Where to Find the Best Granita in Rome, Italy

Now that the hottest summer months are upon us I am very near to surrender. The sun is winning the fight.

In a city like Rome you can actually feel yourself sinking into the melting asphalt. Of course you can scramble for some shade, maybe in the eclipse of some colossal monument or in the refuge of a cool air-filled marble church. You could take a trip to some of the many green parks such as Villa Ada or Villa Borghese but will that really cool you off? Sure shade helps but when it feels like you can cut the air with a knife the sun isn’t your only problem. I would suggest starting from the core and downing something frosty. With all of the freezing cold choices in Rome from gelato to tiramisu, I usually go for the most arctic.

Granita is a combination of ice, sugar, and a multitude of different flavorings, such as coffee or fresh summer fruits. This frozen dessert is traditionally from Sicily, so finding a good authentic cup of granita can be a challenge in Rome. You will see plenty of granita machines in gelaterias; big plastic containers churning red or yellow slush, these machines produce a granita that is far from the real thing and should be avoided.

When you ask around for a good granita most people would direct you straight to Giolitti’s. Located on Via Uffici del Vicario this historic gelateria has been operating and serving up Italians and foreigners alike for over one hundred years. Giolitti’s was recently visited by Barack Obama’s two daughters while the US president was attending the G8 summit in L’Aquila. The location is great, being smack in the middle of the historic center, near both Piazza Navona and the Pantheon. The shop is huge and offers a wide variety of flavors in both gelato and granita (€3 a cup) but unluckily I cannot award Giolitti’s with the best granita in Rome. I would suggest the mammoth gelato cones over the granita anyday, though it still is a million times better than the standard plastic blender.

If you really want to taste the true Sicilian granita then you have to head towards Piazza Venezia. Straight across the street from the flight of steps leading to Campidoglio there is a much lesser known gelateria. Gelateria Artigianale serves up cups of granita that would cool off the hottest Roman wanderer, it is located right next to Vittorio Emanuele II (#10 Piazza D’Ara Coeli) . Unlike Giolitti’s when you take a bite of Artigianale’s concoctions you can really taste the diced fruit. The € 3 price tag is very much worth it especially when the sun is constantly hanging over your shoulder.

Popular Rome Hotels near Piazza Venezia:

• Hotel Cosmopolita
• Hotel Hosianum Palace Roma
• Town House Suite Kame Hall

Cup of Sicialian Granita picture by Fantasmic

Topic:  Restaurants & Food | 5 Comments
Tags:  food, Rome

About the author

Rob is originally from the United States of America; Seattle, Washington to be more exact. He caught wander lust at a young age and has been moving ever since. He is a dual citizen of the USA and UK giving him the possibility to live and work in an incredible amount of places. He has spent time in multiple countries, living in Canada, France, and most recently Italy. He enjoys seeing new places, meeting new people, and living life as it comes. He looks forward to advising you with your travels.