Piu Bello Gelato

Category: Restaurants, Cafes, Bars

Gelato

ZAGAT Review:

An "atmosphere reminiscent of an Italian Cafe" and "cute waitresses in hotpants" serving "lotsa selections" of made-on-premises sorbet, ice cream and "out-of-this-world pastries" keep the "close-together tables" full at this late-night Forest Hills gelateria; while there's "decent food" too, surveyors generally say it's "a desser-lover's fantasy."

*****

NEW YORK MAGAZINE Review:

Like a real-life version of 90210's Peach Pit, this peach-painted gelato shop is the ultimate high-school hangout. Always crowded, open late and just down Austin Street from the multiplex and dozens of popular restaurants, it makes a natural date closer, particularly if you're lucky enough to grab one of the outdoor tables on balmy summer night. Descended from a family business that started in 1920s Milan, the cafe serves a not-particularly-dense gelato in flavors like fior di latte, whisky cream and refreshing mint chocolate, arranged in shapes ranging from pizza (with whipped cream and strawberry sauce) to Pinocchio. The kitchen also offers breakfast dishes, soups, sandwiches and pastas, as well as a wide selection of cakes and pastries, which make for a frenzied take-out business. — Rob Patronite and Robin Raisfeld