Don Peppinu | Catania — Attraction in Catania

I rarely leave reviews, but my experience at this ice cream shop was so frustrating that I feel compelled to share it. My girlfriend and I visited the shop, placed our order at the self-order kiosks, and paid for two cups of ice cream with two flavors each(3.80€ each, totaling 7.60€). After paying, we received our receipt and went to the counter to choose our flavors.

At the kiosk, there was no option to select flavors, so when we went up to the counter, the teller took our receipt and asked for the flavors. My girlfriend gave her the two flavors she wanted, and the teller went off to prepare the ice cream. However, when she returned with the first cup, we let her know that we should tell her the flavors for the second cup, but she claimed that we only paid for one cup. We showed her our bank card receipt proving we had indeed paid for two, yet she continued to look at us like we were lying.

She then proceeded to ask me for my flavors, which was fine, but while talking to her colleagues in Italian (probably about us), she seemed visibly annoyed, as though doing us a favor. It was uncomfortable, and honestly, very unprofessional. Even after we showed her the evidence, there was no apology, just an awkward look as if we were the ones in the wrong.

It’s frustrating when there’s a clear communication breakdown, and it's even more frustrating when the staff are rude and dismissive instead of trying to resolve the issue. Not only did we leave feeling disrespected, but the entire experience just left a sour taste. I don’t think I’ll be returning anytime soon. Sidenote the ice cream was okay , but that particular...

Usually I only review places that I love and want to give a great review because they deserve it. This is my first review for the opposite. In short: this is the worst Gelateria I’ve been to in Italy.

I was in Catania with my daughter who is celiac (on a strict gluten free diet) and who is allergic to peanuts. The latter can be lethal.

We asked for the gluten free and the peanuts, multiple times, even in Italian and the staff confirmed it was all fine. So she got salted caramel and chocolate cheese cake.

As my daughter started eating the chocolate cheese cake, she found an intact peanut. She panicked and we went back to the staff. Eating peanuts will have a severe allergic reaction in 10-30 minutes following consumption. Fortunately we had her EpiPen.

And what was completely surprising: the staff was absolutely careless about it and offered another ice cream free of charge. As if that was important to us. Then the staff denied- it was impossible that there were peanuts. With a spoon, I took out a peanut in front of them and put it on the counter. It was clearly a peanut. The guy took the peanut while still denying it.

Later on we saw another staff that spoke better English. He also denied it. It was impossible. As the other colleague took the peanut I couldn’t prove it anymore.

The guy was also careless and laughed saying that anyways an ambulance is free of charge in Italy.

To me this place is an ABSOLUTE NO-GO. Never go here again.

We love Italy because people care about food and ingredients. We never have problems with peanuts and gluten. This is the first time. So… worst Gelateria in...

Don't enjoy to give negative review but here's the truth: it's obvious tourist trap serving very mediocre flavours. Overrated, overpriced, overcrowded. Worst granite brioche in whole of Sicilia (we ate from 40+ shops). Big hint: all the 5* reviews are from tourists. All the one star reviews about quality are from Italians.

I don't know if it's because it's in a tourist trap location or this is really the best effort for them. But I can list 10 places in Palermo Cefalú Taormina Syracusa that are so much better than this.

Good: Gelato pistachio is only ok, too sweet and not enough pistachio flavour. Ricotta is good. Panna (cream) is not thick. Maybe people like that, I don't.

Bad: granite is just bad. Served in a cup overflowing so that you spill sugar water all over the floor table shoes hands. Why don't they just pour the ice cream straight onto my clothes? Disgusting. Couldn't eat more than 4 bites before throwing €7 melted mess into the trash. No thoughtfulness given to presentation/serving apprearance.

Very bad: Brioche was really one of the worst I've had in all Sicilia. No orange or fruit flavour in the dough, and worst of all it's obviously not fresh. Feels not right to charge customer for...