My second time to gelataio and it seems that there's always a consistent line, but it moves pretty quickly! They have seasonal flavors, but none of them seemed appealing to me so I decided to go with the double chocolate and stracciatella in a cone. If you get a cone, you get the choice of dark or milk chocolate drizzle, and if you get a cup you get a little waffle chip dipped in chocolate to top your gelato. They also have various premade gelato pops and mini ice cream cones which are nice options. Of the two flavors I got, the double chocolate was my favorite! It was extremely rich and had a strong chocolate flavor. I got two flavors, but it seemed a bit uneven and I got more of the chocolate than stracciatella but I didn't mind. The drizzle of dark chocolate was a great addition, and love that it hardened and added some texture! It's a small store with a few indoor seats, but it gets crowded really quick. But definitely a great sweet treat after dinner! read more

Gelataio - Regular Cone Double Chocolate and Stracciatella with dark chocolate drizzle - Gelato Near Me - San Carlos, California

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This place had a long line, but it went by very fast. The staff were very friendly and welcoming. I tried the double chocolate and rose-lychee flavors. The double chocolate was rich and delicious, but the rose lychee was lacking flavor. There was no taste of rose or the lychee and it just tasted like vanilla with a tint of pink dye. I really liked how the wafer dipped with chocolate (milk or dark option) was included with the gelato. It was a nice touch. I do wish the gelato flavors were more flavorful overall, especially since no sample tasting is allowed and choices had to be made based solely on appearance and description. The flavor selection also felt somewhat limited, with not many fruity options available, something that would be nice as summer heat is quickly approaching read more

Gelataio - Gelato Near Me - San Carlos, California

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I love Gelataio! It's one of the gelato shops that I keep going back to. When you first walk jn, they have a menu that has both classic and seasonal flavors. My favorite one is chocolate. Rich, smooth, and delicious! Then, I will try something different for the other half. I got cookies and cream this time and it was good, but I prefer the coffee flavored one more! They have ample seating inside, but they are a pretty busy place even close to 10pm on Friday! read more

Gelataio - Cookies and Cream/ Chocolate Piccolo Size - Gelato Near Me - San Carlos, California

Gelataio is a gem of a gelato place! When I'm in downtown San Carlos I always want to pay a visit. It can sometimes be crowded and the line can get long, but it's always worth it. The service here is always good and friendly. They have a few tables inside, plus an all around nice atmosphere, but typically we like to get gelato and walk around with it while we eat. As for the gelato, I always like to get a combination of pistachio and hazelnut. Then I top it with their dark chocolate sauce and the wafer dipped in the chocolate. That chocolate dipped wafer is my favorite part! Always such a treat to come here! read more

Totally delicious gelato. I had an espresso mini gelato and was so rich with espresso chocolate covered tiny cone with espresso gelato inside. Amazing. I then had to have a small espresso gelato for dessert! My friends had hazelnut and pistachio gelato and loved it! Such a cute place in downtown Redwood City. read more

Gelataio - Mini gelato - Gelato Near Me - San Carlos, California

The employee was super kind, and loved the complimentary drizzle or waffle piece! We got one of each with the coffee gelato, it was awesome. Sat down inside and enjoyed! read more

Gelataio - Complimentary milk/dark chocolate drizzle - Gelato Near Me - San Carlos, California

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Got in around 8pm on a Saturday, only had to wait for about 5min in line to order. This place is popular for a reason! The melted chocolate on tap is a super cool feature, I love how they have both milk and dark chocolate options. The waffle is also made fresh, and they smell so delicious. The staff is also super friendly and quick with your orders. This time we got the Affogato with Hazelnut gelato. Super good, the hazelnut flavor really comes out especially with chunks of hazelnuts in our scoop. 10/10 would definitely recommend! read more

Gelataio - affogato - Gelato Near Me - San Carlos, California

Charming gelato spot in downtown. There's many flavors to choose from and they have staff recommendations for which flavors are paired well together. I really like the pistachio and hazelnut flavors. Comes with a complimentary wafer that they dip in your choice of milk or dark chocolate, and they also drizzle the chocolate over the gelato too. Overall a great spot for gelato after a meal. read more

Gelataio - Gelato Near Me - San Carlos, California

I went for a 3 scoop gelato. Hazelnut was my favorite flavor here. Nutella and Straciatella were good. Chocolate covered posicles looked tempting. This place seems to be a local favorite. read more

Gelataio - 3 scoops - straciatella, hazelnut, Nutella - Gelato Near Me - San Carlos, California

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Amazing gelato shop that has been serving great gelato in a variety of delicious flavors. They no longer offer samples which is a shame, but the staff is helpful and friendly as you choose your combinations. We got the coffee, Nutella and pistachio flavors all of which were delicious. They also have grab and go half pints of their popular flavors of you want to indulge at home. They offer a drizzle of milk or dark chocolate and wafers with the ice cream for a fancier dessert. If you are in the area, drop by and indulge! read more

Gelataio - Gelato Near Me - San Carlos, California

This is a cute gelato place in Downtown San Carlos with fair prices and good flavors! Service was friendly and fast, despite it being busy. It was a bit messy inside though (tables needed to be wiped down more often). I'm giving 4 stars because the texture of the gelato wasn't that good; a little icy and not thick enough in my opinion. It also melted fairly quickly....But I'll probably still be back cause flavors were good and it's at a great location! read more

Gelataio - Pistachio, Biscoff, and Raspberry Cheesecake with Dark Chocolate Drizzle - Gelato Near Me - San Carlos, California

This San Mateo gelato shop serves up some truly delicious gelato and sorbet, boasting creamy, smooth textures and wonderfully fragrant flavors. While the "no tasting" policy is a bit of a drawback (1 less star because of that) - it's always nice to sample before committing - the quality of the gelato more than makes up for it. The California pistachio is rightfully popular, but I'd also highly recommend the rich hazelnut and the distinctive liberica coffee. The option to add chocolate drizzle (milk or dark) and toppings like wafers is a nice touch. You can get 1-2 scoops for the same price and even more scoops if you'd like, served in your choice of cup or cone. They also offer pints to take home, which is a great idea. The shop itself is small and was quite busy on a weekend night, but the quality of the product shines through. Despite the lack of tastings, the overall experience was excellent and the staff was very nice, earning a solid four stars. read more

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Cute spot with generous scoops! The biscoff gelato was pleasant and subtle and the tempered dark chocolate drizzled on top added great texture. They take their time to carefully fill and construct so the line can pile up quickly but overall a solid choice! read more

Gelataio - Biscoff Gelato - Gelato Near Me - San Carlos, California

My friend took me here on a Tuesday night after dinner, and I enjoyed the atmosphere of the place when I entered! You can choose between gelato, sorbets, or gelato bars. They even have pints of their gelato/sorbet to take out as well. I ordered a Piccolo (small) of Pistachio and Hazelnut Gelato. It also came with a wafer that can be covered with milk or dark chocolate, and I chose dark chocolate. My friend and I sat inside enjoying our gelatos. The workers were friendly and welcoming. I would love to come back again to try their other flavors! read more

Gelataio - Piccolo Size of Pistachio and Hazelnut with Dark Chocolate Wafer - Gelato Near Me - San Carlos, California

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Vibe: Bright and clean Gelato shop with a few tables and seating. Different options on display along with their chocolate fountains. Food: Ordered a piccolo (small) hazelnut gelato in a cup that came with a waffer and dark chocolate drizzle. Chocolate was smooth and delicious and hardened into a nice crunch that paired well with the hazelnut. The gelato was creamy and smooth without being overly sweet. Service: Fast and friendly team, great and clean presentation Value: Fair prices for the quality and portion Overall: Great spot for a quick dessert after dinner down town. Does not offer samples but plenty of handcrafted options you cant go wrong with. read more

Gelataio - Hazelnut with dark chocolate and waffer - Gelato Near Me - San Carlos, California

This is a great place for dessert and they have a variety of them. You can get gelato bars, mini cones, pints of ice cream, affogato, ice cream sandwiches, etc. There is something for everyone. Some flavors remain standard and others rotate in with the seasons. My go to is the piccolo with two flavors and a dark chocolate drizzle and wafer. They offer indoor and outdoor seating. You can also take pints to go. read more

This is a cute little shop in downtown San Carlos. Delicious gelato and free chocolate and wafer with each order. I loved the hazelnut and pistachio. My daughter liked the kiwi. If you are in the neighborhood you should stop by! read more

Became one of my favorite gelato spots (right behind Venchi). A pleasant stop for dessert, especially if you enjoy a well-made waffle paired with classic gelato flavor :) read more

I'm not usually a gelato person, but whenever I crave it, this is my go-to spot! It's conveniently located right off Laurel, across from Susie Cakes, which can be a tough choice for me. I really appreciate how clean the place is, although sometimes the cleaning products can overpower the delicious scent of the waffle cookies they put on top of the gelato. It's such a charming little place, and the staff is always incredibly friendly. My only complaint is that they don't allow sampling; I'd love to try a variety of flavors, but I usually end up sticking with my favorite mint. Parking is available on San Carlos, and if you're lucky, you can find a spot on Laurel. I can't really comment on the prices since I'm usually treated when I come here, but they always have new flavors and other treats to explore. And don't miss out on their chocolate-drizzled waffle--it's a must! read more

Gelataio - Gelato Near Me - San Carlos, California

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The flavor and freshness of the gelato was hit or miss. The hanzlenut was nice and fresh, the black sesame not so much. I was given much more black sesame than hanzlenut which was disappointing :( Pricing is higher than comparative gelato stores. I was offered a milk chocolate wafer which was really tasty and appreciated. read more

Gelataio - Piccolo ice cream with milk chocolate wafer (complimentary) - Gelato Near Me - San Carlos, California

My family loved the Gelato here. I got a small cup with double chocolate and mint chip. Both flavors were really good. I also enjoyed the waffle dipped in milk chocolate. It was nice to see mini cones and Gelato bars. My daughter wanted a chocolate mini cone, but this flavor didn't exist. There was only vanilla and espresso. Overall, I highly recommend. read more

Overpriced imo here's my experience walked in looking forward to try something new, for starters they don't offer any samples but anyways on the menu it was somewhere over $5 for 2 scoops. I proceed to choose my flavors and the employee who by the way was nearly whispering when speaking, cuts the scoop in half to fit into the cup. I was surprised as obviously two scoops were advertised not half. Anyways when trying my ice cream there was an entire coffee bean in the middle I almost ate since it wasn't visible on top or even blended in. Wouldn't recommend read more

Gelataio - The ice cream that has a FULL coffee bean inside it - Gelato Near Me - San Carlos, California

Cute vibes and delicious flavors! Friendly and attentive staff. I've gotten both the pint and cone (hazelnut, dark chocolate, Stracciatella, pistachio) and all were delicious. Would be nice to have tasting available, as some flavors run on the sweeter side. read more

Gelataio - Gelato Near Me - San Carlos, California

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Stopped for some gas and saw this place was nearby and wanted some late night dessert. I love gelato and this place was really good. They add a chocolate drizzle on top with a wafer dipped in it. Their flavors were fun to choose from. read more

Gelataio - Cookies and cream/ coffee espresso. Pumpkin/ double chocolate. Vanilla bean/ cookies and cream. - Gelato Near Me - San Carlos, California

This is the perfect spot to grab some quick dessert while you're in downtown San Carlos. The servers were quick and efficient. I went with the cookies and crème scoop in a cup and that disappeared so quickly into my mouth. I also really like the free addition of the waffle piece, it was fresh and yummy, but be careful it gets very crumbly! Only thing is, not too many seats/tables available inside. There's also a small self serve water station in the back. read more

Gelataio - Cookies n crème - Gelato Near Me - San Carlos, California

Ice cream bars and cones made in house? What?! This gelato is always a hit when we're in the area. They offer to top off the gelato with freshly drizzled chocolate. The shop itself is very clean and there's tables to sit down and eat your dessert. The people are friendly and pretty patient esp if your family take a little while to make a decision on flavor! read more

Great dairy free options. Always a sweet staff, and the energy is always uplifting. Great location on Laurel with a fantastic product. No gimmicks, just excellent treats. They also have tiny cones, if you just want a little bit. read more

This spot is so cute inside. You must try the expresso and hazelnut flavor with milk chocolate drizzle . It was sooo good and I will come back to try different flavors. read more

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Top notched gelato. The flavors are intense. Only off one star because customers can't sample flavors. I only asked for one but was refused as it was a tea infused gelato and wanted to know how intense the flavor was. I usually get nut based or the usual so trying something different was hesitate. Besides that, try this place out as it one of the few desserts among the restaurants along the street. read more

Gelataio - Pistachio and Hazelnut with complimentary chocolate dipped waffle and drizzle - Gelato Near Me - San Carlos, California

After we had lunch at Pranzi, we decided to stop by to grab some gelato for dessert. Upon entering this establishment, we were greeted by the nice cashier with a friendly smile on her face. We decided to get two waffle cones with three flavors each. We got the honey lavender, matcha, pistachio, espresso coffee, salted caramel, and hazelnut flavors. The honey lavender and the espresso coffee were our favorites. We can really taste and smell the lavender. If you like lavender, we highly recommend getting this flavor. We are suckers for matcha. However, we didn't really taste any matcha. We wanted to try the Thai Tea flavor and they only sold them in pints. We wanted to buy it, but we weren't going home immediately and didn't want it to melt in the car. We will be back try their other gelato flavors. read more

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Gelato was good but they don't serve samples so I wasn't able to risk and try something new. This is the first time I was denied a sample from a gelato/ice cream parlor... read more

Their fruit flavors are my favorite, although the chocolate ones are delicious too. They recently came out with blueberry mascarpone, which has to be the best gelato I've ever tasted :)) read more

Gelataio - earl gray - Gelato Near Me - San Carlos, California

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This is a great little gem located in San Carlos. If you like gelato, definitely this is the place to go. They have a variety of flavors, quick service they even have to go pints. If you're craving gelato and in the area check this place out it can get busy as it's pretty popular in the area. read more

Delicious gelato but so expensive! $7 for a small cup, so definitely a treat, but the hand dipped chocolate wafer is a fun add on. We enjoyed all the flavors we got, and I especially love that the hazelnut has pieces of hazelnut throughout. read more

Gelataio - Chocolate fountains, milk and dark - Gelato Near Me - San Carlos, California

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Came by on a Saturday night for some gelato, and it was busy in here! We waited about 15 minutes in line to get our gelato. Afterwards, we sat at one of their tables enjoying our gelato for a while, and we noticed a consistent line out the door the whole night. Gelataio has great flavors and a variety of drinks and other sweets if you don't want straight gelato. The only downside is they don't allow samples, which was a bummer. Also heads up that if you get more than 1 flavor in a cup, be mindful of which flavor you say first -- you'll get predominantly that flavor with much smaller portions of the other flavor(s). Gelataio also has 2 running chocolate fountains (milk and dark) for chocolate drizzles and/or to coat a wafer. Seating can be limited if they're busy. Service was friendly despite how packed it was. read more

Gelataio - Gelato Near Me - San Carlos, California

Delicious place! Has good gelato , and flavors. The service is also pretty nice. I love their classic chocolate flavor and their cookies and cream. I love how they add a complimentary little crispy waffle with a chocolate drizzle. Sometimes, you have to ask but it's definitely free. Its also amazing because they don't just only have ice cream, they also have chocolate covered popsicles/ice cream bars! Highly suggest. They also have a couple of tables for indoor seating. Plus, they have a bathroom. The place is usually pretty clean. And its in a local area, so its perfect if your going downtown. Definitely recommend! read more

We went to Gelataio after dinner nearby, and it was a nice place to walk and grab a bit of dessert. The shop was on a cute downtown stretch of San Carlos, and there was a line out the door the whole time we were there. I guess we weren't the only ones in the mood for gelato on a warm Friday night. The place was charming, and I gather it's always busy. There were prominent signs warning customers of the no samples policy. I kind of get it, especially if that Friday night line was typical, but also, huge eye roll. I got a cup with Amarena cherries, pistachio, and hazelnut, and declined the complimentary wafer cookie on top. The gelato was solid. Not the best I've ever had, not "no samples" good, but cool and creamy and satisfying. All three flavors were nice, but I particularly enjoyed the cherry, likely just personal preference. I also tried some of my husband's affogato with vanilla and my friend's mint chocolate ice cream bar. Both were tasty, and the ice cream bar had the added benefit of looking like something you'd post on Instagram. I'd recommend Gelataio if you want a sweet treat in San Carlos. I don't find myself in this area all that often, but would be happy to go back if I were visiting again. read more

My usual: small cup of double chocolate and pistacchio w/a drizzle of dark chocolate and dipped wafer. read more

Gelataio - double chocolate / pistacchio - Gelato Near Me - San Carlos, California

Absolutely amazing gelato I've had in California. Simply the best! They also have dripping chocolate dipped wafers they do right in front of you. Every single flavor tastes so fresh and real. No sampling allowed. Dark chocolate dip is vegan. read more

Gelataio - Gelato Near Me - San Carlos, California

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Honestly THE WORST gelato I've ever had. I didn't even know gelato could EVER taste bad apparently it can... My experience started off poorly with NO SAMPLES allowed here because of COVID, apparently they are also stuck in time. But I figure no problem, all gelato is good so I went ahead and ordered based on descriptions. Big mistake! Both flavors tasted synthetic and nothing like the description. It was actually INEDIBLE and we threw it away. Yep, that's how bad it was - we threw it away! The store is cutely decorated. We did enjoy the complimentary chocolate drizzle cookie on top from the chocolate fountain - nice touch and the only saving grace. We ate the cookie and did I mention we threw away the main product, the gelato?! Maybe we had a bad experience or got the wrong flavors (passion fruit, fruity something) given the high reviews but we won't ever return to risk it again. Gotta to buy before you try and I ain't bought in! Service was friendly and it's easily accessible on main block of downtown San Carlos. We stopped in during the wine/art festival. It was packed and busy so presumably fresh gelato. I like they offer two flavors in a small size - twice the yuck for us on that day - but allowing two flavors helps with the high cost. read more

Gelataio - Fruity and passion fruit gelato - Gelato Near Me - San Carlos, California