La Strega Nocciola | Piazza di Spagna — Restaurant in Rome

Wait. Let me just collect myself here. I feel all emotional.

No, I can go on. I'm okay.

You never know what will take you away. I had no real problem writing my 5 star review of the beloved Borghese Galleria (5 Stars), but when I gather up my metaphorical quill pen to tell you about La Strega Nocciola I find I'm a little weepy. To my left, as I write, on my bookshelves, sits a small stack of what amounts to bookmarks from La Strega that I, um, over helped myself to. I couldn't find a way to do otherwise. They would have made such nice gifts if I could have brought myself to give any of them away. They have that lovely cursive script, with the gelateria's name, and their signature witch's hat on a field of green. Man, I love those bookmarks. Maybe one day I will be able to bring myself to use one to keep my place in a book. I only have about 20. I don't want to use them all up too quickly.

So by now you might be guessing that I liked the gelato at La Strega Nocciola. Good eye, you! I did!

They were my second favorite gelateria in all of Rome.

Don't you hate when someone says something like "They were my second favorite gelateria in all of Rome." But doesn't bother to tell you their favorite?

I was just looking through some reviews of La Strega to prepare for writing my own review, and some sad sack was all like: "Why bother with this place when there are at least two better places nearby." Oh really bigshot? Where?

But who am I to judge. I will give this person the benefit of the doubt and assume that by "nearby" they mean on somewhere on all of planet Earth. I myself am rating one place higher. Certainly there can be another, on Earth, somewhere, you know, "nearby".

So I would totally tell you my favorite gelato place in Rome, but I want you to have to read through all 200 of my reviews. I hope you don't mind too much. Indulge me. I think you'll find it worthwhile. Maybe, I mean, If you're highly evolved. And the thing is there's so little difference between first place here and second place. It's ridiculously tiny, and I even suspect that the fact that La Strega Nocciola is a bit of a chain, possibly with the original in Florence, has influenced my ranking, out of loyalty to Rome, and to small scale, and that sort of thing.

But one thing was shimmeringly clear to me: the single best flavor of gelato I had in all of Rome, or really anywhere ever, counting all ice cream and every thing related to frozen desserts anywhere in all of time, belonged to La Strega Nocciola.

Lavender.

Go figure.

I'm a very fine writer, up for any challenge, and I could certainly tackle a description of their lovely lavender gelato, but, oh, it would be a fool's game, a fool's game.

And that's all I...

This is a 7.5 stars!!! Do yourself a favor and only go here!!! This is hands down our favorite gelato shop in Rome...and we went to many!!! My husband ate gelato sometimes 3 times a day trying to find his favorites. We came back here multiple times. Not all gelato shops are created equal. Don’t be swayed by the huge franchise shops. They are no good.

On the island of Capri there is Bueno Cone. That would be just above these guys. They make their own cones.

The flavors, textures and consistency aren’t beat by anyone. The limone -lemon- flavor is spot on. It’s not an icy sorbet. It’s not too sugary. It’s fresh and light!!

My husband loves the cream or milk crepe flavor!! The coconut is always fantastic. That’s one of my top favorites.

The gentleman who was always working when we were there is SO nice. He remembered us every time which is very kind and great customer service. Can’t say enough nice things about this place.

Close to the spanish steps in Rome. Stop reading and...

Amazing gelato! We have heard good things about this gelato shop, so we decided to try it out after our dinner.

Once we enterd the store, we were greeted by a very friendly and lively staff, who introduce the different flavor of gelato to us and recommended us to either try the classic flavor hazelnut / pistachio / chocolate or go for a unique basil / lavender / bergamot flavor.

We are quite keen on a unique flavor so we go for the basil & lavender & bergamot and loved it!!

The herb and flowery and citrus flavor by itself is quite good but thesecret is the mix and match between these three flavors, it gives out a very refreshing combination where you can keep enjoying the different flavors thay compliment each other so...