Caravaggio Gelato Lab stands out for its commitment to high-quality ingredients--sourcing sesame seeds from Japan and Nocciola del Piemonte, hazelnuts from Northern Italy. Thanks to an acquaintance who told me about Caravaggio Gelato, we checked it out when a family member was visiting from out of town. It was a treat to be served directly by the gelatiere artigiano who crafts the recipes. Among us three, we tried 4 flavors. We spotted the Gianduja (Hazelnut & Chocolate) later, and it will be on the list for the next visit. * Piedmont Hazelnut (Nocciola del Piemonte): The overall favorite--rich, creamy, and nutty. * Orange Blossom Honey: Our guest's top pick from the regular menu. He exclaimed, beaming, at least three times how good that flavor was! * King Pluot: One of the special flavors of the day, the gelato captured the taste of summer - bright, sweet, and refreshing. * Black Sesame: I was curious how black sesame would taste in gelato, and I was not disappointed - the flavor was deep and earthy, made with Japanese sesame seeds. There may be a dozen gelato and ice cream shops in Berkeley, but Caravaggio is where you'll relish the science and art of gelato making. read more

Caravaggio Gelato Lab - Three gelato flavors in a cup. Clockwise from the top: black sesame, king pluot, and Piedmont Hazelnut. - Gelato Near Me - Berkeley, California

Unfortunately I wasn't a fan of the gelato here. I sampled a handful of flavors and didn't feel like any were that good, but ended up still getting a regular cup because the employee was really nice and I felt bad leaving without getting anything. I got the hazelnut-chocolate and zuppa inglese (English trifle) flavors. Overall I felt like the flavors were very muted and watered down. The zuppa inglese was icy and not creamy at all. Unfortunately this spot really missed the mark for me. Would give 2 stars but bumping up to 3 stars for the very friendly service. read more

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I tried their Dark Chocolate gelato and it was rich, creamy and delicious. Highly recommend! Will be back to try their other flavors!

This is definitely the best gelato I've had outside of Italy! I got the seasonal muscat grape and mandarin flavors and they were both full of natural fruit pulp with every bite and tasted exactly what the fruits would! None of that artificial flavoring feelings. I could even see the piles of mandarins they peeled behind the counter! I'm definitely returning to try more flavors. read more

Caravaggio Gelato Lab - Muscat grape & mandarin - Gelato Near Me - Berkeley, California

Will be coming back here when I am in town. Had the mix with the calamansi and i think was fiordilatte. Absolutely wonderful.

Was craving ice cream/gelato after a long day so decided to check out Caravaggio for the first time! The store is walking distance from downtown Berkeley and there is limited indoor and outdoor seating. Went on a Wednesday around 5:30pm and it was not busy but some of the gelato flavors were already out of stock by then. They have some interesting seasonal flavors - for the summer, they had refreshing ones like peach, pluot, custard, lychee, etc. I got a regular cup with Gianduia hazelnut chocolate and Custard for $5.50. The custard was a little too "eggy" for me but I think that's just how custard is as my friend really liked it. I thoroughly enjoyed the hazelnut so I would probably just get a full scoop of this next time. I didn't catch the name of the employee who was helping us but he was very friendly and answered all our questions! The portion size is on the smaller side but it was enough to satisfy my sweet craving. I would return! read more

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Such a delight! Went here after dinner and it was the perfect way to end the night. Not super sweet, but lots of flavor. The young girl working the front was super efficient despite it being so busy. I love the lights and how cute it is inside too! My favorite is the Piedmont Hazelnut and the Coconut! read more

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Great ice cream, usually super friendly service. Advice to management: be sure to adequately train staff on adjusting speed to meet demand. There did not appear to be any sense of urgency as the line extended out the door and progress remained glacial (pun intended); staff actually appeared oblivious to the wait time. If the staff has limitations making them unable to serve customers that have been waiting patiently since well before closing time, those customers should be given sufficient warning in advance, not after having already waited 20 minutes. read more

I have been coming here for years, but recently realized that this gelato is healthy! They use allulose and maltulose which are natural sugars with low glycemic. Cane sugar for example is mostly sucrose. This means that you can eat the gelato if you're diabetic or keto! Also employees here are always very friendly read more

Very good small gelato place. I had the hazelnut nut chocolate. Rich in flavor and tastes natural without overpowering artificial sweetness. They have their main flavors but also have rotating seasonal flavors. read more

Caravaggio Gelato Lab - Gelato Near Me - Berkeley, California

Treat yourself to an amazing affogato:) Served up beautifully in a silver cup. Truly an enjoyable experience a few days ago to compliment our heat wave. The best! Delizioso! Grazie read more

Caravaggio Gelato Lab - Gelato Near Me - Berkeley, California

I have to say that most flavors were terrible, due to the soupy texture. At first I thought that their dipping cabinet lost power and everything melted, but everything is really served with a soupy texture. Here's the run-down: - 3.5/5: Guinduja: Flavor is OK, a little watery, and too sweet. Milk chocolate based. Texture is good; very Smooth. Medium stretch. But too cold on the tongue, which mutes the flavor. Does not have creamy addictiveness. But good meltdown. - 3.5: Vanilla: Flavor is very one-note. Texture is super soft and soupy, as if the compressor failed on the dipping cabinet. - 3.0: Black sesame. The flavor is almost herbal, like green Chartreuse. He uses a melanger to grind his own sesame. It was smooth, but very soupy texture. - 3.0: Lemon sorbet: Flavor is meh. Ecxcessively tart and one-note. Texture is very icy, even for a sorbet. - 2.5: Black walnut vegan. More like a sorbet. The flavor is great, but the texture is terrible, like a broken emulsion. - 2.5: Fior di latte: Too sweet. Texture is like a slushy sorbet. - 2.0: Dark chocolate vegan. Flavor is like burnt cardboard. Maybe worst chocolate flavored frozen dessert I have ever tasted. Texture is terrible; like a paste. No creaminess at all. Almost like they aren't even trying, or not doing any quality control. - 2.0: Matcha: Heavy fish note, and too soft. - 2.0: Nougat: Too sweet. - 2.0: Comice pear: Too soupy. - 1.0: Stracciatelle: The chocolate chips are rock hard. The base is OK but too sweet, and like a slush. Emiliano is often on hand, and likes to talk about the technical aspects of gelato: - He uses baebab fruit fibers for the stabilizer. He says he cannot use inulin at all because if the gastro-intestinal problems. - He has a Catebriggia gelato machine: He got one used for 3000 euros. They normally go for 50K. - His gelato is 4% fat. - He has a melanger: He uses it for everything except pistachio and hazelnut, which he gets from the factory in Italy. - Add on: 50 cents for a very small wafer cookie that normally comes free at other gelato shops. - He has a full on espresso machine, but it's just for him; espresso is not available at the shop. read more

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It's such a cute little ice cream shop. I got to try two flavors and both were so good. I ended up getting the gianduia which is kind of like Nutella and it was so smooth and creamy and then tiramisu which was light and had chunks of tiramisu in it. Both were so delicious and I'd definitely come back again! read more

Caravaggio Gelato Lab - Gelato Near Me - Berkeley, California

I've been on a bit of a Gelato kick and my first impression walking into Caravaggio Gelato Lab was that they had very few flavors to choose from (less than 10) and I wasn't particularly interested in them apart from the Pistachio. From their sign each person gets two samples so I sampled the Pistachio but didn't enjoy it, then tried the Mango which was bright, but not really smooth enough to have alone. Getting the Vanilla or Stracciatella (which is honestly just vanilla with chocolate chips) didn't appeal to me, so I ended up getting a regular of the Lychee and Mango. The Lychee was smooth with a pop of brightness at the end and was probably my favorite of what I tasted, but still nothing I would return for. All in all, I found the service to be bored and a bit standoffish and I think if Caravaggio had more flavors to choose from and offered more samples I might have found something I liked, but as of now I very much preferred the Arabic Booza ice cream from down the block, and don't see myself coming back. read more

all these flavors tasted so fresh- this dark chocolate wasn't too sweet- it tasted closer to true dark chocolate (maybe ~70% cacao) highly recommend! read more

Caravaggio Gelato Lab - Gelato Near Me - Berkeley, California

I have been getting gelato here since they've opened years ago. The ingredients are always natural. They always have new flavour's! The best gelato I've ever had. The service is good. the place is always clean. Indoor and outdoor bench seating. read more

Caravaggio Gelato Lab - Gelato Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Stopped by for a post-dinner sweet treat and was not disappointed at all! I ordered the Fiordilatte and Piedmont Hazelnut, which was perfection for those who prefer their desserts lightly sweetened. Service was prompt and efficient. My friends also liked their chosen flavors as well. A must try in the area! read more

Caravaggio Gelato Lab - Gelato Near Me - Berkeley, California

It's rare to find a gelato spot that makes everything from scratch but Caravaggio is one of them. You won't find anything like it on the east bay close to Caravaggio. As for the flavors, We tried the Oxacan custard which is made out of Avocado, lime & dates 4/5 Indian Mango was our favorite out of the flavors we tried, think Mango Lassi in gelato form 5/5 Black sesame was creamy, earthy, full of toasted black sesame flavor 5/5 We can't wait to come back and try other flavors. They also only use lactose free milk and have about 4-5 vegan options. read more

Caravaggio Gelato Lab - Gelato Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Food (4.6/5): The gelato here is bomb. I've had multiple flavors, the taste of each flavor is powerful and not overwhelmed by sweetness. I think the gelato and dark chocolate flavors are pretty good. Service (4.3/5): You can sample two flavors. The staff seem to be nice. Ambiance (4.3/5): Street parking was not difficult to find on a Saturday afternoon, but maybe I was lucky. There is some indoor seating, but also benches right outside the shop, which is nice on a sunny day. read more

Caravaggio Gelato Lab - Gianduia, pistachio, dark chocolate with a wafer - Gelato Near Me - Berkeley, California

This gelato is one of the better ones around the bay, definitely a must visit if you're looking to fill that sweet tooth craving, their selection of flavors and quality of gelato shows their passion for good gelato. read more

I thought this gelato was really good but not incredible. It's definitely delicate as far as size. Service was incredible and the flavor choices are unique and not basic. Would go back if I really craved gelato read more

My favorite gelato spot in Berkeley albeit on the pricier side. Some of their flavors can be quite unique. My favorite is still the classic stracciatella. The freshly shaven chocolate elevates the whole flavor and texture of each bite. I've also had their fruit flavors and they always taste super fresh. I got the mango this time and I could taste bits of fresh mango. It is pricey though and as other reviewers have said, the scoop size is not very large. Depending on the worker, I've had airy scoops and well packed scoops. Same goes with the pints. I've had well-packed pints on some days. I watched the worker pack a pint fresh this time around and he seemed to leave quite a bit of air when packing each scoop. Not a lot of indoor seating...a few bar seats. A couple benches outside the shop. More of a grab and go type of place. read more

Caravaggio Gelato Lab - Gelato Near Me - Berkeley, California

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The gelato flavors are very hit or miss. The pistachio tasted so much like peanut that I wonder if it was mislabeled. The stracciatella was quite bland. The fig tasted a lot more like whipped fig jam instead of a fig gelato. Their pumpkin flavor was a nice surprise. They used kabocha squash and you could really taste the graininess of the pumpkin, which could put off some people but I really liked it. The chocolate hazelnut was pretty solid and as you'd expect. If I were to come back, I'd just get the chocolate hazelnut and if anything stood out in the samples. Samples are limited per person however. Not a lot of seating inside. read more

My friends wanted to get some gelato after dinner and specifically wanted to go here as they had been before. This was my first time so I was excited to try it. You can try up to two samples out of a handful of flavors. It was definitely a hard choice since they had so many flavors that sounded delicious. I ended up getting blood orange and strawberry since I love the fruity flavors. And I was not disappointed either. Super refreshing flavors and smooth consistency, without being fake tasting. The cup was empty pretty quickly andI was satisfied. They have seasonal flavors that you have to keep an eye out for, as they can change at any time. read more

Caravaggio Gelato Lab - Blood Orange and Strawberry - Gelato Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Omg, this gelato was delightful!!! My friend and I were amazed at the rich and creamy texture, as well as the amazing true-to-reality flavors, especially the pistachio, it tasted like eating actual pistachios but in a creamy refreshing way!!!! And my gianduia chocolate gelato was so rich and tasty, the hazelnut flavor was so exquisite and just like eating a hazelnut but better!!! And pairing it with a rich chocolate, yep, perfect! I don't remember if my second flavor was fior di latte or stracciatella... but it was the expected subtle flavor.. I might have selected something else if I could have sampled another flavor (only 2 samples allowed). But, we loved the pistachio and gianduia chocolate and we would definitely go back!!YUM!!!! read more

I was excited before coming but left with disappointment. We came on a Thursday night, found parking on the side street easily. There was only one staff working, she's nice and friendly. The gelato though, it was nothing extraordinary. We ordered a large for $7.25 (3 flavors) but for sure it didn't worth the $$. It was not a full cup. The ice cream was not on all the way to the bottom of the cup. We ended up had to go to another place for dessert since we did not satisfy with this one. read more

You know a gelato place is legit when the gelato is hidden in the special containers haha. This spot gelato spot is my favorite in Berkeley and the flavors are always on point. The portions are generous as well. read more

Caravaggio Gelato Lab - Oaxacan custard, buckwheat tea mint - Gelato Near Me - Berkeley, California

Standard gelato flavors with some interesting seasonal flavors. Overall okay in terms of taste. Hidden gem is the matcha flavor! The fig was very sweet, tasted like really ripe bananas though. The strawberry gelato was dairy free and tasted like a really good strawberry smoothie. Inside has very limited seating, but there's a cool gelato cart display! Wonder if the shop does markets/pop-ups and actually uses the cart? Single employee in the store, helpful with recommendations. Store allows 2 samples per customer. read more

Ordered the regular cup with Stracciatella and Hazelnut. The Straccitella was good since it had lots of chocolate bits in it! I thought the Hazelnut was okay, pretty sweet but it balanced well with the Stracciatella. I recommend asking for samples before choosing your flavors! read more

Highly recommend! All the flavors were so fresh and had a lovely creaminess to it. Even the vegan coconut gelato was amazing, you couldn't tell it was vegan! Limit of two flavors per tasting so choose wisely. Gelato was priced very reasonably too. read more

Caravaggio Gelato Lab - Piemonte Hazelnut Gelato and Vegan Coconut - Gelato Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Their service was nice, but some of their gelato flavors were okay. The hazelnut chocolate was not sweet enough and had a very strong hazelnut flavor. Their nougat gelato was good but the vanilla was okay as it didn't have much vanilla flavor to it. Their tiramisu ice cream was the best by far most of the other flavor weren't that good. Plus the waffle cones were really bad and had a weird spice to it. As much as is this place looks nice like an actual gelato parlor, it's gelato isn't that good. I don't recommend going if you specifically want gelato. read more

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Fantastic gelato. We went back twice to get it. Hazulnut, Mango, Blood Orange are all top notch flavors

In all fairness, I only had vegan gelato flavors this time. This may be the reason I didn't enjoy it too much -- though they don't have too many flavors, and the ones I wanted were vegan. It wasn't super gelato-like and in the lighter flavor I could taste hints of the milk substitute used. I had the passionfruit gelato, which was phenomenal--I love passionfruit with anything--though likely would've been better not vegan. I also had the almond, which was okay. The cone cups were a cute touch (hadn't seen before) but they're actually cake cones, though they look in color like sugar cones. I'll probably come back at some point to try a non vegan flavor, or for more of the passionfruit. But wish there were more flavors in general. read more

Caravaggio Gelato Lab - cone cup - Gelato Near Me - Berkeley, California

Came here on a whim after an underwhelming dinner nearby left us hungry and I was so glad we did. Parking wasn't bad and we were able to find a spot less than a block away. This is a cute little shop with a very European vibe; simple colors, clean lines, minimalist in the best way. There are just a few seats inside, which were occupied, and a bench out front so most people were standing. They had lots of unique options and I can tell, by the menus I saw on Yelp and the one that was up when I was there, that the flavors change pretty regularly. Now, when I did my check in and posted the menu pick, I wasn't super excited about any of the flavors and I am getting older so my eyes aren't the best, but just by chance I was lucky enough to see, handwritten under the large menu in small letters "Hōjicha". I literally jumped with excitement! Hōjicha is my favorite flavor and rare to find so I ordered two scoops immediately. Sorry there is no picture of my gelato as I was too busy balancing my savoring and scarfing techniques and my mind was elsewhere. It was simple, creamy and delicious! The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is that the woman behind the counter was not friendly at all. She seemed annoyed to be there. Fortunately, it seems other people have had a much better experience with staff so hopefully she was having a bad day and your service will be much better than mine was. I would definitely return. read more

Caravaggio Gelato Lab - Gelato Near Me - Berkeley, California

Very high quality ingredients and smooth texture. We had the chocolate, hazelnut chocolate, seasonal peach, flor di latte, and pistachio. It's just as good if not better than Italian gelato. It's also not overly sweet which is great. Highly recommend for the quality of the gelato. read more

Caravaggio Gelato Lab - Gelato Near Me - Berkeley, California

Got a dark chocolate and tiramisu cup. It was strongly meh and had a gritty, unpleasant texture. Tried to give my cup away to someone else in my party, they didn't want to finish it either. It ended up in the trash. The reviews and ratings perplex me. read more

The lychee was incredible! And the hazelnut too. Very creamy and high quality and well-balanced sweetness

definitely recommend this place to anyone in berkeley looking for authentic gelato! they have unique flavors, and the employees allow you to sample 2 flavors, too! i got hazelnut chocolate and vanilla, and they were both delicious! i liked that it's not overly chocolatey, but you can taste the quality in the ingredients. my mom lovesss gelato, and she gave the coconut flavor an 8/10! another plus is the prices are so good! it's a small store with a simple vibe, and they have several pints togo as well. sadly, there is no parking, but you should be okay to find some street parking nearby. great and authentic flavors you must check out! read more

Caravaggio Gelato Lab - Gianduia Chocolate Hazelnut Gelato, Madagascar Vanilla Gelato - Gelato Near Me - Berkeley, California

The ice cream is fresh and is a little healthier than normal, which I love. Strawberry was refreshingly good and not too sweet.

The best gelato spot in East Bay. The owner puts so much thought into every flavor and you can really tell. This is authentic Italian gelato, not the American kind. No less than the yummiest gelatos I've had in Italy. The dark chocolate is so good, but the tiramisu is my ultimate favorite. The classic pistachio and hazelnut are also divine. Service is great. It's a small spot so don't expect a ton of seating. read more