Gelateria Gondola

Good but Not Great Firstly can I say I have been to Gondola 5 or 6 times in the last 3 months. And I do really like many of the flavours that I have tried. But....I'm not convinced that Gondola is as good as all the reviews here make it out to be. I sometimes find the Gelato here too heavy, rich and sweet. Also I find many of the flavours contrived - there is just too much going on with some of them. Keep it simple I say. Also, I think the prices are a bit steep....

Exceptional Italian gelato and sorbetto made daily by Luca Zanini and his team in store - open seven days till late. The flavours are seasonal and made from fresh ingredients. There are vegan and non dairy menu items as well. This store has been my go to for gelato since 2016 - I also buy take home packs and gelato cakes for at home dinner parties.

Tried two scoops today after seeing the high ratings. Gelato surprisingly lacked the signature chewy texture despite looking very stretchy and firm, though this may have been due to hot weather. Panna cotta & balsamic vinegar strawberries: 5/10, quite monotone flavour wise and disappointingly more on the watery side than creamy (which was unexpected as they use jersey milk?), but had commendably crisp biscuit pieces in it. Yogurt and sour cherry: 9/10, I recommend it! Great, rich yogurt taste, nice tang, and had big, syrupy macerated cherry pieces which had a liqueur note. Cone was a miss - not crisp. Partner tried the sorbets, which had a perfect true-to-fruit flavour. Place still earns 4 stars for their authentic, hard to find elsewhere flavours and freshness. Keen to try more in the hopes that the panna cotta flavour was just a dud! *UPDATE - went back and tried coconut pandan, coffee & mascarpone, and pistachio. Coconut Pandan: 6/10, a little too sweet, missing the rich, decadent coconut flavour I was looking forward to. Not sure if the pandan was detectable. Mostly let down by lack of texture - little shredded coconut was to be found. Nice, but mid. Coffee & Mascarpone: 7/10, well… it’s tiramisu without the chocolate so can’t go wrong! Coffee was full bodied but could be even stronger (at least for my tastes). A solid basic. Pistachio: 10/10! I understand what all the rave is about! The BEST pistachio flavour I’ve ever had, hands down. So richly nutty and genuinely pistachio flavoured - hits ALL the right creamy, slightly savoury, toasty notes. The texture was also the best out of all I’ve tried! Firm, stretchy and not as quick to melt. A winning pistachio gelato!

Hidden gem alert! I have just found this place after they were voted as one of Sydney's best Gelato. Living here for three years I had never noticed their shop before. What a jewel! The gelato is super creamy. I strongly recommend the pistachio, one of the best I had in my life! Looking forward to trying other scoops whenever I am around. Also, their coffee is very good. A great place to go for dessert if you are in the Chatswood area!

This review is a LONG time coming. We absolutely adore Gelateria Gondola. It's an unassuming little place in the Chatswood CBD that is a complete delight. My partner grew up on a Jersey cow dairy farm and cheese factory in US so we know it's a good scoop when you can taste the quality of the milk, which at Gelateria Gondola you certainly can. Come here for your staple favourite flavours or get lucky with their seasonal offerings, you really can't choose incorrectly here.

The gelato was silky smooth and delicious. My eldest son described it as the best he has ever had! We ordered the small tub, which was filled with three scoops of our choosing from a great range and was enough for the whole family to enjoy. The tub itself is a sealed polystyrene container, which kept the gelato frozen all the way home.