Paciugo Gelato

Great gelato, but get it to go. The cleaning chemicals they use are noxious.

I’ve never been one to analyze the finer points of gelato, but Paciugo has treated me a-​ok on the three times I’ve been here. Low on the 2^nd Street d-​bag quotient for those of you who keep track…

This is the best gelato I’ve ever had state-​side. I’ve been to Italy several times, and this is perhaps better gelato than I had in some of the touristy spots over there.
I love their unusual flavors like Caramel-​Sea Salt and Black Pepper, and the texture is really creamy.

After returning from Italy, I was craving some good gelato. I had been here before, and hadn’t been impressed, but I thought I’d give it another chance. Immediately upon entering, I was blasted with the smell of chemical cleaners. It was not appetizing. But I guess the place was clean.
As for the gelato itself, I was disappointed. I always get pistachio, no matter where I go, and the one here is mediocre. Sort of creamy, sort of nutty, nothing memorable. But the frutti di bosco was just bad. The gelato had been kept too cold, so it had to be chipped at. I literally had chunks of gelato. I expect my gelato to be smooth, and this was the exact opposite.
Maybe they were having an off day. They were training a new girl. But I’m going to stick with Teo’s. It is far, far superior.

This was well worth the 3 mile walk in the 113 degree blast furnace that is downtown Austin.
The gelato flavors are really interesting here. I tried a few and ended up with a medio, which is a medium size cup that holds up to four flavors. My four flavors were monkey business (made with real monkey! just kidding, it’s banana), black cherry swirl, peanut butter choco swirl, and frutti di bosco which is like red currant or something. The gelato is pretty cheap at $ 4.75 for the medio.
The actual gelato was not very sweet or smooth like I’m used to, but it was cold. In Hell and/​or Austin, that’s all that matters.

Just what Austin needs… another place whose name you can’t pronounce or remember.
But all negativity aside, their gelato is damn good. I’ve been a long-​time fan of Teo, but Pa… wait what was it called again… might be better. They have so many delicious choices it was hard to decide.
Luckily, we had plenty of time for that though since there was only one person working and we waited in line foreveeer. Oh crap there I go again. Well I might as well also add that the place reeked of bleach or some kind of cleaner. Not exactly appetizing.
But overall, really, I liked it!

One of my close friends suggested that we go here instead of Whole Foods (currently my favorite gelato place) for gelato and I was not at all disappointed.
This is a cute little joint at the intersection of 2^nd street and Lavaca. They have seating both inside and outside. They have atleast 15 – 20 flavors of gelato, which is the most I’ve seen at a gelato shop In Austin. More importantly, they had atleast 4 flavors of chocolate and that sealed the deal for me.
There was only one person at the counter taking orders and doing the billing and thus it was a pretty long wait (close to 15mins) before we could place our order. I was getting pretty impatient… the thought of standing a few feet away from all that delicious gelato and having to long before I could sample a spoon was killing me.
We ordered their Affogato al Caffe…3 scoops of gelato served in a cup of warm espresso and topped with whipped cream. LOVED IT!!! We got a scoop each of double dark chocolate, hazelnut mocha swirl and nut symphony. All of them tasted pretty good by themselves and the bitter espresso simply enhanced the flavors. I would definitely recommend this instead of getting just the regular gelato. My friend ordered a gelato shake (3 scoops of gelato blended with milk) and that tasted great as well.
I’ll definitely be going back here often. Affogato al Caffe — you’ve won me over.

I do not do dairy, so I was thrilled to be chilled by their fresh fruit sorbets, and coffee soylatto. Yum. My mum went for some real-​deal pistachio and mocha, and loved every minute of it.
The other fun bit about this place is seeing the fantastic display in their frost case. Every flavour is mounded high and decorated beautifully –I even asked if I could take a picture! Food should be art.
So, I enjoyed walking here a couple of times during my Austin adventure. Trust me, walking is the way to go: you earn the calories and there is NO place to park on this hot street in town. The good thing is that the eateries across the way often have live music, so you an sit out on the promenade and enjoy your gelato and a San Pellegrino whilst getting the show for free. –All for around $ 5 USD for a two-​scoop portion. Steal.

I had a wonderful experience here. I got a small cup and they packed that baby full with 3 flavors I picked out. Make sure to get some napkins! It was night time so we went outside and sat in the seating right out the doors. That 2^nd street is nice at night with the lights in the trees — (maybe a good ending to a date bros) and there was even a saxophone player who popped up on the corner playing some nice music we enjoyed. It was pretty perfect. I hope to be back to try more flavors.

Can’t think of a better way to escape the 150 degree heat on a warm summer day in Austin than some gelato! On such a hot day in Chicago the line for a place like this would be out the door so I was surprised when we were able to walk right up to the counter.
Paciugo’s gelato selection was VERY impressive… the hardest part was choosing among the yummy tasting flavors and you get to choose 3 flavors for a small cup! I decided to do my waistline a favor and order 2 non-​fat flavors (chocolate and coffee) and compliment it with 1 fattening flavor (who can resist turtle cheesecake?). The flavors worked well together and while 3 fattening flavors may have tasted better I didn’t feel as guilty for indulging.

It has been in the triple digits 42 days this summer and I am constantly looking forward to a frozen treat to cool me off. Paciuga Gelato has enough flavors to keep me cooled off every day of the summer and then some…
On many occasions they have let me taste so many flavors I have no need to purchase but I always do out of feeling guilty for tasting so much for free.
My favorite is the French Vanilla Bean plain and simple.
For those watching their calories they offer some No Sugar options — I tasted the Cappuccino and Banana and both were very good just not as satisfying as the regular.

Best. Gelato. EVAH!
They have a *ton* of flavors and will let you try every single one, if you like. But I’ve never had a flavor I *didn’t* like. The employees are helpful and friendly and don’t skimp in any way, shape or form on portions. I always ask for a small small. And its *still* more gelato than I can eat in one setting; its just so rich.
My favorite would probably be the Cracked Black Pepper and Olive Oil. It sounds weird, I know, but trust me, its amazing. The Sea Salt Caramel is my close second choice.
They do gelato cakes, coffee drinks, shake-​type drinks, and take-​home containers. Its just amazing how amazingly good it is.

If it weren’t a billiondy degrees outside I would have thought I was still in Italia and strolling into a Florentine Gelateria. Alas, Italy was really 2^nd street and that gelateria was actually Paciugo, one of the best stops that Austin’s own «little Dallas» has to offer.
Walking in I immediately recognized the quirky sounds of Italian Pop playing in the background. Bopping my head as I made my way to the counter I stopped a few steps away to take in the view. The crystalline glass case protected the shop’s treasures: beautiful mounds of gelato and sorbetto looking like fluffy little clouds bursting with color. They’d all been given Italian names, a nice touch I thought.
I sampled many flavors, which they’re totally cool with. The Papaya wasn’t as good as what I’d had in Italy, but this is Texas, y’all! I ordered a piccolo (small) cup with three flavors. I wasn’t sure how they were gonna get my Amarena (cherry), Pistacchio, and Ciocolatte (chocolate) all into one cup. But they did, and it was enough for me to enjoy several bites of each flavor.
So, instead of spending all that money on a transatlantic flight, go to Paciugo I say, and have a little taste of Italy right here at home.

Paciugo– God Bless You! Oh wait, that wasn’t a sneeze? What’s that you say? The most delicious Gelato in the US (Sorry, it’s still better in Italy, but that’s understandable)? Oh yes, yes, that’s right!
My first experience was in Dallas, and I have been hooked ever since. I think it’s been at LEAST 5 years. In which case, judging by the amount of money I have spent on gelato in that time, I could have probably opened my own… but that would be trouble, because I JUST LOVE IT SO MUCH!
My fave flavors? Rose and Violet– who thought flowers would taste so good! And the pistachio and coconut? And let’s not forget about Tiramusu (oh I love you!) and mango… I could go on and on, but I’ve already said too much… so I’ll end with this: Long Live Paciugo Gelato!

My friend brought me here because we couldn’t make it to the Free Cone Day at Ben & Jerry’s. And my disappointment disappeared immediately when I saw all the tasty flavors they offered! The vanilla lavender was a pleasant surprise– it could be intimidating because it’s purple! But the fragrant sweetness was really special! Make sure you at least ask for a sample when you visit! The chocolate jalapeño was so rich that it was to die for! The mild spiciness of jalapeño balanced the sweetness of chocolate really well. And the tiramisu had a strong hint of marsala wine, which actually worked out well with the creamy mascarpone.
They also have many sorbet flavors. I got to try my friend’s combination: pineapple. coconut, and italian wedding cake. They all tasted amazing!
The girl working there was really nice and gave us genuine advice on the flavors (avoid sweet potato sorbet!) and we felt comfortable and welcomed even though we were the only customers and it was almost closing time. It would be even cooler if she agreed to let us move the tables and chairs aside so that my friend and I could use it as a dance floor. Were we asking too much? We even offered her free ballroom lessons! :P
All in all, by far this is my favorite place for gelato in town. It has a nice atmosphere and amazing flavors. Last note: please be warned that I’m known for my sweet tooth. And according to people around me, I have a higher tolerance for sweetness.

I have a really big sweet tooth, so when I was dragged into this place by my friends I almost immediately caved into my cravings. The display case was full of gem-​toned gelatos (and a few sorbets). I tried the black pepper and olive oil gelato, which sounds gross but is actually very good, but settled on the dulce de leche, which was silky smooth and a perfect sugar fix.
If I had all day and calories didn’t matter, I would sit around and try all of their flavors. But I don’t and they do, so I’ll just have to spread my visits out.

Holy crap! Paciugo has THE best gelato and sorbet I’ve ever had in the states. Tons of flavors to choose from, and I’ve never had one I didn’t like. My favorite are the fruity flavors (lemon, wildberry, anyberry!). I also love the mint gelato… mmmmmmmmm! I wish they were open right now.

Best gelato I’ve had since I left Italy.

Yum. Simply. Yum.
On a hot day, walking around the warehouse district, checking things out and sweating like mad, this nice little air-​conditioned ice-​serving place really hit the spot.
Sure, there is Amy’s Ice Cream for your pure-​surgar needs (and delicious at that!), but gelato has its place too. Consider them separate food groups.
I got the soy chocolate. Amazingly delicious. It’s easier to get dark-​chocolate flavor out of soy than milk. I also got a scoop of green-​tea matcha gelato. Yum.

I stumbled on this place as a friend and I were walking home from dinner at Leaf. (A great restaurant that you should check out). It’s right across the street from Jo’s and Girl next Door in the 2^nd street district. Always on the lookout for new ways to satisfy my sweet tooth, we decided to give it a try, and boy am I glad we did.
Ok, so maybe it’s hard to mess up gelato. But this was delicious. My friend and I each had the medium cone which gives you the choice of up to four flavors. You can also get it in a cup. The choices are overwhelming, but they’ll let you taste and taste to your heart’s content, which is exactly what I did. I tried the Pepper and Olive Oil flavor, which sounds ridiculously weird but was actually so delicious it ended up in my cone, and well as the Monkey Business (Bananas and chocolate), Chocolate Chip, and Strawberries and Chocolate. My friend had the chocolate chip, three vanilla, and a chocolate fudge with M&Ms.
The gelato did the unthinkable: I managed to be rich and flavorful without seeming heavy. How this is possible I do not know. (I also appreciate the signs that informed me of how much healthier gelato is that typical ice cream. It really took away the guilt of eating a huge cone.)
It’s a little on the pricey side, two medium cones were $ 10.00, but worth it for the occasional treat. Plop down at the tables outside to do some people watching, or take it to go while you meander downtown. A nice addition to the 2^nd street district.