5 Unmissable Ice-Cream Parlors On the West Coast of Lake Como
Summer is really behind the corner: weather forecasts says temperatures will show a dramatic rise in the next few weeks.
We’ll all agree that eating ice cream is definitely one of the best ways to survive to the most sweltering heat.
Italy is home to some of the best ice cream in the world. Wherever you go, there are delicious flavors to try and Lake Como is - obviously - no exception.
Here are some of the best places on the west coast of Lake Como to pick up a super cold, creamy, artisan gelato.
#1 Il Gelato di Zoe in Argegno: a mainstay among Lake Como ice cream shops
We are a very lucky agency: one of our office is located next to this awesome ice cream shop!
Il Gelato di Zoe, in the main piazza of Argegno, makes all its ice cream on premises, with menu-adjustments made for seasonal ingredients.
The display counter is a triumph of colors and flavors (traditions go hand in hand with bold experimentation here), from fruity to creamy to the most complex. One of our fav? “Cremino”, that is cream with a delicious cover of Nutella.
You can also find gelato cakes and semifreddo, fruit popsicles, and much more.
Il Gelato di Zoe is definitely a mainstay among Lake Como gelaterias.
Be prepared for a queue, as everyone gets crazy for this ice-cream! Many of our clients said that Zoe’s rich, creamy and silky smooth gelato is the best they’ve ever had.
Another plus we like: all straws and spoons are 100% bio compostable!
Where: Piazza Roma 9, Argegno - next to our agency!
#2 Bar Gelateria Stella Alpina in Croce (Menaggio): ice-cream like your grandma would make it
This is a hidden gem that only locals know, being out of the traditional touristic routes (this place doesn’t even have a Facebook page!).
This café is on the main road that links Menaggio to Porlezza, right in front of a traffic light, without any lake view: not a very romantic location, you may think, but trust us, this place hides an unforgettable ice-cream that many people often define as “the one I was used to eat with my grandma”. And we all know that the word grandma means awesome handmade things.
This superb homemade ice-cream is prepared on site by the owners, with fruit cups created at the moment with lovely precision and speed.
The classic flavors are their trademark: few and basic, but deliciously authentic.
Free WiFi inside.
Where: Via Cadorna 140, Menaggio
#3 Il Gabbiano, Menaggio: fantastic ice-cream in a romantic waterfront corner
Let’s go back to Menaggio: Gelateria Il Gabbiano is by far one of the most romantic spots of the village where having an excellent ice-cream enjoying a super view on Bellagio.
It’s a tiny café, but boasts a waterfront terrace where you can sit with your ice-cream.
Great selection of flavors, all to be tasted!
Where: Via Catelli 23
#4 Carapiña, Gravedona: the epitome of quality
The cornerstones of Carapiña are gelato made fresh daily, natural ingredients, high-quality milk, fresh seasonal fruit. In short, the excellent quality and an equally authentic atmosphere will make you feel at home.
Gelato cakes at Carapina
No seating, but outside, as soon as you cross the road, there’s the waterfront promenade of Gravedona with benches and walls where you can stop. During the tourism months the road is closed to traffic, therefore it’s a quiet corner even for children.
Our fav flavor? “Lake biscuit”: truly exceptional!
Where: Via Umberto I, Gravedona ed Uniti
#5 Fabbrica del Gelato in Lenno
This ice-cream parlor is right in the amazing main piazza of Lenno, in Tremezzina.
Image by Ovidiu Moascaliu via Tripadvisor
The interior is adorably rétro. With no artificial or natural additives, this gelato is creamy, perfectly dense, chilled, and has an authentic flavor. You can even find unusual flavors like salty pistacchio!
Where: Piazza XI Febbraio 15, Tremezzina, Loc. Lenno
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