Customer Reviews

Gelato: Finding Italy's Best Gelaterias (Happy Belly Guides)

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I was what you call a hardcore ice cream addict, eating a pint a day at my height. I owned 2 ice cream making machines and even painted my kid's room 31 colors in honor of Baskin-Robbins. Then, before a vacation to Italy a friend gave me this book - and I know this sounds cliche - but it changed everything. I was so intrigued that I had my first taste of gelato hours upon landing in Rome. Art museums be damned, I sought out a new gelateria daily with the help of this book. The book is dead-on in its descriptions of the establishments and is amusing as well. The way the author wraps his own experiences around the reviews make for that personal touch that you just don't see in food guides and such. Thanks to the book, I am now a proud gelato addict (and 10 pounds lighter, to boot!)

"Gelato: Finding Italy's..." by Michael McGarry is not only a book about Gelato, it is a "how to" book for enjoying Italy. I will give a copy to everyone I know who is embarking on a trip to Italy whether it's for the first or fifteenth time. It is well researched- full of history, practicle tips, and richly flavored with humor. The guide is well organized and creatively illustrated. And it's just the right size to fit in a large coat pocket next to your passport. However, if you're not planning a trip to Italy soon- you can still drool over this book at home- it will be the inspirations for a host of sweet dreams. Ciao, J Kordonowy

This is a great little book. It is so much more interesting and engaging than (frankly) I expected it to be - I read it from cover to cover, as soon as I got it. The information about gelaterias is accurate and comprehensive, and the text is lively - the author's amusing, gentle personality comes through, and since he is passionate as well as informed regarding Italian "ice cream", it is just FUN to read "Gelato". Now, I will have to hurry to the gelaterias that I have not tried yet, before the weather cools off here in Italy!

My wife and I spent three weeks in Italy this spring and used this book to plot all of our gelato adventures, which became an unexpected highlight of the trip. The book explains why gelato is so much better than the usual old ice cream cone and tells you how to spot the best places, which is key considering all the gelato stands around Italian cities. A well done and easy-to-carry little book.

This book is the perfect antidote to the usual bland travel guides. Anyone who visits Italy immediately becomes addicted to gelato, and this guide book will take you to the best spots. Even better, the book takes you to the gelaterias that are off the tourist trail, so that you are eating where the Italians eat. My wife and I just returned from our honeymoon in Italy, and this book was our constant companion (especially since it fit easily in my pocket). I recommend trying the nocciola gelato--it became my "go-to" cone.

Great information on gelato from the source - Italy. The format and layout of the book is excellent with good photos and maps. A must own for ice ceam lovers.

I was given this book right before I went to Italy for vacation. I am not the biggest Ice cream fan but I have been told that Gelato is an experience of its own, which I found to be very true. This book is very funny, it had me laughing out loud at certain parts. Not only does the author take you visually through the gelataria, he lets you know what to expect and gets you prepared to face the "gelato man". He even gives you tips for when you get jammed up, with what is call his "go to cones".

Great book!

A wonderful book, but whatup with the price? So bizarre, as I purchased it online for $10 + shipping. Check around before you buy, someone's database is broken.

This is the perfect guide for anyone planning a trip to Italy. Pocket-sized, and beautifully illustrated, Gelato, will be the ultimate way for any tourist to get the inside scoop, literally, on Italy's gelato hot spots. Gelato is a way of life and with this book you can experience Italy through the eyes of someone who knows the best places and hippest areas in the country. This will definitely make your Italy trip all the better. If you like this book and want to learn about Michael McGarry's newest venture check out [...]

When investment banker Michael McGarry's wife received a year-long art history fellowship in Bologna and Rome, he wasn't sure what he would do while she was working. A visit to Bologna's La Sorbetteria convinced him that his calling was gelato. And so began a year of first-hand research that culminated in this impressive book. If you love ice cream, you'll love this book. McGarry reviews over 50 gelaterias in northern Italy as well as Rome and Naples. He plans a follow-up volume on southern Italy and Sicily. Interspersed with reviews, McGarry explains the history of gelato and how it is to be eaten properly. He also includes a glossary of over 75 flavors, which is very helpful for any serious gelato lover/traveler. The author has a special place in his heart for the legendary Roman gelateria, Gioliti. "Half of it is the experience. It is always packed and there is always a scene he says," he says. Gelato changed McGarry's life. He has left investment banking and started his own publishing company.