Almare Gelato Italiano

Haven't visited Berkeley for so long and can't believe Almare still here like an old friend. Great service and delicious gelato. Love it

Sooo good! Some of the creaminess, most delicious sorbet I've ever had! The hot chocolate is also creamy, very hot, and delicious. Non-dairy options available. Super reasonably priced and the baristas are really sweet. What a cute place, I'll have to come back and sample even more. The kids' sized mango sorbet is perfect for an afternoon treat. Indoor and outdoor seating available, good music and vibes.

Ciao to the gelato! This is probably by far one of the best gelato spots in Berkeley — which was a hustle and bustle area despite the space. A plus is also that they’re open until 11 at night, which boasts a late night snack. They’re also conveniently located from the Downtown Berkeley BART Station, which is great for a last minute snack if you’re going to travel via public transit. Me and my partner got the pistachio ice cream, which with the medium cup, was only $7. I admired how creamy the pistachio was, including the texture and how soft it tasted too. Service was okay. There was a little line after we entered, so we felt rushed and made it through as quickly as possible. As far as the atmosphere went, it wasn’t too bad, although I would be more aware of the surroundings.

Almare is delicious and conveniently located! I go once a week at 8:30 pm and look forward to it each time! BUT— I am getting a bit tired of the two recurring things that have made me leave without getting anything multiple times. First, I am there well before closing and several times they have empty containers advertising flavors that have been scraped completely clean. I understand that sometimes flavors run out, but employees have said that they just do not want to thaw out the flavor. . . Second, they’ve gotten progressively stingier with the portions. The scoops get scraped down to be perfectly flush with the top of the cup (sometimes even pushed concave into the cup), and for the most recent price increase bringing a medium to $7, I’m starting to wonder if it is worth it. **Edit** Thank you for your response Simone! Of course I will be back! I can’t miss my weekly Almare!

This is small gelato shop in downtown Berkeley. We stopped here to get gelato. They have decent variety of flavors. I got a small cup with a mix of coffee and roasted almond with fig flavored ice creams. They were delicious. They also have vegan options as well. They have one table outside to sit and taste the ice cream.

Overall I am giving them 5 Stars because the place is nice and clean. You can sample before you choose which is good these days you rarely find sampling easy😂 To be honest the staff did not even smile I wouldn’t say they were very nice or wow customer service. I got mango and strawberry and my husband got chocolate and pistachio and it was really good🥰🥰🥰

Rich and creamy gelato, coffee, and packaged items are offered in this shop. It's just a few yards away from the Downtown Berkeley BART station. There are a few tables and chairs outside. When you walk in, you'll see some jarred and bagged items before getting to the gelato. The smallest size of container is the Kids size and costs $4.25. The largest container is a pint for $12.50. They have cake, sugar, and waffle cones, which are free, 60¢, and 85¢ respectively. They don't offer samples. Service was amicable and checkout was quick and easy. I don't think there is a customer restroom. I had an affogato with a scoop of salted caramel gelato. The espresso and caramel mingled to produce a bittersweet, creamy, salty, mind-blowing combination. I highly recommend trying it. It costs $6.50 and it's worth it.

The best gelato in California! Pistachio, Dark Chocolate and Oreo are amazing! Melon sorbet wasn’t good unfortunately. I love this store because it opens until late at night. Also they serve amazing gelato but the price is not expensive!

Sooo good! Some of the creaminess, most delicious sorbet I've ever had! The hot chocolate is also creamy, very hot, and delicious. Non-dairy options available. Super reasonably priced and the baristas are really sweet. What a cute place, I'll have to come back and sample even more. The kids' sized mango sorbet is perfect for an afternoon treat. Indoor and outdoor seating available, good music and vibes.

Came to Almare after a late night dinner on a Sunday! I really like how they're open late on Sundays, especially when a lot of places tend to close a little early on Sundays. They offered a nice array of flavors. My partner and I shared and settled on their melon sorbet flavor. It was yummy and tasted of fresh melons! It did melt a little fast despite it not being hot out. But my partner and I enjoyed it lots! I definitely would like to try their Gelato flavors next time.

4.6/5: Pistachio gelato: A little too sweet. Flavor is a touch artificial. Tastes like it has 20% almond extract to keep costs down. It contains fine ground pistachios as a mix-in, which I dislike. 2.0/5: Chocolate gelato Tastes like stale cardboard. It has no depth or complexity. The gelato is piled high in the case, and likely loaded with stabilizers; it's very thick and stretchy.

Never knew I liked lemon sorbet so much until I tried Almare's! My boyfriend and I stopped by close to closing on a weekend, and the staff was kind enough to serve us the last of the lemon sorbet, even though it wasn't quite enough to fill a cup. If you love tart and refreshing, this one's for you. I paired it with cookies and cream, which is a more classic flavor, but surprisingly the combo worked well together. Overall, the gelato leans a bit sweet for my taste, but the unique and less common flavors make up for it. Definitely worth a visit if you're looking for a little sweet treat.

I've been walking past Almare for years upon emerging from the Downtown BART station. After dinner in Downtown Berkeley one evening, my friend insisted we stop for gelato and said that Almare was her favorite shop. The shop is tiny but has plenty of outdoor seating - right outside the BART station exit. When ordering, each person is allowed one sample. I decided to order a scoop of the pistachio, which was rich and loaded with pistachio (the way it ought to be). The mini size was just right for me, but the small scoop (next size up) lets you combine flavors. There were plenty of appealing flavors - from stracciatella to fig almond - and friendly, efficient servers. I'll have to stop by more often before my commute!

Great spot to get something sweet after stuffing my face at dinner! Almare is a cute little store with a couple of tables. The location is right by the Berkeley Bart station. On a Sunday night around 7:30 p.m., the place was pretty empty. To our disappointment, the freezer with its display of the flavors was pretty empty as well. We went ahead and sampled a flavor or two and settled with what was available. I chose a banana caramel gelato. This was delicious and creamy. Others in my party got matcha, dark chocolate and lemon. The matcha and chocolate flavors were amazing and rich. The lemon was good but got a little too tart after eating half of it. Will definitely return next time we're in the area. Hopefully they'll have more flavors to choose from.

Outstanding fresh gelato with multiple flavors to choose from. Some unique scoops including a fig blend which was quite scrumptious! Medium gets you two flavors to mix. Better pick your best guess as you only get one sample to try. Coffee and Italian jams available too with biscotti :). Small cozy place with seating inside and out. Efficient service.

This gelato spot has a unique selection of flavors to choose from and allows you to sample flavors as well. I went with the white chocolate & berries and toasted almond with caramelized fig flavor, and they were pretty good. you are able to do split flavors, and my only flaw is that they are very sweet. Also, since this spot is in downtown Berkeley, there is only street parking around the area but none immediately in front of the spot.

Omg. The gelato here is absolutely delicious, but I especially love the interior, which is very cozy and warm, especially at night. Almare takes you to a different world from Downtown Berkeley & is perfect for a quick dessert. I really appreciate the variety of flavors here & I want to keep coming back to try all of them! Banana Caramel (5/5): Soooo good with a perfect balance of Banana and caramel without being too sweet. Highly recommend!! Pistachio (4/5): Solid pistachio ice cream with crunchy bits of pistachio folded in. I really liked the subtlety of the flavor and the unique texture. Apple Pie (5/5): Not sure if this flavor is only seasonal for the fall time but it was soo good with hints of apple and spices. Toasted Almond & Fig (4/5): Honestly just kind of tasted like vanilla ice cream but it had a slight nutty flavor from the almonds which was really good Caramel (3/5): My boyfriend and I both thought the caramel flavor was too strong & a bit too sweet, overpowered the other flavors.

The flavor is good but gelato wasn't as rich and creamy as we are used to. Both staffs were very friendly.

This is our go to neighborhood gelato spot. Easy to get to, friendly staff and tidy shop. All good. Years ago nearby was another gelato spot. Long time gone- glad Almare is still here.

What a delicious sweet treat when you're hopping off BART at the Downtown Berkeley station!! Nicest folks too!

One of my favorite gelato/ice cream spots for the past 10 years. Had to put in another review since I just came back past Saturday! I love how the gelato actually tastes so much like the flavor, as in the coffee has such a strong coffee flavor! Lemon sorbet is so refreshing. Even for the kids scoop, you can choose two flavors. Price is good too, cheaper than a boba nearby, would totally pick this over a boba if I'm around the area. Staff are friendly each time I've come to visit!

Authentic Gelato made the old fashioned way, where quality is evident with each scoop of gelato. While visiting via Bart, it definitely is a spot to visit. You have a good selection to choose from, but know that only 1 sample is allowed. With a small cup you can have 2 flavors, I chose Espresso & Mint Chocolate Chip Espresso Gelato is like a sip of coffee with a creamy component. Like a black & white I added a vanilla mint chocolate chip to balance it out. It was deliciously divine! When in Berkeley or Pleasanton, Almare is a place to stop for a treat!

My partner and I were looking for some dessert after grabbing some ramen for dinner, and luckily we remembered we had passed by this place on the way to the ramen! When we walked in, there were some people seated indoors and outside, but no line to order. We walked right in and tried some samples before deciding on our flavors. The person working the register was very helpful and gave us suggestions on which flavors to pair together. I ended up ordering a small cup, which comes with at most 2 flavors. I got a scoop of pistachio and a scoop of dark chocolate. The pistachio was incredible! It was a little crunchy with bits of pistachio mixed in. It tasted nutty but not too powerful. Really, really good. The dark chocolate was also great. It was dark but not bitter. The flavors blended together perfectly. Almare is right next to the BART and walking distance from the UC Berkeley campus. It's also near lots of restaurants, if you're looking for some food options to accompany your gelato. Overall, I'm very happy to have tried this place and can't wait to go back and try more flavors!

Cute little gelato shop in the middle of downtown Berkeley. They have limited sitting but plenty of sitting outside. They also sell coffee and little snacks and spreads to take home. They have one sample taste rule which I thought was really odd. They have a lot of flavors so I wanted to taste a couple before deciding. I tried the pistachio flavor and it didn't really taste like pistachios. I ended up going with the Oreo Cookies, at first it tasted a bit too sweet for me but as I kept eating it, turned out to be decent.

I stopped by to get a small treat and ordered the orange ricotta, a kids scoop. It's pretty good, creamy, even though I'm normally rather hesitant around citrus dairy flavors. I also sampled the rose again while I was there, and would say the rose is still quite a good flavor as well.

Stumbled upon this place after having dinner nearby. We thought why not grab some dessert since we were already passing by. The staff was very friendly and were helpful with recommendations. The gelato was delicious and affordable. They had ample seating both inside and outside. I recommend checking them out if you're in the area and looking for a treat.

Was craving some gelato during the cold holidays & this is one of the few places that closes later during the holidays in the area. I got a scoop each of dark chocolate & peppermint just to satisfy the holiday mood & it hit the spot!

I ordered the pistachio ice cream and a bit salty. I did not mind it though kind of reminded me of the balance in salted caramel. I was expecting like a pistachio paste kind of gelato but this was good but not as good as the pistachio paste kind. Service was fine and ambiance was relatively quaint.

Everything I try from here is good. I love the wide variety of flavors that are always changing so that you get to try something new as the seasons change. My top three flavors are Pistachio, Lemon and Pumpkin Pie. You can tell that these are made in house. There's a certain care that is obvious in the gelato and I'm glad I found something a delicious as this so close to home. I also love how accommodating the staff always are in terms of questions, food restrictions, or recommendations. A cute like space to hang out in and enjoy some delicious dessert.

Almare is a small gelato shop in the middle of downtown Berkeley. We came here on a Saturday night and there was a small line to the door. There's minimal seating indoors but there is a good amount of outdoor seating that's shared. We were only offered one sample. So it was a bit hard to make decisions. I got the tiramisu & pistachio. The tiramisu was so flavorful and strong & the pistachio was really muted in comparison so after switching between the two flavors, it was hard to taste the pistachio. Parking: Would be a bit difficult. It would be metered street parking or a paid parking garage but would definitely have to walk a bit.

I could have sworn I'd done a review for Almare Gelato Italiano because I remembered them very fondly and when we were in the area this last weekend, we stopped in. The service itself was friendly and prompt and you're allowed a single taste. After checking out their Pistachio (which I didn't care for) I decided on the Whiskey and Coffee flavors - and they were amazing! The Whiskey flavor reminded me very heavily of Aubi & Ramsa's alcoholic ice cream in Florida (which is one of my favorites) and the Coffee flavor was absolutely delicious. But even more so? The mix of the two was really fantastic. All in all, the ice cream was decadent and we will definitely be back when we're in the area!

Their pistachio gelato is so good!! I used to come here all the time when I lived in Berkeley. I picked some up again on my recent visit and it did not disappoint.

Incredible gelato!! Came here for dessert after grabbing dinner with friends. It's a cute little spot but got pretty packed while we were there because there isn't much seating. There are tables outside where you can enjoy the gelato if weather permits. The server let us sample a few flavors and I ended up getting a kids size with panna cotta and dark chocolate sorbet. Both flavors were delicious but the dark chocolate sorbet was absolutely incredible. The flavor was so rich and creamy-I had a hard time believing it was sorbet. And an even greater compliment: my friend, who had just gotten back from Italy, said that Almare is better than gelato in Italy!

I visited Almare Gelato Italiano on Friday, 2/9/24, around 6 PM. I was able to sample of variety of gelato flavors such as Passion Fruit Sorbet, Tiramisu, and Stracciatella. All of the flavors were tasty. However, I decided to opt for the medium-sized Stracciatella (Italian Chocolate Chip Gelato). I truly favored the Stracciatella the most and enjoyed it from start to finish. It was beyond delicious. I also liked how this business offered probiotic-packed frozen yogurt cups for dogs. There were a lot of baked goods, spreads, marmalades, etc. displayed for sale. Hot drinks were even served, especially on cold days. Overall, Almare Gelato Italiano serves amazing gelato! I highly recommend coming here.

Gelato is really smooth. Tastes like authentic gelato! Salted caramel: heavy on the salt which I like! Ube: could have been more ube-y Good and fast service! Small quirky shop with friendly vibes and good music.

I've been coming here with my friends religiously since 2019 specifically for the Rose gelato. In fact we liked it so much we would call the store to ask if they had the Rose in stock sometimes before going in. It has such a perfect light, floral flavor, not to mention the beautiful light pink color of the gelato. Since graduating from Cal, my friends and I still frequent Almare when we catch up with each other. Highly recommend the rose gelato here- you won't regret it!

I'm an African American woman. I went into Almare Gelation. A tall Asian guy was behind the counter. He ignored me. And I told him I like to buy ice cream. He said to me I don't like serving black people. I don't recommend people spending their money at places that's racist.

After a late night dinner, my husband and I were in the mood for something sweet. We saw Amare was open till midnight, so we quickly swung by! It was a Saturday at 9:45pm, and the flavors were starting to run out. The line was out the door, and kept growing even while we were in line. You could only do 1 sample, which I think is a great way to combat the long line. What we ordered: - My husband's small cup: Dark Chocolate / Stracciatella - My small cup: Toasted Almond and Caramelized Figs / Pistachio I LOVED my flavor combo. Not too sweet, and doesn't taste artificial whatsoever. Highly recommend!

I think could be one of best gelatos ... tried different flavors over past 3 days.. Tiramisu, Pistachio, Rose, stracciatella , some almond fig version. All were good. Good friendly staff

To-go pint of Blueberry Gelato partially eaten, but notice the gaping hole and the clean bottom of the cup that is visible. Unacceptable. This is a repeat offense. Please take your time in filling the pints. I pay for a full pint. Thank you.

Ciao to the gelato! This is probably by far one of the best gelato spots in Berkeley -- which was a hustle and bustle area despite the space. A plus is also that they're open until 11 at night, which boasts a late night snack. They're also conveniently located from the Downtown Berkeley BART Station, which is great for a last minute snack if you're going to travel via public transit. Me and my partner got the pistachio ice cream, which with the medium cup, was only $7. I admired how creamy the pistachio was, including the texture and how soft it tasted too. Service was okay. There was a little line after we entered, so we felt rushed and made it through as quickly as possible. As far as the atmosphere went, it wasn't too bad, although I would be more aware of the surroundings.

I only had the passion fruit yogurt gelato but honestly that's all I need/want. 10/10, tasted like the yogurt bianco gelato I had in Rome that I was obsessed with, with the added bonus of passion fruit and a cake cone. It's a tiny place with a solid selection of flavors, and some classic Italian jarred goods (marmalade, chocolate spread, etc) for sale. Can't wait to come back.

This is my favorite gelato place in Berkeley so far! Their gelato has a nice creamy, but smooth texture to it, and they make everything fresh each morning. Recently, I had an amazing strawberry gelato--you could taste the ripe, fresh strawberries in it so clearly and it was delicious, much more than artificially flavored could be. I also really enjoy their affogatos. Other flavors I enjoy include: Italian chocolate chip, mango, rose, ... Service is fast and nice. Would recommend!

Wish we had this in the peninsula! It's a cute, hole-in-the-wall establishment. We were able to choose two flavors for a small cup. I ordered vanilla and pistachio. I'd get pistachio again and try a new flavor next time. Their banana caramel was really good too, though a bit too sweet. My sister ordered rocky road and cookies and cream, and she loved both flavors! If you're in the area and craving something sweet, I would recommend it!

Yum!!! Almare Gelato is well known in the area, but this was the first time I actually got around to trying it. It's a small shop, but the inside is very welcoming and cozy, with plenty of outdoor seating in addition to some seats inside. I love the mix of classic and unique flavors - I got toasted almond and fig, which was really good! The almond flavor came through more than the fig - it also very very slightly bordered on the sickly sweet taste of almond extract, but it was subtle enough that I could still enjoy the entire cone without feeling sick after, unlike some ice cream/gelato I've had in the past! Next time, I'd definitely go for one of the other flavors - they all looked amazing. Service was very friendly - definitely give this place a try if you're in the area and looking for something sweet :)

We have been to Italy where the gelato is superb. It was just super to find such nice gelato at Almare gelato Italiano. It's a must place to visit when in Berkeley

I got the large so I could get 3 different flavors, plus to make the $5 CC purchase minimum. Banana Caramel Crunch Smooth banana gelato. A perfect amount of crunch bits and the caramel all blended well. Lavender Blueberry This is fire!! Perfect amount of lavender, strong presence with a smooth lavender tea aftertaste. This by far was the star of the show! Toasted almond with caramelized Fig The bold toasted almond hits you and is balanced out with the sweetness of the fig on the back end. Yes actual pieces of fig are in it too. This one is fire as well. The gelatos are so smooth, creamy, flavorful, with natural ingredients and they make the flavors daily. The flavor combinations here are a palette pleaser, teasing you with every bite! I met the owner, who is actually Italian, makes this place even better. So yeah, check them out! #ThisFeedsMySoul

Probably one of my favorite ice cream places I've visited! First off, I really liked how there were so many unique flavors (ex. rose, ube). I sampled a few, and they all tasted wonderful--super high quality ingredients, not much artificial flavor. I got a small scoop with pistachio + ube (also love that you can get 2 flavors, great for indecisiveness haha). The ube was great; you could definitely taste the root. The pistachio was also amazing; very creamy with a few nuts sprinkled in. It wasn't too sweet. 10/10 would recommend!

I love coming to this shop. It is one of a couple gelato shops that remain in Berkeley, more so it is one of the best quality gelatos around. The flavor selections are unique, flavorful and true to their name. The ingredients are natural, fresh and made daily. Options are cup or cone, prices are reasonable and there is a flavor for everyone big or small, basic to unique. My toddler enjoys this shop and will make it a point to steer our course in Almare's direction. The staff is always friendly and extremely patient while my little one decides what flavor she would like to try today. They are accommodating with sample requests and clean the spatula between each flavored served...extremely important! The store is quaint and quite small inside, there is no indoor eating unless you count the bar space directly by the entrance. You may be able to fit 3-4 people max depending on the size. There is outdoor seating on the courtyard of Berkeley. Almare is directly in front of Downtown Berkeley Bart, across from Wells Fargo and Target. There are plenty places to grab a bite before you head over or simply head over and make that your bite. Enjoy!

This place has the best gelato in Berkeley, and quite frankly the Bay Area! I have been enjoying this ice cream since I was a Cal student. My go-to is their hazelnut, but recently fell in love with their rose gelato, and I'm not even a fan of rose flavors- but they do such a great job in balancing strong flavors and making a delicious product! The rose gelato is not a sorbet, which is also why I love it, as I prefer the regular gelato over the sorbet flavors. I also discovered my new favorite flavor of theirs, caramelized banana! After having a not so great dinner, we dropped in and ordered this flavor based on a little taste. I am so glad I tried something new from my normal hazelnut (they were also out of rose)! Highly highly recommend you come and try their caramelized banana gelato - it's so delicious and it's authentic gelato. I can't wait to come back!

The workers there were very nice. The place is small and quaint. We could only try one flavor, but they were all delicious and unique. The sorbets are egg free, and I particularly liked the fig and mint. I got the Blueberry Lavender flavor with the Salted Caramel, and they tasted absolutely delicious together. The caramel is VERY salty and should be paired with something sweeter to balance it out.

The gelato was so smooth and so good! I am lactose intolerance but these gelato didn't brother my tummy at all! I was really happy to be able to enjoy my gelato without having stomach issue afterward. Tried the rose and caramel flavor and both were delicious! Will definitely come back next time we are in Berkeley again.

Almare is a cute spot in Downtown Berkeley that makes fresh, amazing gelato. All of their flavors are creamy, delicious, and begs for you to take another bite! I always find myself stopping by after my BART ride to Berkeley, as it is conveniently located in front of BART! My go-to flavors are their Ube and Banana Caramel Crunch. The Banana Caramel Crunch has a very strong banana flavor, and has crunchy bits that adds another textural component. Definitely come and give this place a try, and I promise you won't be disappointed! Tip: They have a $5 minimum for credit cards! Their small cup is $4.99, so bring cash or friends!

Alamare's has the best gelato I've ever had!! I got their pistachio and baklava (after taking forever to choose, of course) and it was very creamy but not too sweet. I normally can't finish a cup of ice cream especially after dinner, but the gelato was just amazing. Pistachio had real pistachio bits in it and it just hit the spot. I'm not too sure why baklava was purple, but it tasted a bit like saffron, and I was so excited to find baklava chunks!!! Come here for the perfect mid day ice cream or post dinner dessert! I'll definitely be back to try more flavors!!

I came around 8:30pm and parking was super hard with the shop being located next to a bart station and a major street. There is limited indoor and outdoor seating because it is a small store. There was a short line but wait was like 5min. No samples offered at the moment and some flavors were already out for the day. Cash only if purchase is less than $5. Small $5 - 2 flavors 10/10 Stracciatella - super smooth and creamy gelato! This is their best seller and it's milk ice cream with shredded chocolate. Melts really quick so do not save it. 6/10 Chocolate Hazelnut - tasted a bit weird to me so I didn't really like it. Not sure how to describe it but different from what I expected.

My favorite gelato place in Berkeley, if not ever! This place has the cutest interior, with a few tables to enjoy your gelato indoors if you'd like. Some of the flavors are seasonal and change a couple of times a year, which is fun if you only visit every once in a while, like me. The best flavors I've had here are rose (which is super popular, and they bring back frequently) and green tea. This time, my friend and I tried the toasted almond and fig. It had a ton of delicious fresh figs in it, and my friend thought it was great but I found it to be too sweet (3.5/5). I tried the passionfruit yogurt, which I really enjoyed because it was super fragrant and a little more tart. It was still a little too sweet, but it honestly reminded me a lot of the gelato I enjoyed while visiting Italy, so I was really impressed (4.5/5). As you can tell from the images, the servings here are also super generous and the pricing is reasonable. My friend and I both ordered minis, but I feel that the serving we got could have been a medium at a lot of other gelato/ice cream places.

I love this place. It's my go-to spot for gelato since it's central and the flavors are always good. It's located right in the heart of Berkeley at the Downtown Berkeley BART plaza, so it's very easy to get to. The inside of the shop is cozy and cutely decorated, with things like Italian soda, biscuits, and chocolates for sale aside from the gelato. There's a small place to sit in the front as well as outdoor seating. My favorite flavors are the Banana Caramel Crunch and the Toasted Almond and Caramelized Figs! My old favorite was the hazelnut but they told me that they could no longer offer it because of the cost of ingredients, which is completely understandable. I also like the ube and rose flavors too. Please give this place a try if you're looking for gelato! I love it so much and it's been one of my go-to places since I started at Berkeley a few years ago :)