Best Gelato In Minnesota
Nothing beats the heat like a decadent, cold treat. If you're looking to cool off with something a little more exotic than a scoop of ice cream, try delighting your taste buds with gelato. In subtle contrast to ice cream's richer, creamier body, gelato possesses a pliable, slow-melting milkiness punctuated with intense flavors that quickly melt away, leaving the palate clean. From mint chocolate to mango and passion fruit to pistachio, enjoy your favorite flavors served at the best places for gelato in Minnesota.
Fat Lorenzo's
5600 Cedar Ave. S.
Minneapolis, MN 55417
(612) 822-2040
www.fatlorenzos.com
Home to hoagies, pizza and pasta, Fat Lorenzo's also serves up several flavors of fresh, homemade gelato for dessert. Whether you're just looking for a scoop of gelato to tide you over or want a pint delivered to your door, Fat Lorenzo's can hook you up. From traditional flavors like chocolate to more tantalizing ones like Jamaican rum, over 100 flavors have been created in Fat Lorenzo's kitchen over the years. And with flavors that rotate on a regular basis, the only way to ensure you don't miss out on sampling a new one is to visit often.
Ring Mountain Creamery
1965 Cliff Lake Road
Eagan, MN 55122
(651) 454-7464
www.ringmountain.com
"Variety is the spice of life" is a motto befitting Ring Mountain Creamery, evidenced by the impressive selection of gelato flavors available. From classics like vanilla and limoncello to flavors that rotate to complement the seasons, like vibrant fruit flavors for summer, Ring Mountain Creamery imports the finest gelato straight from Italy. If you're struck with indecision, opt for the mini-scoop sampler and enjoy five different flavors.
Mall of America (credit: Timo Gans/AFP/Getty Images)
Paciugo Gelato and Caffe
Mall of America
392 W. Market
Bloomington, MN 55425
(952) 814-3528
www.paciugo.com
If you decided to seek refuge from the heat in the air-conditioned shopping mecca that is the Mall of America, treat yourself to a chilly treat at Paciugo. With hundreds of flavors to choose from that rotate regularly, you might need to ask the helpful staff for a sample or two before you can make a decision. Salted caramel, hazelnut, coconut, key lime pie, peppermint and even flavors perfect for the adventurous like black pepper olive oil and chocolate jalapeno are too tempting to resist.
Cow Bella Gelato
1700 Grand Ave.
Saint Paul, MN 55105
(651) 340-0585
www.cowbellagelato.com
Cow Bella is a quaint little gelato shop that serves up some of the finest handcrafted gelato around. While Cow Bella may not provide as many flavor options as its competitors, What Cow Bella lacks in options it makes up for in quality. Flavors like pistachio, banana, coffee, dark chocolate, raspberry, butterscotch and more are expertly crafted on a daily basis from organic, all-natural ingredients. Order a scoop (or two!) or grab a pint or quart to go.
(credit: jacksonscoffeeandgelato.com)
Jackson's Coffee and Gelato
822 W. Lake St.
Minneapolis, MN 55408
(612) 454-6613
www.jacksonscoffeeandgelato.com
Jackson's is a cozy coffee shop nestled in the Lyn-Lake neighborhood that also specializes in serving up fresh-made gelato. Fruity flavors including blood orange, grapefruit and raspberry to more decadent selections of dark chocolate, nutella and salted caramel, make deciding difficult. Sample until you find your favorite, or opt to split flavors if one just won't do. Grab a window seat and enjoy your treat away from the heat.
A Minnesota native that was born and raised Up North, Minneapolis is where Christina Kalinowski currently calls home. Christina appreciates irony, loves bacon, enjoys a hearty libation (drink responsibly, folks), and is an avid proponent of the Swanson Pyramid of Greatness. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.
