Hila Gelato Caffè — Restaurant in San Francisco

My partner and I just had gelato here and while we really hoped this might be a 5 star new-favorite-spot-type experience, it wasn't. The unfortunate thing is that the things we didn't love were actually mostly avoidable, but it was enough to make us feel we likely wouldn't go a second time.

Let me start with what was great though: the shop is really adorable / Italian vintage, and I loved seeing these fresh gelatos swirling in their cases. It's a delightful spot, and the variety of cakes in the fridges as well as the option of cannoli instead of a cone is a great concept.

Where it went south: my partner is an absolute lover of ice cream—pistachio being king among them. But there were a few other flavors that looked great too so we debated what to go for. We asked if they offered any tasters. The owner said no, they don't do that—fair enough. We got a large cup of pistachio, espresso, and Gianduia (chocolate hazelnut) to share. Unfortunately, the pistachio was very muted and to neither of our liking, and the espresso, while fine, was also a little softer in flavor than we typically enjoy. Only the Gianduia really hit the mark. I think if they even offered a max of 3 tastes or something, we likely could have ended up with flavors we loved. Sometimes it's just a personal taste thing. The other thing is that the owner also unfortunately comes across as brusque in manner. I don't think it's intentional and it may just be a language thing (she came across a little more warmly in Italian with another customer), but it was something we noticed and...

Blown away by Hila Gelato! I originally came to know this café as one of the best places in the Bay Area for affogatos and gelato. The quality, the flavor, the texture… absolutely unforgettable. Every visit has left me blown away by their warm, attentive customer service and the consistent excellence of their product. These folks truly know what they’re doing and they do it with so much skill, pride, and heart.

Recently, I had the pleasure of taking their gelato-making class, and it was nothing short of incredible. As a business owner in the food world, I’m always seeking experiences that can deepen my craft and connection to this work, and this class delivered on every level. It was hands-on, insightful, and full of little gems of wisdom that only come from people who genuinely love and live what they do.

The team at Hila is generous, passionate, and deeply rooted in their mission to bring joy through every scoop. I walked away from the class not only with new skills, but with a renewed sense of purpose and excitement. This was so much more than a class—it was a reminder of why I fell in love with food in the first place. Worth every penny and then some. Don’t sleep on this gem....

This is absolutely the best real Italian gelato in San Francisco and beyond, definitely the best I had in California. Lot of flavors and many vegan options. They have great cornetti (croissant) , Sicilian cannoli with ricotta or gelato, mini cakes and espresso....recently I tried their new passion fruit gelato which is absolutely the best I ever tried!

Consider that this is gelato, not ice-cream: you won't have the same texture and sweetness of ice cream which is cream based. This is what it is served in the best gelato shops in Italy. Gelato has milk, less sugar and the ingredients are 100% "real" (no pre-made mixtures) so you can taste more the strawberries, blueberries, chocolate or pistacho. It can also be softer than ice-cream because it freezes in a different way

Hila also offer Gelato making classes that I absolutely recommend: you learn how to make real gelato from scratch, how to make it at home and a lot of tips and curiosities that you probably don't know...and you will bring the gelato you make at home! What a great way to start your weekend 😋

If you try it you will...