DISH OF THE WEEK in New York: Caffé Bianco with Stracciatella Gelato at CAFFÉ PANNA

Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City

Originally this post was intended to be an official ice cream review. But I had not yet gotten around to posting it and since I really enjoyed my experience, I figured I would switch it over to a Dish of the Week.

It’s been a while since a serious gelato shop has gained much attention in the city. A few years back there was a wave of real Italian-style gelato (the ones in tins, not displayed with fruit) being scooped. But sadly the original NYC Grom has closed and the ice cream world in New York is overshadowed with premium experimental shops like Ample Hills and Morgenstern’s.

Enter Caffé Panna. Even the name sounds Italian.

That’s because it is. It means Coffee and Cream (funny, that’s also the name of one of Oddfellows’ locations). But here the concept is more than just coffee and ice cream. One of the specialities is affogato (gelato and espresso) and they have four different varieties of the treat.

Despite the vibe, name, and quality of the gelato, this is not an Italian owned business. However it is owned by New York restaurant royalty with ties to Italy. Hallie Meyer is the young daughter of restaurateur Danny Meyer, who owns a few highly regarded Italian restaurants in the city. And Hallie has lived in Italy herself.

Although the Meyers lack the Italian blood, the gelato here is very very good.

The flavors rotate although a handful (like most ice cream shops) are recurring.

Of course, I’m always interested in the most unique. So I started my sampling with Salty Licorice. I actually was expecting (and hoping) for an intense Scandinavian influence, but of course the inspiration here more closely resembled Sambuca. It was actually approachable with a soft herbal finish.

I also tasted a seasonal Plum Tea Passionfruit which was creamier than expected with a bold acidic punch.

But I committed to the Caffé Bianco with Stracciatella. This is explained as cream ice cream infused with coffee beans and mixed with chocolate chips.

All the scoops also come with a complimentary dollop of panna, a decadent whipped cream imported in from Italy. Despite its air miles, it tasted like it was made in house.

The panna is a nice touch adding very little sweetness but another layer of luxury. I think it probably works better on a different ice cream flavor, like Chocolate. But sweet cream on sweet cream ice cream? There are worse things in the world.

So personally I like a more bold coffee flavor, but this was something different. The coffee was subtle giving way to the sweet creamy gelato and pieces of the intense chocolate chips, which had a hint of fruitiness.

Thanks to Caffé Panna for bringing gelato back to the forefront of the New York ice cream world. This is a very worthy place making very good transportive gelato. I’m excited to try their affogato. It feels a bit like you are in Italy but it feels even more like you’re in a Danny Meyer Italian café. And that’s not so bad.

Is Caffé Panna the best ice cream in NY? They are certainly one of the best gelato options in the city with unique flavors and a focus on creamy quality, Give them a try and you’ll see why they deserve a 9 out of 10.