Giolitti

Giolitti is one of the oldest names in Roman gelato. Giuseppe and Bernardina Giolitti started the business in 1890 with a dairy shop on Salita del Grillo, near the Imperial Fora, and it soon became a supplier to the Italian royal family. Their grandson moved the business to its present home on Via degli Uffici del Vicario, a short walk from the Pantheon and beside the Chamber of Deputies, in 1930, and the same family still runs it. A second branch in EUR, in the south of the city, opened in 1960.

Most people come for the gelato, and the long counter holds dozens of flavours, from classic fruit sorbets and creamy flavours such as pistachio, hazelnut and chocolate to seasonal specials. Pay at the till first, then queue at the counter with your receipt, choose your cup or cone and the number of flavours, and ask for panna, whipped cream, on top if you like. Behind the gelato counter, Giolitti is also a pastry shop and café, serving breakfast pastries, cakes and confectionery, coffee and, at lunch and aperitivo time, typical Italian and Roman snacks and dishes.

Inside there is a spacious, elegant room with Art Nouveau-style details, where you can sit down for coffee, a sundae or a pastry with table service, and there are outdoor tables on the street. Sitting down costs more than eating at the counter or taking away, but it offers a break from the crowds of the centre.

Giolitti is open every day of the year, from 7:30 until midnight, and later during the summer. It is busiest in the afternoon and evening, especially in summer, when the queue can be long, although it moves quickly. Major credit cards are accepted. It suits families with children, couples on an evening stroll and anyone wanting to try a Roman institution. Prices are moderate for the location.

The shop is a two-minute walk from Piazza di Montecitorio and around five minutes from the Pantheon, Piazza Navona and Via del Corso, so it fits easily into any walk around the historic centre. It is a classic stop after dinner in the area, gelato in hand, on the way to the Trevi Fountain or the Spanish Steps, both of which are within fifteen minutes on foot.