Gettin' my Philly on at Capogiro

It's no secret that I love gelato, and when I'm in Philly, it's no secret that I love Capogiro. In fact, every time I've visited the city, I've made a point of getting Capogiro gelato, sometimes multiple times in one trip. Well, now that I'm here full-time, I've been making the few-block walk from my apartment to Capogiro on 20th Street on an, ahem, regular basis. Here are some highlights of recent indulgences:

Creme Fraiche was a surprise winner when I tried it a few days ago. It's light and almost refreshing with a slight tang.

I think the other flavor here was burnt sugar...

Stracciatella and Nutella are both superb. The stracciatella has a nice sweet milky base, and the chocolate bits mixed in are texturally addictive. The Nutella tastes just like Nutella (and the snozberries taste like snozberries).

Gelato mountain!

Most recently, Salted Bitter Almond truly surprised me. I almost didn't try it-- despite its label's claim that it was back "by popular demand," it simply sounded gross. But then I had a sample, and I was hooked. It was also a light flavor and didn't taste at all like either salt or almonds to me, but it had a haunting flavor that I couldn't quite put my finger on. And then, about two-thirds of the way through my cup, I nailed it: it tastes just like Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia frozen yogurt. I swear. I have no idea how that's possible, but it really, really does, and my is it tasty. There are occasional whole almonds buried in the gelato as well, and paired with their regular chocolate gelato, it was a mellow and gobble-able treat.

Isn't it pretty?

Oh, who am I kidding. Stay tuned for more updates from Capogiro. Most likely soon.

Capogiro
117 S. 20th Street, at Sansom
215-636-9250

The best Capogiro yet

So last week I found myself in Philly once more doing a whirlwind, one-day househunting trip for my apartment next year. I needed to get the job done that day, and fortunately I did, leaving me with just enough time to grab a bite (and a dessert) before boarding my train back home. And if you think I WOULDN'T visit Capogiro yet again for my dessert, you clearly haven't been reading this blog for long enough.

I tried a bunch of flavors, but I keep coming back to the hazelnut, for good reason-- it's spectacular. This time, I paired it with Capogiro's scuro flavor, which is their version of dark chocolate. Usually I don't go for chocolate ice cream, but it looked so dark and delectable... Well, this stuff nearly blew me away. It's a dead ringer for brownie batter, rich and really sweet and intensely chocolatey, the perfect foil for the nutty hazelnut.

Like a gelato black-and-white cookie

This combination was by far my best yet, the perfect way to celebrate my apartment-hunting triumph.

Capogiro Gelato
117 S. 20th Street, at Sansom
215-636-9250

Another tasty, tasty taste of Philly

Last weekend, I was in Philly for the visit weekend of my future home and school for the next two years (hurrah!). It was a jam-packed bill of events, but did that stop me from making room for dessert? Absolutely not. Back to Capogiro I went.

Sunny, warm, and beautiful!

Like last time, this stuff is seriously delicious. I got a small with two flavors, my go-to gelato move when it's possible, and filled one half with the intense and nutty hazelnut flavor that rocked my world on my last visit. This time, its mate was burnt sugar, a caramelly, just-this-side-of-bitter delight that turned out to be a sophisticated twist on the traditional caramel/toffee/butterscotch flavor family. Grown-up but still sweet enough to satisfy: perfect.

Capogiro
3925 Walnut Street, between 39th and 40th Streets
Philadelphia, PA
215-222-0252

A gelato nightcap at Capogiro

After my salt fest at Gia Pronto in Philadelphia, I still had a few moments before I had to take off for the train station. And if you've been reading this blog for any amount of time at all, you'll know that that can mean only one thing: time for dessert! So out I went, walking up Walnut Street, until I found the University City location of Capogiro Gelato.

I've actually had Capogiro before, bizarrely enough, at the NYCWFF a few years back. But I've never been to their stores, since they're mostly located in Philly. This time, I plunged into the cafe/coffee shop-type shop and made a beeline to the gelato case.

The guy behind the counter was truly patient with me as I tried nearly every flavor. Finally, I made my way over to the table with a small cup of half Thai Coconut Milk, half Hazelnut gelato. I was five dollars poorer, sure, but I was also happy as a clam.

A tower of tastiness

The Thai Coconut Milk was an intriguing flavor. It tasted like coconut, of course, but it wasn't the bold, in-your-face coconut that a plain "coconut" flavor would bring to your mouth; it was more, well, milky, a bit smoother, a bit subtler. The Hazelnut was all nut, though, silky in texture and tongue-coating in nutty flavor.

The small may be pretty small, but I struggled to finish it-- palate fatigue set in near the last few bites, with all that rich milkiness sating me (for the time being, at least). Capogiro may not be the absolute best gelato I've ever had, but it's good stuff, and their interesting flavors keep the gelato-complacent on their toes. If I'm ever back in Philly again, you can rest assured I'll return.

Capogiro
3925 Walnut Street, between 39th and 40th Streets
Philadelphia, PA
215-222-0252