Canine Jack
Crowd: Line out The Door of Cute Couples & Groups of Guys & Girls
Atmosphere: Classic Italian Gelato Place
Decor: Just a Counter w/ Small Bench Outside
Service: Young Cute Girls
Devour: Coppa Mista!
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Creamy, yummy and delicious. Delicious, creamy and yummy. Yummy, delicious and creamy. No matter how you put it this place is good, I love it that I live in such a cool neighborhood and this place only makes the neighborhood even sweeter.
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This place is so fucking good that I had to have it TWICE within the time span of 3 hours, that is all.
LIMONCELLO POPPYSEED!!!!!!!
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As promised, I gave this place a second try, this time on the 4th of July after a hilarious fireworks show that went something like this...
Hear: "bang. bang. BANGBANGBANGBANG!!!"
See: NOTHING but an opaque sheet of fog
Unlike the fireworks, Gelato Classico did not disappoint this time:
1. Our server was super nice and offered us many try-before-you-buy spoons of gelato.
2. They did have the limoncello poppyseed gelato everyone raves about...tastay!
3. They had a new lychee flavor...also tastay! (although since it was untouched before I went around 10:15pm I'm guessing that flavor's not coming back)
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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06/05/2008
I'm willing to try this place again because they didn't have the limoncello poppyseed one that… Read more »
It's gelato, how can it be bad? Seriously people!
it's off from the main strip and away from the crowds but this little gem remains and plenty people seek them out or come upon them in their good fortune.
Current favorite is the lemincello poppyseed, SO refreshing yet very creamy *drool*! My niece loved her strawberry fresca. It was her very first gelato and it was a pleasure to see her enjoy every bite of it.
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Delicious! REAL gelato, with a wide variety of flavors. It was really nice that they were open late, so we could stop by after dinner for a refreshing treat on our way home!
Love love love this place! Anytime I'm in North Beach, I have to get some. My favorite thing to do is get some Coppa Mista and park it in Washington Square for a while.
Apparently this place is hard to find...maybe because it's not on a main drag? It's right around the corner from Moose's, and on the corner of the park...I had no trouble finding it, but my belly has a sort of radar for gelato and frozen yogurt goodiness.
The only thing I don't like is that they don't take card. Cause as much as I love gelato, I really hate having to walk to that BofA. Those two blocks always seem to take like ten minutes.
I live a hop skip and jump away from North Beach yet for some reason I haven't spent much time here. But that is about to change since summer is here and we all know what that means...gelato! I first saw this place while dining at Cafe Divine a few weeks ago and remember thinking to myself that I would much rather have been eating gelato than eating whatever it was I was eating at the time. I suppose if you knew me well enough, you'd realize that I always would rather be eating gelato than doing the task at hand since ice cream is my true calling. In any event, today, being a rather hot one, seemed like a fitting day for some after work frozen delight. Taking the cable car over to Washington square park, a huge grin across my face (just thinking about ice cream makes me smile) you might have mistaken me for a tourist (minus the map and camera). Stepping inside the small yet charming shop, I was greeted by an extremely friendly girl at the counter who was patient enough to allow me to sample quite a few flavors before deciding on the final scoop. I ended up choosing the banana walnut and mango sorbet, stuffed nicely into a sugar cone. This rather small confection cost me a whopping $4.15. Now I don't mind paying $4.15 if I am getting a large, but come on, this was the smallest size they had, on a generic cone (not home made waffle or anything exciting). The gelato and sorbet was definitely tasty, the mango being particularly special. However, I don't think that it was worth the price but on this particular warm evening, it definitely hit the spot.
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FREAKING GOOD GELATO!!! I am usually more of an ice cream fan, because it tends to be creamier than gelato, which can be watery. But THIS Italian gelato is thick, creamy, and SUPER chocolaty (I had a sample of the dark chocolate gelato and HAD to get it). I would chose this over chocolate ice cream any day. My friend recommends the ginger gelato, too. On a hot day walking through north beach, whether you're a tourist or an SF native, it's a perfect place to stop!!
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We stumbled upon this place after a long night of drinking in north beach and right after eating a greasy phili cheesesteak sandwich. There's a little couch for you to crash on as you try to sober up. Some how gelato tastes so damn good with alcohol in your system!
I love ice cream, any ice cream. Different types, different flavors and have sampled German and Italian and Japanese styles from their sources. Manhattan, Chicago and LaLa scoops to house made specialties both local and global. GCI stands up there with all of them.
Making the long haul all the way over to Classico from Washington Square is really an event for me, plus its all uphill. I can't say I love their scoops because as of the last time I bought me some frozen pleasure, it was served in a cup and not thick enough to hold shape on a cone. I like my 'scream in a cone, preferably a waffle one.
However the purity of flavors can't be found anywhere else in the USofA that I've found. Classico rivals Germany and Italy for robust and natural flavors and I still remember my first jolt of blueberry creating a sensation rivaled only in Europe. True vanilla and honest to goodness real Spumoni. Any ice cream shoppe lasting over decades must have something going for it.
I can only think of Ben & Jerry's, Swensons and Classico that fit this caliber but hopefully I'm wrong. Very tasty chilled sensation especially in the Spring and Summer. Enjoy!
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3.75 star maybe. Pretty good gelato!
The very unique one is the lime poppy seeds. It's so refreshing!!
I still like Holy Gelato the best in the gelato catagory.
two words: coppa mista
Tiny. Hidden. But oh so tasty! Gelato is perfect for any after dinner desert, whether the weather (ya' like that?) is hot or cold. The woman behind the counter was friendly and more than happy to serve up taster spoons for us so we could waffle and be indecisive before making the perfect gelato choice.
I can't belive I went by this place for years and never went in. Talk about needing to make up for lost time. I definitely recommend this place for a quick fix.
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The gelato is great. My favorite was the banana walnut and the blackberry... something. Something blackberry wine. Great stuff. Too bad LA doesn't have gelato everywhere.
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North Beach isn't North Beach with out a stop for Gelato at Gelato Classico. I used to order the large with Dark Chocolate and Raspberry Sorbet. Now I'd settle with a small (perfect amount) and you can still choose a couple of flavors to combine. Espresso really compliments your frozen treat so fire one of those up too while your at it. Tiny place, parking blows, but well worth it!!
I would walk through a pride of starving lions, climb over an electric fence and swim across a river of piranhas to have the creamy deliciousness that is Gelato Classico. Can't wait for next fall when the pumpkin flavor comes back.
I highly recommend that whenever you come to North Beach for dinner, skip the dessert menu and walk over to Gelato Classico for some authentic Italian gelato instead (it tastes just as good as the ones in Italy). The walk itself is a treat because you get to browse all the fun shops (day) and hot bars (night).
They had many great selection, and they allow you to get 2 different flavors for small cup, 3 flavors for medium cup, and 4 flavors for large cup. Not sure if I want to recommend that as the flavor all gets co-mingled and I can't tell one flavor from the other.
Bring CASH because this is a CASH only establishment.
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Excellent! Have seen photos on yelp, but it seems that they have remodeled. Good flavor choices - too many good ones to pick from. We got two small cups. One had half Strawberry Cheesecake and half Tiramusui. The other cup had half Cappuccino and half Coppa Mista. Both cups were delicious!! Highly recommended. But too bad no inside seating...only had one small bench in front of parlor. Overall, great family owned gelato shop.!
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i loved the Bavarian mint, it was delicious, like eating Andes! the chocolate hazelnut was okay. the perfect way to cool off from shopping. i gave it 4 stars cuz its cash only!
Mmmm. I should NEVER have stopped at this little gelateria just around the corner from my house. Though I'm generally a fan of light, icy freezes, the Caramello Crunch was a thick, sticky ball of deliciousness I know I'll come back to! Rarely do I finish a cone and immediately crave another, but it was a monumental feat of willpower not to get a second cone for the road!
Skip Naia and come here!
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Dearest Gelato Classico,
So far you've come the closest to the real thing - the real scoop and paddle. So far you're at the top of my list. So far. Although you're a bit expensive (I'm not a girl with a HUGE, mom-like pocketbook filled with a lot of bills), your flavor and consistency are as good as some gelato I tasted in Italy. Even better in some cases. So, for now, my sweet Gelato Classico, you've won my heart. That is until something better comes along. If something better comes along.
With much affection,
lisa
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On a hot summer's day walking up Union street away from the crowds of dogs and babies and baby dogs in Washington Park we stumbled upon this place, neatly tucked away right near Jasper alley.
The gelato looked a little melt-y through the display windows, but the gelato was still delicious. I had the Pomegranate, the girl had a ginger hazelnut/chocolate blend. Both were quite delectable.
The price was right on, and the service was friendly. This is a small place, about the size of a shoe box, which adds to the ambiance a bit (if gelato shops can have ambiance).
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While I don't sense the commitment to quality ingredients, like you'll get at Naia, Milano, or Tango, I love Gelato Classico. I'll bet they add some thickening agent to the gelato, because this is the gooiest ice cream on the planet. The dark chocolate and the espresso are sublime by themselves or even better together; vanilla bean, hazelnut, and straciatella are also strong choices. Sorbettos are okay - stick to the gelato. More flavors would be welcome, but I'm always happy with the classics.
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Always EXCELLENT gelato. Need I say more?
(Oh yeah--try the Key Lime Pie)
Better than Naia down the street, by the way. Naia's good too, but I think they try too hard with some of their funky flavors.
I had a small cup with Spumoni and Tiramisu and I loved it, really great flavors, chunks of ladyfingers in the ice cream, more than I could ask for. The only thing I had a little trouble with was that the lady working there wasn't overly friendly, and this was the first time I've had gelato in the states so I was a little surprised by the price, $3.50 for a small cup. Good stuff though.
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I can't bring myself to ever order any other flavor than the coppamisto. It's so good! It's chocolate, vanilla and I think pistachio. I could be wrong about that last one inthe combo but it's just tasty! One day I just might try something else. One day, I tell you.
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Rich, creamy and delicious. This gelato place turned my sweaty day into a relaxing mellow day. I was in heaven when I had the cherry flavored one. =]
I would pick gelato over ice cream any time. The gelato here is really good. Very rich and creamy, and the flavors are great. I am a vanilla person myself, and not very adventurous, but a friend of mine always gets the cherry flavored, and it's really delicious.
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Great gelato, I love the spumoni which tastes as good as the traditional ice cream i had in rome! My fiance is a fan of the bavarian mint. mmm....
Tip! Be sure and get a frequent visitor card (buy 10 get one free!)
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As part of my ongoing quest to find decent gelato in the Bay Area (after returning from my third trip to Italy), I made the trek out to the city to try Gelato Classico. Word on the street is that it's pretty good. Of course, most of the gelato you can find in this greater metropolitan area is bafflingly awful compared to the real thing in Italy, so I take any gelato recommendations here with a colossal grain of salt.
At any rate, I was pleasantly surprised by their gelato. I had a cone with gianduia (a cioccolato and nocciola combo) and a scoop of the tiramisu. The texture was smoother and creamier, and closer to authentic Italian gelato, than the grainy grit or hard-as-a-rock iciness of other gelaterie around these parts. The biggest problem with gelato in the US is that no one seems to get the texture right and it's usually either too hard and too cold and/or icy, or strangely gritty or chalky. But Gelato Classico seems like they are trying harder to replicate the super smooth consistency of Italian gelato. It was almost a wee bit too goopy or gooey, though, as if they were overcompensating or something.
The flavors were decent. Not quite as rich and potent as they should've been (for example, the hazelnut tasted weak), but overall, things tasted okay.
But wait, there's more! We asked if they made their gelato on the premises. "No!" they said. Shock! Horror! Of course every self-respecting gelato snob knows to avoid shops that don't make their own gelato right there in the back room. They said their gelato is made in Concord. Yeah, that had us scratching our heads too. But strangely, bizarrely, their gelato is still far superior to Gelateria Naia (who's inferior gelato, they claim, is made on the premises). It's still inferior to the best gelato you can find in Italy, but I give them points for trying.
Yeah! This is my favorite gelato place in North Beach (though I have to admit, I haven't tried them all). I try to hit this place up every time I'm in the area. I always tell friends to look for the place with the giant ice cream sign on the sidewalk, but they can never seem to find it for some reason.
Anyway, the prices are pretty good here, the selection is tempting and you can put up to three flavors in a cup! It's so luscious. Why don't I have some in my hand right now!?
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