The 10 Best Spots for Gelato in Louisiana! By
Penny Fox
Gelato is a sweet frozen Italian treat that’s become very popular in recent years. With about one-third the calories as regular ice cream and often made dairy-free, it’s a favorite at many Italian restaurants and comes in a variety of creative flavor combinations. Below are the 10 best gelato places in Louisiana where you can try this yummy concoction.
1. Carpe Diem! Gelato, Lafayette, LA
Winner of numerous awards and recognitions like the 2014 Gelato World Tour and being listed as one of Acadiana’s best new restaurants is only the tip of the popularity for Carpe Diem Gelato in Lafayette, Louisiana. This milk-free frozen gourmet delicacy is healthy and comes in a variety of flavors that change daily. You can choose forest berries, mint chocolate chip, pumpkin spice, strawberry, or the award-winning avocado basil. Open every day except Monday at the Jefferson Street location, a new location on Johnston Street is open every day.
2. La Divina Italian Café, Baton Rouge, LA
If you want to taste the best Italian ice cream and sorbet, visit La Divina in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. This is truly a gastric adventure and this little gelateria uses only the best and freshest ingredients, never pastes, powders, or bases. Try the pistachio or salted caramel for a party in your mouth. Open seven days a week until 9 p.m. except on Sunday when they’re open until 7 p.m.
3. Angelo Brocato, New Orleans, LA
Bringing delicious food to New Orleans and the surrounding area since 1905, Angelo Brocato’s has a history or producing only the finest hand-churned ice cream and gelato. Still offering an original flavor that’s over 100 years-old as well as new favorites, the ice cream shop was almost put out of business by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, but reopened after extensive renovations the next year bringing hope and inspiration to the neighborhood so devastated by the previously flooding. Gelato flavors include amaretto, coconut, moka coffee, praline, vanilla bean, and others.
4. Paciugo Gelato Caffé, Shreveport, LA
With a mission statement that says, “delight everyone, customers first,” you know you’ll be well taken care of by the staff of Paciugo Gelato Caffé in Shreveport, Louisiana. Serving handmade Italian gelato, sorbet, and expresso, you can choose from over 400 delicious flavors like black cherry swirl, peppermint, and tiramisu, you’ll think you visited Italy.
5. Sucre, Metairie and New Orleans, LA
Sucre is a modern twist on an old European favorite frozen dessert. Featuring cakes, chocolate bars, macarons, pies, and other confections, the gelato at Sucre is the result of a passion to present excellent food choices and hospitality to patrons by founder, Joel Dondis. Sucre has been named in numerous publications like Southern Living, Saveur, and Best Desserts.
6. Antoine’s Annex, New Orleans, LA
With the atmosphere of an old-fashioned coffee bar and sweet café, Antoine’s Annex in New Orleans offers amazing baked pastries, coffee, salads, sandwiches, and gelato. Open every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Antoine’s Annex has small and large servings of gelato and combination shakes.
7. Annunciation, New Orleans, LA
If you love history and good food, travel down to Annunciation in New Orleans, where you can appreciate the renovated warehouse atmosphere in this exciting upscale Creole and Cajun restaurant. From relaxing and romantic to upscale and formal, dining in or a catered event, you’ll always get great taste and great service. Make sure you save room for dessert, and try the fudge brownie gelato, a specialty of the house.
8. The Fresh Market, Multiple locations
Not a traditional restaurant, the Fresh Market is still an excellent place to get great food. Started in North Carolina in 1982, the Fresh Market expanded to New Orleans and has been offering fresh food of quality and good prices. When you’re picking up ingredients or making selections for your next dinner, don’t forget to try the strawberry balsamic sundae, made with vanilla bean gelato, fresh strawberries, and balsamic glaze.
9. City Gelato, Baton Rouge, LA
Southern food and old-fashioned Italian sweet treats are what you’ll find at City Gelato in Baton Rouge. Offering the best ingredients for their gelatos, City Gelato has choices like chocolate, coffee, birthday cake, caramel, amaretto, and Italian cream cheese. Open seven days a week and with all these flavors, you can stop by every day.
10. Zuhause Bakery & Coffee, Lafayette, LA
It may seem unusual to see a German bakery in a Louisiana city, but Zuhause Bakery & Coffee isn’t a typical bakery. Featuring delicious sweet treats like croissants, streusels, cookies, muffins, tarts, Danish, and beignets, they also offer a variety of gelato desserts. Live, love, and eat gelato.
