Carapina

"The best gelato in Florence. Period. You can’t visit Florence without indulging in ice cream once at the very least, but it’s not so easy to find the real deal. Carapina, gelateria of choice for cognoscenti (but often overlooked by tourists), is located a stone’s throw from the Ponte Vecchio, brain child of Simone Bonin who is widely acknowledged to be one of the best ice cream makers in Italy. Sixteen flavors are available at any one time and produced in small batches each day from top-notch local, strictly seasonal ingredients. Classics include pistachio, ‘real’ yoghurt and the bitterest of bitter chocolate but there are more unusual flavors too like the sweet/salty gorgonzola, Parmigiano reggiano or creamy mozzarella di bufala."

"The best gelato in Florence. Period. You can’t visit Florence without indulging in ice cream once at the very least, but it’s not so easy to find the real deal. Carapina, gelateria of choice for cognoscenti (but often overlooked by tourists), is located a stone’s throw from the Ponte Vecchio, brain child of Simone Bonin who is widely acknowledged to be one of the best ice cream makers in Italy. Sixteen flavors are available at any one time and produced in small batches each day from top-notch local, strictly seasonal ingredients. Classics include pistachio, ‘real’ yoghurt and the bitterest of bitter chocolate but there are more unusual flavors too like the sweet/salty gorgonzola, Parmigiano reggiano or creamy mozzarella di bufala."

"Opened in 2008, Carapina, on the Piazza Guglielmo Oberdan, has a younger, fresher feel than many of Florence's older gelato establishments. There are even TV screens showcasing the gelato-making process and an area where artisanal products, including jams and cookies, are sold. Seasonal fruit, high-quality cacao, and rich nuts form the basis of this shop's preservative-, thickener-, and excess sugar-free gelatos. Flavors change with the calendar—at Christmas, for instance, there's panettone—though some flavors stay put year round, including olive oil and crema del artusi, an egg-based vanilla custard (both are wins)." - Bridget Arsenault