Four ice cream shops to visit in the Castelli Romani area

It's easy to write "Gelato Artigianale" outside an ice cream shop, but it's less easy to actually make it. In recent years, the word "Gelato Artigianale" has become a symbol of quality, a craftsmanship hidden beneath mountains of highlighter-colored gelato, swollen with hydrogenated fats, thickeners, and ready-to-use industrial bases.

Making artisanal gelato truly means the exact opposite: eliminating chemical shortcuts and returning to the natural physics and chemistry of ingredients. It means working on the precise balance of the masses, calibrating sugars and fats based on the raw materials, using fresh seasonal fruit instead of pulp, and eliminating ingredients that mask second-rate ingredients.

Here are the four ice cream shops in the Castelli Romani area that make clean production techniques, transparency in the lab, and careful selection of raw materials their only rule.

Greed Greedy Ice Cream

Recently relocated to Frascati's main square (we wrote about it here), master gelato maker Dario Rossi's shop remains the absolute benchmark for 100% natural gelato in Lazio. His meticulous work begins with foraging and a thorough study of the local area: no artificial flavors or colorings, just pure technique and local agricultural ingredients. Produce from the Castelli Romani region dictates the flavors on the counter: figs, blackberries, and blueberries alternate depending on harvest time. Among the sweet options, the Bread, Butter, and Jam and impeccably crafted chocolate are unmissable. But Greed's true trademark is its savory selection, featuring signature cones like Pumpkin with Rosemary, Stracchino with bacon ripple, Honey and Pollen, and the now iconic Panzanella gelato.

Greed Greedy Ice Cream. Piazza Roma 16, Frascati (RM). Tel. 347 6236679. Instagram.

Fortini The Ice Cream Shop

In Albano, the Fortini surname is synonymous with quality gelato. Today, Matteo Grizi leads the successful business, now in its third generation. Matteo's strength lies in the clean lines of his gelato: a well-balanced gelato, never too greasy or heavy on the palate. The fruit comes mostly from the family's own orchard, ensuring a very short supply chain, which is evident from the first bite of flavors like fig or peach. Among the standouts is the crispy pistachio with licorice, alongside more structured pairings like ricotta and dried figs. In summer, lines outside are the norm.

Fortini La Gelateria. Piazza Pia 19, Albano Laziale (RM) / Corso Antonio Gramsci 77, Genzano di Roma (RM). Tel. 06 45557513. Instagram.

deCore

"Creative Gelato" is the promise on the sign, and that's exactly what master gelato maker and pastry chef Antonio Scarfone brings to the table. Scarfone's pastry training is reflected in the texture of his creations: soft creaminess, never-overpowering sugars, and a complete rejection of conventional combinations. The advice here is not to crowd the cone: two flavors are enough to appreciate the nuances of the raw ingredients. Try the variations based on coconut, such as the Coconut Milk with pineapple, lime, and passion fruit sauce, or the botanical kick of Coconut and Sage. Also noteworthy is the Tart with buckwheat shortcrust pastry and apricot sauce. Rounding out the display is a line of single-serving desserts and semifreddos (such as the one with chocolate, mango, passion fruit, and cocoa crumble).

deCore. Corso G. Matteotti 37, Albano Laziale (RM). Tel. 06 97847627. Instagram

Tatino

In Grottaferrata, Tatino is a testament to how a young team can do serious research on gelato. Founded in 2016, for the past 10 years, Luca and Matteo Di Furia have maintained a clean line, centered on a meticulous selection of cocoa beans and fruit. The house's true strength is chocolate, offered in various variations that enhance the natural fat content of cocoa without resorting to added vegetable oils. Even the classic creams and fruit-based creations are light, clean on the palate, and never cloying.

Tatino. Corso del Popolo 37, Grottaferrata (RM). Instagram.