1. Hibiscus
238 Augusta, at Nassau, 416-364-6183. Since dairy is such a key component in the making of gelato, who could have guessed that the tastiest creamy Italian-style ices in the city are made by this tiny vegan café in Kensington Market? Self-taught kitchen magician Joseph Tam combines classic techniques with environmental awareness to create a sinfully rich hybrid that’s the best of both worlds. Best: outrageously smooth coconut milk with organic Ontario raspberries nutty almond milk, crushed almonds and fair trade organic chocolate subtle Earl Grey tea in rice milk pulverized green pistachio, the equal of long-gone Solferino’s unusually tangy candied ginger toasted black sesame. Extras: gluten-free strawberry and pistachio brown rice cookies dairy-free buckwheat and brown-rice-flour crepes drizzled with maple syrup and finished with seasonal local organic fruit. Scoop: $2.95. Open Monday to Saturday noon to 7 pm. Closed Sunday, holidays. Unlicensed. Access: three steps at door, washrooms in basement. Rating: NNNNN
2. Soma Chocolatier
55 Mill, bldg 48, unit 102, at Trinity, 416-815-7662. Next door to the Young Centre for the Performing Arts in a former 19th-century warehouse in the Distillery District, the Oliver Bonacini group’s (Canoe, Jump, Auberge du Pommier) temple to chocolate includes a retail store and an in-house gelato lab. Warning: tourists. Best: gelati like roasted hazelnut lemon with sour cream Madagascar vanilla sorbets like Ontario blueberry with fresh basil blood orrange passion fruit. Extras: hand-made truffles, Mayan hot chocolate, Italian shortbread, dark chocolate walnut flourless cake. Scoop: $3.75. Open Monday to Saturday 10 am to 8 pm, Sunday and holidays noon to 6 pm. Unlicensed. Access: barrier-free. Rating: NNNN
3. Leonidas
5 Coady, at Queen E, 416-285-1100. Just around the corner from Tango Palace and close to Leslie Grove Park, this recent Leslieville addition is known for its luxurious line of Belgian chocolates and smaller selection of Italian ices, supplied-to-order by Woodbridge’s Gelato Factory. Make sure to get your photo taken with the 5-foot fibreglass cone out front! Best: from a short rotating card of extraordinarily rich gelato, the house dark chocolate, coconut swirled with raspberry jam, banana purée studded with almond praline brittle, old-school tiramisu a very Prince raspberry sorbet. Extras: deluxe gift-wrapped truffle assortments. Scoop: $2.95. Open Monday to Friday 11 am to 9 pm, Saturday, Sunday, holidays 10 am to 9 pm. Unlicensed. Access: bump at door, no washrooms. Rating: NNNN
4. Il Gelatiere Artigianale
647 Mt Pleasant, at Hillsdale, 416-488-2663. Since opening two years ago, this buzz-worthy gelateria moderna has been swamped with well-heeled customers looking for their frozen fix. Sleek and sophisticated, the white-on-white space features more than 30 gelati and sorbetti daily. Can’t tell the difference? If it’s fruit, it’s dairy-free sorbetto everything else is gelato. Best: spicy Cioccolato al Pepperoncini, dark chocolate mixed with red chili pepper classic stracciatella dusted with cocoa Maria, cinnamon with walnuts Macedonia mixed fruit salad pompelo grapefruit lemony limone arguria watermelon creamy mascarpone to drink, imported Italian Santos espresso, latte and cappuccino. Extras: gluten-free cones and real whipped cream topping at no extra cost. Scoop: $4. Open Monday to Thursday 10 am to 10 pm, Friday 10 am to 11 pm, Saturday 11 am to 11 pm, Sunday and holidays 1 to 10 pm. Unlicensed. Access: barrier-free. Rating: NNNN
5. Dolce Gelato
697 College, at Montrose, 416-915-0756. Audaciously launched four summers ago kitty-corner to the Sicilian Sidewalk Café, this gorgeous gelateria has atmosphere to spare. Deep coffee-coloured walls flank steely halogen-lit glass cases stocked with a multitude of Italian ices that look as good as the joint’s Milanese decor. Best: from a revolving card of 48 house-made flavours, artfully composed dolce de leche caramel toffee mint drizzled with Belgian chocolate naturally coloured pistachio “not so classic” rum ‘n’ raisin dairy-free fruit sorbets like cranberry. Extras: Dufflet pastries, profiteroles, crepes. Scoop: $3.75. Open Sunday to Thursday 9 am to midnight, Friday and Saturday 9 am to 2 am. Licensed. Access: two steps at door, washrooms in basement. Rating: NNNN
6. Novecento
1228 St Clair W, at St Clair Gardens, 416-654-9900. Move over, La Paloma! The new gelato kid on the block, this very 90s resto bar makes some of the best Italian ices on the Corso Italia. Even better, its leafy curbside patio has the loveliest optics on the street and makes a great spot for primo people-watching over late-night dessert. Best: all-natural trifle-style zuppa inglese with vanilla custard, strawberry jam, chocolate syrup and smashed sponge cake Cassata Siciliana with dried fruits and nuts creamy pannacotta specialties like the water-based Exotic sorbet with strawberries, blueberries, pineapple and mango lactose-free limoncello. Extras: triangular coffee wafers, whipped cream, over-the-top Italian pastries. Scoop: $4.50. Open daily 7 am to 2 am. Licensed. Access: barrier-free, washrooms in basement. Rating: NNNN
7. Hollywood Gelato
1640 Bayview, at Manor, 416-544-9829. This bright and cheerful Leaside café is a madhouse during heat waves. (Remember them?) But friendly and efficient staff keep the queue of upwardly mobile clientele moving. Sadly, the animatronic duck that once rode a bicycle while waving a cone on the patio out front has flown the coop. Best: house-made gelati like puckering Key Lime Pie with nuggets of buttery crust, Valhrona chocolate, lime-green Sicilian pistachio topped with nuts, crushed Oreo cheesecake, roasted marshmallow. (Hey! where have we heard that before?) Extras: waffle cones, whipped cream, Dufflet butter tarts and cupcakes, real iced tea, iced cappuccinos. Scoop: $3.75. Open Monday to Thursday 7 am to 11 pm, Friday and Saturday 7 am to midnight, Sunday and holidays 8 am to 11 pm. Unlicensed. Access: barrier-free, women’s washroom on same floor, men’s in basement. Rating: NNN
8. La Paloma Gelateria
1357 St Clair W, at Caledonia, 416-656-2340. In operation since 1967, this Corso Italia institution introduced white-bread Toronto to authentic Sicilian gelato back when pizza was considered exotic. Other locations: Piazza del Sole, 200 Windflower Gate, Woodbridge, 905-851-5151 Vaughan Mills Shopping Centre, entrance #3, 905-760-2841 Tuscany Place, 3175 Rutherford, Vaughan, 905-532-1496. Best: from a list of some 30 gelato flavours, dark Belgian chocolate cinnamon apple pie bourbon vanilla ‘n’ cherry zuppa inglese, a fluorescent frozen trifle of pink and yellow birthday cake studded with candied cherries, chocolate chunks and slivered almonds, dribbled with strawberries cranberry cheese cake peppermint cotton candy soy-based vegan gelato like hazelnut cream classic vanilla sorbets like pear drizzled with chocolate pink grapefruit sour green apple seasonal flavours like watermelon, roasted chesnut, sweet fig. Extras: biscotti. Scoop: $4. Open daily 7 am to 11:30 pm. Unlicensed. Access: barrier-free. Rating: NNN
9. Adam & Eve
97 Maitland, at Church, 416-962-2326. Adam & Steve, more likely (rim shot). Located in a Victorian cottage just off the Village’s main drag, this coffeehouse cum chocolatier also produces its own saucily themed gelati. While first-times will want to linger in the garden out front after checking out the novelty gift baskets – chocolate dick on a stick, anyone – those-in-the-know favour the clandestine walled-in terrace round back. Best: exceptionally fruity scoops of Give Me The Raspberry refreshing lemon free of food colouring nutella-laced Donutella Rock, a much too mild-mannered hazelnut homage to Ms. Versace Romantic Rose – “our most popular” – a syrupy Pepto-pink ice that tastes of potpourri. Extras: Belgian chocolate-dipped cones. Scoop: $3.50. Open Monday to Friday 7 am to 10 pm, Friday and Saturday 11 am to 11 pm, Sunday noon to 7 pm. Unlicensed. Access: one step at door, washrooms upstairs. Rating: NNN
10. Tvanele Dolce & Gelato
35 St Joseph, at Bay, 416-323-9836. Now in its fourth summer, this low-key coffee house close to U of T feels more like a Mitteleuropean pastry shop than a ground-floor condo café. Best: tart and fruity dairy-free kiwi, pineapple or mango mild milk chocolate bitter black currant with the taste of bottled cough syrup Extras: slices of house-baked strudel-like sour cherry pie, Russian-style crepes with red caviar and potato salad. Scoop: $3.63. Open Monday to Friday 7:30 am to 8 pm, Saturday 9 am to 7 pm, Sunday and holidays 10 am to 6 pm. Unlicensed. Access: barrier-free. Rating: NNN
