Gelateria del Duomo

This was the best Gelato in the Tampa Bay area and it closed for good this week.
Thank you International mall for racking up their rent! I had been going there for over 5 years.
Now thanks to that bullshit monstrosity of furniture gallery they opened there the mom & pop gelato place had to close.
International plaza are just Bloody idiots!!!

Gelateria del Duomo Italian Dessert Shop is located in the open restaurant area of the International Plaza Mall to the right of the Earl of Sandwich and the Escalators off Westshore Blvd and Spruce Street. Duomo Gelato is a one of a kind ice cream shop because they use all natural ingredients imported from Italy, and create every artisanal batch by hand every day to ensure freshness. Gelateria del Duomo serves 21 light fruit sorbet flavors and even the following Liquor Sorbets: Dark Beer, Light Beer, Cabernet Red Wine, Lambrusco Red Wine, Mixed Berries Cabernet, and Prosecco White Wine. I sampled their Mango Peach, Banana, Caramel & Walnuts, and Biscottino but ultimately decided on the chocolate brownie bacio, which was my favorite of the bunch. Gelateria del Duomo had some unique Italian flavors I’ve never even had before like: Fior di Latte, Gianduia, Mascarpone, Biscottino, Panna Cotta, Vanilla Bourbon, Zabaione, Green Tea, and Whiskey Cream which really had me impressed. Staff was friendly and cordial. The ice cream shop also serves a large variety of cakes: Torta Limone, Fruit Fantasy Cake, Lemon Mousse, Amaretto Cake, Tiramisu Long with Ladyfingers, Dark Profiterole, White Profiterole, Toscanella, Grandmother Cake, Napoleon Cake, TiramiChoc, TiramiCaramel, TiramiFruit, New York Cheesecake, Raspberry Cheesecake, Keylime Cheesecake, Cappuccino Cake, Apple Cake, Tiramisu Round, Black Forest, and Chocolate Mousse. When we entered the store, there was only 1 person ahead of me so we got attended to pretty quickly. There is plenty of parking available in the International Plaza Mall’s parking lot. Gelateria del Duomo is a tiny shop with no indoor seating and a couple stools outdoors. You’re better off taking your ice cream to go. Prices are a bit higher than average but this ice cream is the real deal! Well, at least for ice cream in the United States! :)

Their gelato is the best — it taste like the ones you would have in Italy or even better. They’ve been in that location for many years now and I heard they supply their products to many hotels and restaurants in the area. We also like going there to have machiattos and sit outside after eating at the mall to enjoy a cup of coffee. They also have tarts and pies that look really good but I’ve never tried it. If you enjoy gelato, you have to try this place.

What can you say about gelato that isn’t awesome, mind-​blowing, magnificent & breathtaking? Then, this place adds in profiteroles. OMG. Seriously. O. M. G. They come in dark chocolate filled with white chocolate, or white chocolate filled with dark chocolate. Trust me, it doesn’t matter. If you love chocolate — DO IT!!!
Now, I have to say, we had a problem with ours the last time I was in there. It actually had mold on it. Made the term ‘left a bad taste in my mouth’ work in more than one way… but, they were very kind about it and explained that they order the trays and just open them and put them in the cooler case. It would have been impossible for them to see because it was on the pastry underneath all that yummy chocolate — layers and layers of chocolate! It has not deterred me from the profiteroles OR this place at all. Mistakes happen everywhere and how you deal with it is what matters. The girl behind the counter was embarrassed, kind, apologetic, etc. She gave us our $ back. Maybe could’ve offered us some free gelato (if nothing else, to get the moldy taste out of our mouths!), but things like that take training — so, that’s fine.
I am still saying — you should really go here and try the gelato and profiteroles — just look under the hood first! ;-)

YUM. Like really yum, like you’re almost at Italy’s level of Gelato yum.
I am a huge (HUGE) ice-​cream buff, and it is so rare to find gelato as authentic as that overseas. However, I was so pleasantly surprised by Gelateria del Duomo! The flavors are incredibly true to taste – they’re smooth, creamy (without being too heavy), the taste is bold and natural. just an overall delicious treat.
I ordered the small portion of nutella and fruit of the forest. The decadent chocolate combined with the mixed berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries) not only deliciously paired, but also provided a sweet and almost slightly tart mix. Definitely try this spot out!

I first started coming here over 10 years ago when I worked in one of the office buildings by International Plaza. It’s been able to survive for so long because it’s the best gelato in the Tampa area (including Paciugo). My most recent visit was Sunday afternoon after walking around the mall.
After trying about 4 – 5 samples, I decided on getting bacio (chocolate hazelnut), pistacchio and mango. With a medium size you get 3 scoops for $ 5+. More than enough for one person (should’ve just got a small). First let me tell you that the sample I had of the lemon sorbet was probably the strongest flavor but not sour like I expected. It was really, really, really good. But I went with mango, which had a lighter flavor but it was equally as awesome and I thought would pair better with the bacio and pistacchio. To my surprise, I enjoyed the mango the most. The other flavors were great and may have been my favorites on another day but the star of the show that Sunday afternoon was Mango. So I recommend the lemon and mango sorbets, especially if you are lactose-​intolerant. Bonus: gelato has less fat, calories and carbs than ice cream if that’s something that’s important to you.
The texture of all of the flavors were incredible. Very smooth and creamy. You should be able to tell by looking at gelato whether or not it has the right consistency. Gelato should be served at a warmer temperature than ice cream. So you can tell at Gelateria del Duomo that they do it right because it doesn’t look like ice cream. It has a looser texture and is denser.
The employees were nice and the place is clean. There are bar stools in the inside and outdoor tables on the outside so you can people watching on Bay Street.
Tip: If you want a coffee, avoid going to the Starbucks in the mall, where there is always a line of 10+ people and get coffee here instead. The prices are better too.

This is the place I would go to if I am craving for a gelato in Tampa. I always get the Bacio flavor! I LOVE the chocolate hazelnut taste. The other gelato flavors they offer are also delicious. Great place to satisfy your sweet tooth while shopping at the International Mall.

I am baffled how somebody could give this place a bad review, it was absolutely fantastic. I just got done eating a big old bowl of ice cream and am out here just basking in their complete amazingness. I’ve had ice creams all across the country, and one thing I’ve learned is it’s tough to screw it up. This place is a good job and had some pretty awesome flavors!

I didn’t even know this place existed, and then I had to kill some time before picking up a friend at the airport. Much to my chagrin, I decided to pop in and try their fare. The lady behind the counter offered me a couple of samples of the flavours and I settled on the Café and the rich Chocolate. Dear God! they were so good! Rich and creamy on the tongue with so much depth and flavour!
I also ordered an espresso, which was drawn perfectly. I will be back!

It’s ok. The best is in St. Pete! But the staff is nice, location is in the international Mall.

I wanted to like this place, but ultimately I was underwhelmed. I give them credit for using fresh products, so when they run out, they are out. But from a taste standpoint it was more like regular American ice cream and definitely colder than what one would expect for Italian gelato.
The store itself lacks meaningful indoor space, so if you plan to stroll around or sit outside it will work out just fine.

Amazing gelato at slightly steep prices. The woman behind the counter was very friendly, making recommendations and allowing us as many samples as we wanted. I got a caramel crunch and some kind of biscotti flavor… both were so delicious.
The place is tiny and there is no inside seating… which meant that I had to eat my gelato outside as fast as possible so it didn’t melt. If there was a good place to park inside, I’d give it five stars. No negatives for the frosty treats. Just delicious gelato!

After multiple stops at the Gelateria del Duomo in International Plaza I have decided that this is one of my least favorite gelato spots in Tampa.
This small gelato shop carries about 20 different flavors of milk-​based and fruit-​based flavored gelatos. I’ve sampled many of the flavors here and all of the gelato at Gelateria del Duomo has a funny aftertaste in my opinion. My belief is that this gelato shop is either storing their gelato at a colder temperature than recommended or they are using artificial fruit flavoring in their fruit-​based gelatos.
Personally I think the gelato is better at Datz Dough and Le Macaroon.

And then there was this place…*sighs*
My fellow Unilocalers have been raving about the must-​try gelato flavors at Gelateria del Duomo in the Bay Street section of International Plaza. This small shop is located directly opposite the escalators carrying you down into the underground parking garage. It’s tucked around the corner, next to the Earl of Sandwich, and behind the outdoor market stalls. There’s no seating inside, so you either sit at one of their covered tables on the patio, or you wander around Bay Street with your cup of gelato.
At first glance, the store is reminiscent of a European gelato shop, with lots of flavors hidden behind the glass, and a very nice lady offering you some samples and guiding you through your choices. The shop is small and clean, and there are lots of delightful-​looking semi-​frozen treats eagerly awaiting their chance to grace your palate.
I dragged out my trusty Culinary Institute of America reference books when I got home, to be sure that I correctly explained the differences between American ice cream and Italian gelato. Ice cream legally has a minimum of 10 percent fat, whereas gelato is made with a greater proportion of whole milk to cream, so it contains more like five to seven percent fat. Since there’s not as much fat in gelato, it doesn’t coat the mouth in the same way. So the flavors are more intense.
Gelato is churned at a slower speed than ice cream, so it’s denser because not as much air is whipped into the mixture. (Gelato contains about 25 to 30 percent air, while ice cream can contain as much as 50 percent air). Finally, while ice cream is typically served frozen, gelato is typically stored and served at a slightly warmer temperature, so it’s not quite completely frozen.
OK, so that’s the textbook definition, but how did it taste, you might be asking? Well, to be honest, it did not live up to my expectations. I was planning on an intense burst of flavor and a creamy «mouth-​feel» (sorry, culinary term).
Perhaps it was the flavor that I ordered (Cherrymania), perhaps it was the warm humid day, perhaps the stars did not align in the night sky… whatever? I wasn’t happy with the taste, and I dumped the single serving cup after a few bites. The gelato left a nasty metallic after-​taste (coppery) in my mouth for hours afterwards, and that cannot be good.
Despite the fact that I like gelato, I won’t be back to this store, but I do hope that you have a more pleasant experience.

The amaretto and tiramisu were hit and miss with the family, half thought it didn’t taste natural, all I had was a small spoon, so for me it was tasty. Our favorites are pistachio or hazelnut and we love that they have a frequent customer card.

This place is kind of tucked away. I’ve walked past it so many times, but I decided to try it yesterday. It had so many flavors, and many of them were unique flavors you wouldn’t find at another ice cream shop.
This is real gelato. I got the salted caramel flavor, which can be really good or a huge disappointment. It was absolutely delicious. I got a small, and i’m glad I did. The woman behind the counter piled the gelato on top. Not bad for just short of five bucks.
I love this little place. I will definitely be going back next time i’m at international plaza.

I don’t mind driving to International Plaza for some of this gelato. No other gelato shop I’ve been to has had such a large variety of flavors that actually HAVE flavor. What a concept!
Those flavors run the gamut from tart and fruity to dark and chocolaty, with a variety of ways to eat them. I went for the three scoop sundae, which is usually pretty pricey, but I had a Living Social deal and wanted to splurge. My three flavor choices were tiramisu, amaretto, and salted caramel. All three were equally divine, but for a high-​priced sundae I expected a bigger portion size. They looked like kiddie scoops, albeit perfectly plated ones. The presentation was gorgeous.
My only other complaint is the seating. They have room to sit inside, but not much of it. I was pretty much squished between my husband and a lady stranger who was not the friendly type. It was too close for comfort and my personal bubble was popped.
The service is stellar, though. The girls who put our sundaes together were very sweet and hospitable. I didn’t feel like I was the 100^th person they’d served that day; I felt like the first.
As it stands, I am still a fan of Gelateria del Duomo, but next time I am only getting one scoop and I’ll be sitting outside. It’s a compromise I’m willing to make for some great gelato.

This place is the best Gelato I’ve had in Tampa. Granted there’s not that many Gelato places and more yogurtology’s in Tampa than anything.
They have a great election of flavors, a lot of chocolate selections. The portions they give even at the small size are pretty huge. For a hot humid day in Tampa, especially after a day of shopping at the International Plaza, you can always count on going to Gelateria del Duomo for good gelato. Out of all the frozen desserts in the mall this is probably the best place.
There’s usually not a line, I don’t have any other complaints. I don’t think this is the best Gelato I’ve ever had but it’s definitely one of the better ones.

Decent gelato. Not the best I’ve had by far.
A good selection of flavors ranging from fruit based to chocolate and of course, the standard Bacio (chocolate hazelnut). I’ve been many times but this was the first time in the last few years. Maybe their product went downhill or maybe my expectations got higher? Either way, I was not impressed with my stracciatella (chocolate chip) and cookie crumb and caramel. There was not enough chocolate in the chocolate chip and the gelato in both was just so-​so.
Wish I had better things to say. I really love gelato. Was just not impressed on my most recent visit. Will update if things improve on future visits although I am not really inclined to take one now. As we left, I found myself wishing I’d gone to Haagen-​Daaz inside the mall.
BTW– It was $ 7 for a large. The large is big but $ 7 still seems steep.

Great gelato! TERRIBLE SERVICE!
At least the time I went (Sunday around 4pm). There were 2 girls working and neither of them smiled to any of my 5 friends or me. We obviously don’t know Italian or what the names of the flavors mean. When asked, they replied with attitude. I thought it might have just been me thinking they weren’t being courteous, but all my friends after me came out with the same reaction.
So don’t go on Sunday at 4pm!