Steven T.
Yelp
SweetCup has some monster hype behind it and it's probably the 4th gelato establishment in HTX that I've visited. The place definitely deserves some love for advertising vegan and dairy free options (However, I'd also imagine most sorbets to be dairy free anyway).
No quarrels about service. Just like most other Gelato shops, you stand in line, sample roughly about 5 or 6 flavors while feeling the pressure of glaring eyes silently begging you to hurry the h*ll up so that they can so the same thing to the folks behind them. When the line gets busy, a 2nd attendant will step up and also help folks sample. Great teamwork and service.
But how did I feel about the Gelato? I HAVE to get the pistachio--rain, sleet, or snow. It's a staple for me. Even through the sample, pistachio outshines them all. Why is this green nut so freakin' delicious, and even more perplexing--why is it even green to begin with? Don't skip trying it. I usually pair it with something strong with cocoa--like tiramisu. Gods bless the creator.
So why the three stars? Well, I have to be honest. I've had "better" Gelato elsewhere in HTX. I've seen shops with a wider selection, though there is some charm in spinning your own flavors. Now everyone's palette is subjective. Some find this Gelato to be "close" to the real thing in Milano. For me, the further it is from ice cream, the more I appreciate it.
Gelato needs to be noticeably more dense than ice cream. The flavors need to punch through--like, smack-me-across-my-face-oh-my-god-yum?, and I just wasn't getting that intensity I'm used to when I eat Gelato. At least that night at SweetCup, it was very ice creamy (too airy or buttery, not so intense in flavor). The shop was also kinda warm so the Gelato was already melting by the time I found a seat and came back from washing my hands.
Will I come back? Of course..! Just honestly, probably not ever by myself.