The "WE DON'T DO SAMPLES" sign at this bright little spot was a dead giveaway that this was a…read moretrue-to-form European gelato shop, and sure enough a charming Italian woman served us from behind the counter. Without a doubt, we knew we'd be getting an authentic dessert!! Dropped in at 9:30pm on a Friday night, and felt like we stumbled into a magical little corner of Valencia. The gelato here is whipped up in these futuristic spinning machines with bubble lids; they almost look like washing machines. Absolutely whimsical. The flavors are expansive and fresh; the strawberry was excellent, though the Greek yogurt was our surprising favorite. There were so many unique and intriguing flavors (from orange and cinnamon to strawberry balsamic), we'll absolutely have to stop by again. The real charm of this place comes from the story; we read about it while waiting in line and were absolutely captivated by the story of love, community, and heritage that shapes Hila. It's well worth a read, and honestly sold us on the shop (although the gelato definitely still carries its own!). The story of Hila breathing life back into an old parlor is absolutely heartwarming. I wish nothing but much success for the future of Hila.

Food: the gelato is good but not worth the wait…read more Service: the young lady helping me was super nice and friendly. Ambiance: cute store.

There are very few places that have taken the literal words out of my mouth and left me in silence,…read morethis is one of them. About a month ago, we visited here for the first time while taking a stroll in San Francisco. What caught our eye was the word small batch gelato. The line wasn't bad on this night so we gave it a go. I immediately saw the very unique flavors and the high quality layouts. To our mistake, we grabbed one cup with two flavors and walked away. When I say we fought over it, our marriage was tested over the gelato. Lol A month later, which was just last weekend we were in town again for another Giants game. This was 100% on our guaranteed stop list. This second time around we each had our own cup of goodness, of sweet delicious remarkable goodness. I am hooked, I am unapologetically hooked. I am telling every single person about this place and in two weeks when I go to a business trip up north, I will pay another visit.

Gelato is that magical dessert that is easily enjoyed at any time of year and for any occasion…read more It will brighten your mood, it will comfort you, and it totally tastes like a warm hug! North Beach in San Francisco is home to Lush gelato. This unique gelato shop features small batch house made deliciousness. Their waffle cones our house made as well. You will find unique flavors that will leave you wanting to go back over and over again. Chocolate honeycomb? Yes please! Point Reyes Blue Cheese? Sounds crazy? Delicious. Brown butter? Yes! These are just a few of rotating flavors. There is a great selection to choose from, and you will say yes to all of them. Boysenberry cheesecake is one of my favorites, and the ricotta and lemon is a close second. The gelato is creamy, decadent, and each bite is a little taste of heaven. I adore this part of North Beach because there's so many wonderful restaurants, shops and being able to go to Lush gelato is truly the cherry on top!

I had a dreadful experience at the previous gelateria I tried, which involved a $30 delivery order…read morefor a single pint at the urging of a friend who swore up and down it was worth it. I kid you not, half the container was carb filler, corn flakes or some such crap. That friend is still trying to regain my trust. If you told me then that my next gelato attempt would be a $40 delivery, blind, I'd attack you with my rolling pin and screaming "Sparisci!" God, whyyyy does gelato have to be so expensive? At the very least, this gelato was phenomenal. All 3 flavors had me slapping my mother and the poor woman was stuck in 2 dimensions behind a picture frame! I know I paid too much but I don't feel ripped off. It was more of a treat for my husband. I got the ~2 pint...err...trough lol...with 3 flavors. Salted Caramel, Gianduja, and the L'inimitabile. Not to toot my own horn here, but I can get by in Italy on my eloquent-as-a-banshee Florentine when up north, thanks to my doctorate degree in taking my sweet ass time at CCSF. I can even wield what little Salentino has remained with me after all these years when I'm in Puglia. Trying to pronounce "L'inimitabile" in my head has been nothing short of self-inflicted emotional terrorism. I'm not the type of person to care where an ingredient comes from, even when it's exotic and upscale-sounding, because best-case scenario it's after midnight and I am rifling through the production standards of that crop in its homeland while all my actual obligations are put on hold because I'm not allowed to take my medication after 6pm. Madagascar vanilla was fun. Let's guess how many baby lemurs I've slaughtered for this passing indulgence. I prefer everything local, like this boxed wine from the Tenderloin. Franzia, cara mia! Ever since my annual visits to Italy 20-25 years ago, I have been trying to find that "Nutella" flavor that used to be EVERYWHERE (I now know it wasn't literally Nutella but some hodgepodge of chocolate and hazlenut with the shade of brown of a German chocolate pie) in both Italy but also local gelaterias here like Naia. L'inimitabile is the closest but it still isn't quite there. Unfortunately, your product is too expensive (certainly for delivery) to be a regular visitor to our door but I do see us indulging on special occasions and possibly waltzing in when we are in the neighborhood! All the Naia locations disappeared but they apparently still ship product to supermarkets. I contacted Naia asking about that Nutella flavor they used to carry and they completely ignored me. I would've accepted a vague threat like "if we told you, we'd have to kill you" but ignoring me comes at a price. Maybe I'll leave a withering comment as a footnote in my review for a competing gelateria, then if you stumble upon this years down the road, I hope the embarrassment moistens a liquid charge down your pant leg.

Just don't Horrible service…read more Nothing like the European stores Really wanted to live it but it is pricy and really not fun :(

Little Italy did not disappoint! Scrumptious sandwich! The inside is delightful to walk through but…read morebe mindful it is a tight space. The sandwich had a crispy crust. Honestly, I wouldn't have gotten a sandwich if my wife didn't want one nor would I have said the listed ingredients sounded good. She was correct. Shocker! It all blended so well into every bite. I'd eat more sandwiches if they tasted like this.

Wowowow …read more... Visited Alimento twice, my most recent being today -- 6/27. It's a small deli shop that offers gelato, sandwiches, and pastries. They also have quite a large selection of alcohol and cigarettes-- which could make for a good quick pick-me-up. I visited on a Wednesday night and got myself a cone with two scoops of Hazelnut Brownie + Stracciatella -- which were honestly so yummy. It was stretchy and soft and made for a perfect dessert after dinner. You are allowed only two samples though so be wary of your choices. Today, when I went -- I was excited to try their sandwiches, I was looking at the menu and the Alpino caught my eye. Normally, not a fan of bacon but this sandwich was fresh- the mix they offer in sauces and veggies were so good. The sandwich was refreshing to eat with a decent amount of turkey slices they packed in. The bread was also toasted and gave a nice crunch with a soft interior to every bite. The sandwich is admittedly a little pricey, but I would purchase again. Now the customer service, like other reviews may have mentioned was a little off at times? It didn't feel friendly or welcoming at times and when I was ordering I felt rushed or ignored-- I was trying to order two sandwiches to which, she immediately began to make the first one without a single word. I chose to wait until she was done because I wasn't sure when I could let her know about the other order as she was moving back and forth between stations, but she finished and I let her know about the other order to which she said, "How many more sandwiches?" Honestly, that comment did throw me off a little, but I told her this was the last one and she did make it quite quickly. Now, I'll give her the benefit of the doubt as she could be tired or not feeling the best-- but I would say I just wished she was a bit more acknowledgeable toward the customers behind the counter as it did make me discomforted by her lack of response and also the reaction she had when I let her know about the other sandwich. She did at least tell me to have a good day afterwards, so I do hope this isn't going to be a reoccurring incident as I really do love coming to Alimento for the gelatos and sandwiches. (~_~;) I would recommend coming here if you're visiting around North Beach! Alimento makes for a great lunch spot with their sandwiches or a nice sweet treat with their gelato. ^o^

such unique flavors!!! the Rose petal pistachio stole the…read moreshow: super strong rose flavor (worked for me because i love rose flavored desserts) with these chunks of crunchy (not sure but probably caramelized) pistachio scattered throughout it. i would definitely return for that the Chai was also good, not artificial at all i also sampled the mexican coffee and i really liked that you could tell it had actual spices in it also tried their seasonal Plum flavor: this was like a real plum, on the sweeter side, but will only be around for 2 more weeks definitely would return to try other flavors the one small bad thing: really really sweet, which is only a problem for me because I usually enjoy lighter flavors also pretty good service! allowed sampling even though I was super indecisive also not a long wait

This is a really great place for ice cream!!!…read more Hungry for some cool and refreshing ice cream on a hot day I discovered this place on Google maps. Being it was just a few blocks away we decided to check it out. Glad we did. It's a small unassuming place but the ice cream (gelato) is high quality and very delicious. The offering choices are quite good. We both decided to get cups with two scoops, the same- one scoop of Stracciatella and one scoop Butterscotch Creme Brûlée. YUM! What a good combination. The ice cream was creamy smooth and really hit the mark of quality product. The flavor of the Butterscoth was even and not overpowering. The chocolate pieces in the Stracciatella were spot on good, the flavor equally good. They sell pints and quarts of the ice cream and other interesting products as well, for example awesome looking bomb cakes. Service was good, helpful and the prices not that bad for this level of quality. If you're in the area this is well worth a visit.

I think I'm even more excited about this place than my own kids are. There is an infinite number of…read morevegan flavors and it's impossible to pick one because they're all amazing.

First time trying this place was at the Union Street Festival and they had a vendor spot right…read moreoutside their physical shop. Unfortunately, since they were in ice cream carts outside on a very sunny day, it was served slightly melted. We got a regular cup (came smaller than most ice cream shops) of their pistachio and Strauss yogurt, both really delicious, but tell me why did it cost $15 for that??? I'm sure the fair played a part in the price inflation, but I don't think any ice cream I've ever had can justify that price and I LOVE ice cream. It's really good ice cream but extremely overvalued. Not any better that ice cream shops that serve that size for $5-$6.

Everything I tried her was Amazing! From the pastries to the handcrafted chocolates and macarons. I…read morecan't wait to go back!

A month or two I walked in place is amazing , I tasted some type of pastry it needed alot…read more more sugar I was able to taste that 1996 guilt... bravo to you Gianina Serrano amazing you are one of the greatest pastry chefs wow , was anything on your menu inspired by "Ricardo RICHIE Torres" ??? Just wondering

Exploring the neighborhood after playing miniature golf nearby at Holey Moley and also visited Hua…read moreZang Zi, a Buddhist temple converted from a church (formerly St. Johannes Evangelical Lutheran Church) because it looked so interesting. I digress. We then went to La Copa Loca Gelato to get some coconut gelato. So good! A must visit. Located on 22nd Ave and Capp.

I lived near La Copa Loca for almost two years, but I didn't come more than a handful of times, and…read moreI regret that. It's the little gelato place that could. I was terrified the entire time I lived nearby that this place would close, but it outlasted me in the neighborhood, and I stopped by recently, and it is still going strong. The gelato is good, but I always came here for the smoothies, which are excellent. It's in an out-of-the-way spot and across the street from a rowdy bar full of lecherous men, so keep your daughters close, and your pepper spray closer. I'm kidding! (Sort of.) It is adorable how many families bring their kids here. During the day, they put a couple of tables out on the Capp Street sidewalk, and since this is the end of Capp that is barricaded, cars won't be rushing by. The ultimate get is to come when the taco truck is parked at the barricade. When that happens, you can enjoy some fine Mexican food-truck food and wash it down with some heavenly gelato. My only criticism: They need to fix the case! It has been cracked since 2023, if not before then.