Salute! This cute little Italian gelato spot is right downtown Ottawa. The woman working was nice and quick! She recommended "all the flavours" so I went with the two caramel options...chocolate and chocolate chip. While my son took the fruit options and went with mango and strawberry in a cone. They were all delicious...the caramel chocolate chip was definitely my favourite. Highly recommend! read more

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Very good cold treats. The food here was spectacular because the milkshakes and the ice cream are home made and there are a lot of good options on the menu. The service and the staff here were very polite and friendly to people. The restaurant was very modern and clean. For the reasons I have stated in this review, I highly recommend and encourage everyone to visit this parlour for good food and good service and staff. read more

Since Elgin's Pure Gelato closed, I've been seeking out another Go-To. Piccolo Grande comes in close. It has a good variety of options (vegan options includes mango, passion fruit, raspberry, strawberry). Nearly $7.00 (each) for a heaping 2 scoops of gelato. We enjoyed the Raspberry and Mango while walking through the streets of Byward Market (since indoor seating can be limited at times). read more

Piccolo Grande - a sign on the side of a building - Desserts Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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For a place that brews happy goat espresso I am not sure what they're doing wrong but it does not taste the same. I don't know if it's the water that the machine is connected to our the quantity that they're using to brew the shot but it's weak. I was happy though that they were open on Christmas Eve as they were very few places open and the lady behind the counter was very nice. I hope they can find a way to fix the flavors as the cup was definitely week. read more

Piccolo Grande - Excellent Americano - Desserts Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Wow. The only bad thing about their gelato is that it's a 6 hour drive from where we live! Generous selection of flavors to choose from, so it may take awhile to choose! I had a scoop of 'pure' pistachio on top of a scoop of chocolate orange. It was worth every calorie! read more

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Love!! Such a great selection of delicious flavours, even in their vegan range :) The mango sorbet is a top favourite of mine. Such a cute spot to check out! read more

Piccolo Grande - Vegan mango sorbet - Desserts Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Too sweet and mediocre flavour - I could barely taste anything. The texture was too thin for gelato, was more like frozen yoghurt. Went to this place to try something new (usually I get gelato at Mantovani and probably should have done the same this time). I won't be returning here and personally wouldn't recommend this place if you are looking for something decent. read more

Piccolo Grande - Small green tea gelato - Desserts Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

This was a favourite spot of mine while a student in Ottawa in the late 90's. I like to stop in when I'm in town and it has pretty much remained unchanged. A huge selection of choices with lots of creative flavours. My favourites are their fruit flavours, really bursting with taste. Sometimes the fruit gelato has a bit of a slushy texture though. Last time I was there I tried chocolate peanut butter and blood orange. There's usually a lineup but they are pretty good at moving people through quickly. Located at the edge of the Byward market, definitely worth a stop in you're in the neighbourhood. read more

Super good! Chocolate Hazelnut and Coconut were really good. Even the small is big! Very clean and calm.

Grabbed some gelatos here today - Chocolate Chocolate Chunk for all us. (Yes, our family likes chocolate.) Cute décor - but in need of a refresh. (Starting to look very worn.) Staff were fine. Gelato was good - but somehow not quite cold enough, so when we went outside, we had a very bad problem with melting! (It wasn't that hot out.) Maybe this was a specific problem today, or just with that flavor - I can't say. All in all, I thought it was ok. I'm willing to go back and try it another day - many flavours to choose from. Would I return: Yes, if I'm in the area. Would I recommend: Yes, if someone is in the area and wanted gelato, I'd tell them about this place. read more

Nice little spot with friendly service, even at the current "walk up" window. The gelato was ok - not amazing, but lots of variety & interesting flavours. We all had some variation of chocolate, probably should have tried the fruit sorbets. read more

It's hard to rate ice cream. At least for me, after certain level it's all good. I can rate however the variety of flavours they have: a lot. I got 2 types of coconut on a medium cup. It was really good! I find it one of the best I've tried recently. The interior and service are both excellent. Only thing I can complain about is the price. It's a bit steep for ice cream. On top of that if you add the price of the cone it's even more. In any case, if you feel like sharing you might just grab a big size and just split the price. I'm definitely putting it on my list of ice cream stores to visit in Ottawa. read more

This Piccolo Grande is a pretty cool place in an older building. In the summer time expect a lineup but it's usually worth it for any half decent gelato. Come here for a date or to cool off when the weather is hot. The prices are on par for Ottawa and I've only tried the fruit flavoured gelatos here. Some tasty ones and some ok ones. The seating situation sucks here so I'd recommend you walk out to one of the lovely park or courtyards around here :) read more

The chocolates here are so good! I went for an afternoon coffee here with my Mom when she was visiting and we got a chocolate to go along with our coffee. I got butter cream and it was delicious. The coffee was ok, but I probably should have gone with an espresso or something. The owner served us and she was so sweet. We took forever to decide what chocolates we wanted, but she waited patiently and told us about the homemade vegetable soup they were serving that day. After we paid and got our drinks, she gave us an extra little dark chocolate. She was so cute and friendly. The chocolates were a bit pricey, just for two coffees and four chocolates it was around $13. But if you are looking for something sweet in the afternoon, this is definitely a great pick! The gelato looked delicious, but it was just too cold out to try it! read more

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tl; dr: A small quaint colorful gelato/sorbet ice cream store with great customer service. Passion fruit sorbet was sweet and sour, pistachio gelato was subtle in flavor. My friend and I came here for dessert after dinner. We ordered a medium cup (~$7 after tax) to share (medium is 2 scoops. small is one scoop but half half - two flavours, and large is 3 scoops. From observations, the scoops in cones looked HUGE). Of course, they kindly let us try any flavors we asked and answered any questions we had. We chose the passion fruit sorbet and pistachio gelato. The passion fruit sorbet was sweet and tart at the same time (it tasted like bubble tea). The pistachio had a more subtle flavor instead of a strong nutty flavor (unlike their nocciola). The pistachio gelato is easily overpowered by any other flavor with a stronger presence so I'd be strategic about pairing flavors to really enjoy the pistachio. The interior had limited tables (sits 2-3 people per table comfortably) and had long benches where customers can enjoy their gelato. The customer service is 6/5. As we were eating our gelato, the male worker kindly told us the customers all left the store because there was a fireworks show (Casino du Lac-Leamy's Sound of Light) just up the street. read more

On a sunny cold Sunday I was downtown with my sister and her kids. We had finished our dim sum lunch and we were walking around the Byward Market area when my sister said she was going to take us to her favourite gelato joint downtown. She took us to Piccolo Grande. It was about 3 pm on a cold Sunday so the place pretty deserted. Hmmm.... There may have been 12 to 15 flavours to choose from. In the end I selected the Chocolate Chocolate on a sugar cone. It was pretty good. I'm sure Piccolo Grande would be much busier in the Summer but when we were there in late March we were the only customers to enjoy their comfortable seating and pleasant surroundings. Too bad the weather wasn't warmer! :)) read more

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It's a hot summer day and you're craving a nice cold tasty treat. What better than a nice cup or cone of tasty gelato. They have a great selection (I'd say just over 25 flavours) that vary every day. You can pick either a cup or cone, and they come in 3 sizes. My drool-worthy favorites are definitely the Bourbon vanilla, raspberry, as well as lemon. The prices are fair and you get a good bang for your buck! Having had gelato overseas, in the heart of Italy, the gelato definitely does not compare but it's as close as you can get here in Ottawa. All this gelato talk is making me want to head there RIGHT NOW. Mmmmm read more

Mmmm, Gelato! What more do I have to say? Good selection, tasty, fresh. Not cheap though. $5 for a medium cup! I had the banana chocolate chunk (reminds me of chunky monkey). Not tooo sweet which was good. Makes for a great treat! read more

This is the best Gelato in the city. The Gelato prices in the city are all comparable. A bit too high for my pocket on a regular bases. But no additives and all natural ingredients. love the ambiance, parking a bit tricky.. Yet still the best and I believe the oldest in the city. jonny Ottawa, ON read more

Probably my third favourite after Mantovani and Stella Luna. Their pistachio flavour is very authentic, and I love their mango (just like eating a fresh mango)! Their rum and raisin is also good. read more

Piccolo Grande - Mango and pistachio! - Desserts Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Piccolo Grande is a super fun happy place just outside the Byward Market. It is a gelateria, selling yummy gelato ice cream. But wait, there's more! Piccolo Grande also sells gourmet coffees, soup and vintage candies, such as Pixy Stix and those candy necklaces. Last year they also sold lollipops with scorpions in them. But, last time I was there the scorpion pops were absent. And, for the duffer in your family, they do carry their own brand of Piccolo Grande golf balls. Really. The decor is totally colorful and zany - like the set of a Tim Burton movie. The downside is that they do not accept debit cards. However, there is a handy ATM just by the entrance. Prices - around $3 for a piccolo gelato cone and around $5 for a grande. Not bad for the neighbourhood. read more

Piccolo Grande - Desserts Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

This is a delicious little spot in the heart of the ByWard Market. If you're hankering for a treat in the market, but not a full fledged meal, this may be an ideal place to go. They have a huge selection of gelato, sorbet, milkshakes and sherbet all year round. The prices are average for a gelato bar in the market, although I still think it's pricey for the amount you get. They also have a variety of soup du jour with many creative options including red pepper and lime, as well as root veggie and dill. The decor is very...happy and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory-esque, as Jason D put it. However, there's not a lot of sitting room and no patio to enjoy your gelato. If you're looking for a place to settle your weary bones after shopping in the market or Rideau Centre, this place may not be a sure bet. If you're looking to dreamily walk around the market as you nurse a delicious cold treat, Piccolo Grande is right up your alley. read more

One of my favorite places in Ottawa. The staff was friendly and the gelato was excellent. We also had coffee and it was just as good. Worth the visit and Murray Street is my favorite street in Ottawa. read more

Piccolo Grande - Great place. Can't wait to come up when we come up to watch the Senators. - Desserts Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Not the best gelato. Both pineapples and wild berries tasted like slush more than ice cream made of milk.

Great gelato! I visited the place searching for my favorite pistacchio ice cream and left very happy. We bought a large cup for 7.2$ (without taxes) that comes with 3 scoops. Compared to the other ice cream shop down the road, for almost the same price (50c more expensive in the other one) the portion was three times larger and we liked the gelato better. They also let you try the flavors before choosing. Highly recommended! read more

For years we were big fans but this summer we find there's been a change in their recipes because the icecream melts way too fast and it's this sugary liquid in ur cup before u can get 3 decent spoons... the owner should adress this. We have been going to Boccato in Landsand, better quality Gelato we can actively enjoy for more than 60 seconds. read more

I love Piccolo Grande, I wish they had outdoor seating though. My favorite flavor combos are Bourbon Vanilla and Cinnamon ice cream, Mango and Pineapple ice cream, and Maple Crystal and Bourbon Vanilla ice cream. And the combos are great by themselves. read more

So so so so so so good. Came here with a friend of mine, and he really liked it! A little on the pricey side, but totally worth it. I definitely recommend it! read more

If you know you like gelato, this is the place. A zillion favours and consistently good service. Centrally located but a bit hidden. Very little seating but lots nearby. If you don't know gelato and go expecting ice cream, don't. Gelato uses milk not cream. Not as rich but often much sweeter. read more

I'm only giving 4 stars just in case that my joy in this gelato was overrated because I haven't had any sort of dairy in a long time! Piccolo Grande was an awesome welcome back to the world of dairy! I got the bourbon vanilla and the coconut, neither which disappointed! The gentleman behind the counter loved to talk about their gelato and gave us a mini science lesson on how gelato has less air than ice cream and how that affects the flavor and consistency. Yum. read more

This is the best gelato establishment in Ottawa. Having been to many different ice cream and gelato establishments in many countries, I have to say that we are lucky that we have a place of this quality in Ottawa. read more

I went during the Victoria Day long weekend. The location is very small and so it's difficult to walk when it's busy. You could tell the quality of the gelato was not as high as other places, because it melted really quickly and I've never had that problem before. Worth the try if you're on a budget. read more

I visited Piccolo Grande for an amazing Gelato. I took the Maple one (I think it's called maple crystal), it was just amazing. You could really taste the maple syrup on it. It was to die for. I love anything maple and that gelato didn't disappoint. read more