ICE CREAM in New York: Pamina Dolci e Gelato

My search for the best ice cream in New York continues ….

There is another Little Italy developing along Sixth Avenue in Greenwich Village. This was once a very Italian neighborhood and now young Italian food entrepreneurs are returning with Instagram-friendly shops.

Pamina Dolci e Gelato is as Italian as it gets. It’s right next door and owned by the same people as the Italian market and restaurant Travelers Poets and Friends (think a mini and local Eataly). It also is just a block away from the Italian pizza import L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele. Pamina is a worthy stop after visiting either of those places. Or as a destination all by itself.

My Italian ice cream scooper was elated to share some flavors with me and gave me some recommendations.

As is my method, I sampled two before settling on a different flavor.

First up was a spoonful of Cookies and Mascarpone, which had a surprising cheese funk at the end despite being made from one of the more mellowier creamy cheeses.

Cannolo, which came highly recommended, was a mild bite with little chunks of something. I don’t think they were ice crystals as the base was very smooth, but they also didn’t taste like cannoli shell. Could they have been butter or fat globules? The flavor was on the mellow side and didn’t really taste like cannoli (at least in my one bite).

I knew I was going to commit to the Olio e Pomodoro, which has received a decent amount of press. It’s the most surprising of the flavors on the board. You wouldn’t be shocked to see Tomatoes and Olive Oil on a pasta menu, but as an ice cream?

I have a very open mind, especially when it comes to ice cream, so I was more than game. I also once had an incredible tomato sorbet once which I have been dreaming about ever since.

What I soon discovered was this is really an olive oil gelato that is then topped with a tomato sauce, if desired. The employee asked me if I wanted it and let me know she prefers it without. I didn’t mean to be rude, but there was no way I was trying Olive Oil and Tomato gelato without including the tomato.

Truthfully, I wished there was a bit more sauce to the concoction. Although it was made from tomatoes, it added a surprising sweetness much like chocolate sauce or hot fudge.

Perhaps it was the sauce, but I couldn’t taste much olive oil in the scoop. I wondered if my tastebuds might have been off, but I fully tasted things earlier and later in the day so I won’t take the blame this time.

I do acknowledge that the gelato itself is impeccably smooth and rich, with fantastic texture and restrained sweetness. I just found the three flavors I tasted to be a bit too muted and not have the oomph I was hoping for.

That being said, I’ll certainly be stopping back in as I make a day of exploring the wonderful flavors of modern Italy. In Greenwich Village.

Is Pamina Dolci e Gelato the best ice cream in NY? I am excited to have another very authentic Italian gelato shop in Greenwich Village, but despite exciting flavor combinations, I found the gelato to be very creamy and smooth, but lacking a bit of the strong flavors promised on the menu. For now, they get a 7 out of 10.