My Messy Quest for Killer Gelato
Seriously craved some authentic Italian gelato yesterday, the good stuff. Kept hearing locals whisper about Gelateria dei Neri being the real deal in Florence, but finding precise directions? Forget it. Maps gave me a general area near Santa Croce, super vague. So, I just decided to wing it.
Trudged out late afternoon from my apartment near the river, sun still blazing. Knew the bridge to aim for – Ponte alle Grazie. Crossed it, turned left onto that main road right after. Place should have been nearby, right? Wrong. Wandered for ages, passing fancy shops and cafes galore, sweating buckets. Felt like everyone had ice cream except me!
Finally spotted a little sign pointing down a side street. Took a sharp right onto Via dei Neri itself. Narrow lane, not too flashy. Kept scanning the buildings. Saw a small crowd gathered outside a tiny shop front. Jackpot! Sign simply said “Gelateria dei Neri”. No huge neon lights, just buzzing with people.
The queue snaked out the door, naturally. Waited about 10 minutes, shuffling forward slowly. Peeked inside – tubs looked incredible, packed full, intense colours. Flavours weren’t fancy-schmancy names, just straight-up classics like Pistacchio Bronte, Cioccolato Fondente, Crema.
Got my turn. Ordered a medium cup – two scoops. Went for Crema (that deep yellow custard is my weakness) and Ricotta & Fig because, hey, when in Rome… Florence! Guy scooped them out smooth as butter, piled them high. Paid my few coins, snagged a teeny tiny spoon.
First bite of the Crema? Wow. Creamy doesn’t even cover it. Smooth as a river stone, rich but light? Magical. The Ricotta & Fig was packed with chewy fig bits and this crazy fresh cheese taste, not overly sweet. Damn good. Found a little ledge nearby, leaned against the wall, shoved that goodness in, people-watched. Pure bliss. Totally worth the legwork.
