London has a gelato problem. Not a shortage — quite the opposite. There are dozens of places in the city selling something called gelato. Many of them are not, strictly speaking, selling gelato at all. They are selling a product that resembles gelato in the way that a fast-food burger resembles a proper one: similar in name, different in almost everything else.
The proliferation of industrial gelato in premium packaging has made it harder for consumers to distinguish the genuine article. These are the six signs we would look for.
The colours are muted, not vivid
Authentic pistachio gelato is a pale, dusty green — not a lurid emerald. Real hazelnut gelato is a warm beige-brown, not a deep chocolate. If the colours in the display case look artificially bright or uniform, that is a reliable indicator of artificial flavouring. Nature's ingredients produce subtle, honest colours.
It is stored flat, not piled high
Traditional gelaterias store gelato in covered metal pans called "pozzetti", kept flat and lidded. The instagrammable mountains of gelato piled high in open display cases are a visual spectacle — but they also signal overrun (excess air) and are often a symptom of industrial production. Real gelato doesn't need to tower. It speaks through flavour, not volume.
The menu is small and seasonal
A gelateria offering 40 flavours year-round is almost certainly relying on industrial pastes to maintain consistency at scale. Authentic makers keep a focused, rotating menu based on what is actually available and good at that moment. Fewer flavours, made better. If everything is always available, nothing is truly fresh.
The texture is soft, not icy or sticky
Genuine gelato, served at the correct temperature, should be smooth, yielding, and easy to scoop cleanly. It should not be icy or grainy (a sign of freezer burn or poor technique) nor should it be sticky or gummy (a sign of excess stabilisers). The texture should feel like silk — not foam, not glue.
They can tell you where the ingredients come from
Ask where the pistachios are from. Ask whether the chocolate is single-origin. A gelateria that makes its product properly will have answers — because the ingredients are the product. If the response is vague or defensive, that tells you something important.
It is made on-site or nearby
Authentic gelato is made fresh and consumed quickly. If the shop is part of a large chain, or if the gelato is delivered in frozen blocks from a central factory, it is not artisan. The tell is usually freshness: genuinely fresh gelato has a vitality that pre-frozen product cannot replicate.
Authentic gelato exists in London — you simply need to know what to look for. The above signals are not foolproof, but they are reliable. Trust your instincts, ask questions, and remember: if something looks too good to be true, it probably contains more air than ingredient.
"Ask where the pistachios are from. A gelateria that makes its product properly will always have an answer."