il laboratorio del gelato — Restaurant in New York

Amazing flavors and impeccable customer service. I've been to both the Ludlow location and the former union square location (which is now closed which makes me sad because that location was so much more conveinent). They always have a wide variety of unique flavors. Very reasonably priced as well compared to competitors - $8.25 for four flavors in a cup or a sugar cone.

I got the black mission fig gelato, kiwi sorbet, honeycrisp apple sorbet, and the orange hibiscus sorbet. My favorite surprisingly was the orange hibiscus sorbet considering I'm normally not a big fan of hibiscus flavored stuff. The orange complements the acidity of the hibiscus well. My sisters got black sesame gelato, beet sorbet, avocado gelato, tangerine sorbet, and lychee sorbet. They loved theirs as well. The girls who helped us were very patient and eager to help. They honor their words there and if something happens to your ice cream or you're not happy with it or you drop it (as did in my case), they replace it for you with no problem. I wish they had a points system though or rewards program.

Here are some future flavor suggestions? 😋 hojicha (roasted green tea) gelato guava sorbet tamarind sorbet peach basil jackfruit sorbet roasted chestnut thai basil

Definitely looking forward to returning for some more exciting flavors...

Here’s the deal: the gelato / sorbet was yummy - especially the lychee and milk chocolate graham cracker flavors I tried.

However, the service and operations were beyond weak. Out of interest in seeing this spot improve in the future, I would like them to add some kind of crowd rope divider so people don’t all clump around the gelato / sorbet stations peeping to see what flavors are available. Which brings up my next point, which is that it’s nearly impossible to tell what flavors they have without putting your face against the glass… the signs are so low and angled without any thought that you literally have to tilt you head and move between the two stations to see what they have - not ideal at all. Lastly, on the day we went, there was a group that literally held the line up because they were trying to get the attention of one of the staff members there they knew and started a full blown conversation with them… like no respect for the dozens of people waiting patiently for their turn. There’s a time and place for everything, but with limited staff here, you really cannot block the flow of service.

Overall, gelato /sorbet was yummy, but service was poor. If they don’t improve on this, I wouldn’t be so inclined to...

Delicious gelato! First time I got pistachio and hazelnut gelato. Second time olive oil gelato and lemon basil sorbet (recommended).

You can tell that the gelato is good when you eat the nuts in the gelato. I particularly liked the pistachio because the pistachio they use is good. It’s different from the Sicilian pistachio often used in Italian gelato. I believe it’s more like Turkish or Iranian pistachios, though I might be mistaken. I didn’t like the kind of hazelnuts they are using for their gelato. They’re ok, but not as delicious as the one you taste in some other good places.

Second time was slightly better because the combination was really on point. I got the olive oil gelato with lemon basil sorbet on top. That was good! They really work well together. The olive oil gelato is creamy and creates a nice base for the lemon basil flavors. Also, the sorbet has a different texture so you can enjoy the best of both worlds. This is a nice refreshing combination yet creamy and filling. Would love to...