Settimi’s Gelato

My daughter and I are on a mission to identify the best gelato/​ice-​cream places around the world. This one definitely made our list! It’s creamy without a «greasy» aftertaste. The flavors are well balanced and natural. The owners and staff are very friendly. I come to this place every day whenever I visit my daughter in college in Sarasota. Sometimes we come twice a day. If you are in Sarasota and love gelato, this place is a must!

Nestled among the many tiny shops on St Armand’s circle is this gem of a gelato café. We happened upon it after dinner nearby. I had a duo of stracchiatella and nocella (hazelnut) and my husband had nocella and cappuccino.
Our friends opted for a hand crafted cappuccino which also looked delightful. The frozen dessert was creamy and balanced. The portions are pretty sizable given the price. Highly recommend this gelato spot. Forget the retail ice cream shops… this frozen dessert shop is a find!

I’ve been wanting to try this place but every time we were out at St. Armands I was full. Well today I was in between meals & finally got to try it. I ordered a small Nocciola… oh my goodness it was sooo good. It reminds me of the Baccio gelato I had in Italy. I can’t wait to come back & try other flavors!

We’ve been on a mission to try as many ice cream /​gelato places in Sarasota and this was one of our early stops. Overall we weren’t impressed with the flavors here. We each got something different (there were 4 of us) and for us it was just «meh.» It didn’t taste bad, but it wasn’t the best we’ve ever had either. Where you order is right in front of the store and it is VERY narrow. So if there are more than 3 people waiting, it is very cramped. When we were there, only one person was working behind the counter and it took a very long time for us to get served. There is seating in the back of the store, and it’s actually quite large. Definitely not expected given how cramped it was in the front of the store.

Stopped in after dinner. The place was pretty empty. We ordered chocolate and birthday cake for the kids. Both said it was good. I tried coconut. It was not bad, but it needed more coconut flavor. Still love the gelato back in Orlando more and also the toasted coconut at Kilwins!

Delizioso — NOT. We had a samll cone here, and being a big fan of gelato whilst living in Italy, it is clear that this gelato is made with a powdered mix. The flavour was flat. I had pistacchio and lemon, both of which tasted so badly, I tossed it. The «small» is two huge scoops — way too much for the average person to eat. A small runs about $ 3.95 — so not worth it. One would be much better off getting one’s ice cream thrill at Kilwin’s or Big Olaf’s — at least they don’t pretent to be what they are not.

The best gelato I have ever had! Every trip to Sarasota my family and I look forward to our visits to Settimis for the wonderful gelato and the lovely atmosphere! Can’t wait to come back on our next trip!

Gelato!!!
Anyone who knows me knows gelato is my favorite thing ever.
When grandma needed to sit down and rest, I ran across St. Armand’s to grab us some gelato! The girl at the counter patiently waited on the couple in front of me who was definitely only there for free samples. And then continued her patience when I asked for recommendations on her favorites. I ended up with one hazelnut and cappuccino and one hazelnut and raspberry. I didn’t actually want hazelnut in both cups, she misunderstood which is fine because it was delicious anyway. The raspberry sorbet was my favorite of the three, it had that perfect sorbetto consistency!
I’ll definitely come back next time I go to Lido and St. Armands!

Best frozen dessert on the circle. We had the pistachio, noccola and the cherry. All were great. I could say dangerous amounts of the noccola and the pistachio! Skip kilwins (my former go to spot for frozen treats on the circle). While they aren’t bad, this is so much better. Better service too.

If you need more energy to keep shopping, the gelato hits the spot. Got a strawberry for my son who was hot and tired of walking, med. $ 4

Went here for the Gelato and now want to return for the pizza. Excellent selection of Gelato, with the invitation to sample. We had the cookies & cream, pistachio, nocciola, and chocolate almond. All were very good, especially the pistachio and nocciola. (kids ordered the other two).
Chef Gino worked the back of the restaurant in the pizza kitchen. He is a 43-​year NJ pizza veteran with his off-​the-​boat Italian voice. The pizza looked thin and great. We have had several pizzas in the area (Ciao, Oma’s, and Pizza Pi, and none were great. Next time we are looking for pizza, here is where we will try.

Delicious, but they lose a star for claiming its gelato. Real gelato is not healthier and lower in calories than ice cream. It’s the opposite. That said, their ice cream is excellent and should not be missed.

Why 4 stars? Because delicious gelato is served here.
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I feel like I am enjoying more and more ice cream shops lately, and to be honest, there aren’t a lot of distinguishable qualities. There’s a reason there are so many places to get ice cream near the coast here in Florida: it’s hot outside and eating cold things is pleasurable.
Some very creamy gelato is what you’ll get at this tiny shop in Sarasota. If you’re in the mood for a treat, I’d recommend it.

Amazing pizza!!! We were in from Chicago looking for some good, authentic pizza and happened onto this gem. The owner is from New York and has been making pizza for the last 40 years and it shows in the quality of the pies. Don’t hesitate to give it a try you won’t be disappointed.

Hands down best pizza in Sarasota! The gelato is also great come here for a true New York/​European feel. The pizza is handmade fresh while you wait.

During a great fishing day shared with my son. We came home to shower and drove to Lido Beach to watch the sunset.
Soon after, we needed a cool down and I thought of this place. It was close to the beach and it is gelati Italiano!
Meanwhile, not knowing the differences in sizes, I thought we wanted the large size, until the young server showed us the size of a large gelato! Yikes! Three huge scoops over flown from its cup!
But, we both ordered the Medium Italian Lemon gelati! It was not only refreshing, but the taste of a lemon zing was definitely there! A little sweet and a little tart!
Tutti buoni e grande degustazione!

The best Gelato in St. Armand’s Square… My husband and I heard about this place and we stopped to get a small cup to share and we both ended up filling ourselves with a larger portion each. True Gelato…

Cute spot with a variety of options. Everything from pizza to gelato!
Service is extremely nice! We stopped here early Monday on Labor Day after brunch. My 6yo nephew was determined to try Gelato for the very first time at this precise spot. We had popped in a few days ago, but had not had lunch yet and promised a return. (Did I mention he has an excellent memory? ;-))
They opened at 10am. We arrived at 9.05am. They were inside, obviously setting up and very sweetly let us know. No problem– we played in the park for a bit while waiting. I tried to distract him with ice cream from another spot to no avail. He wanted gelato. From Settimi’s. Only.
At 9.28am, he wanted to go back and check. We walked around the block and he peeked in. They were still setting up. I distracted him again and off we went.
Finally, at 9.40am, he couldn’t take it. My nephew went back to the store, politely knocked on the door and said, «Excuse me sir. I have been waiting a very long time and I would really like to try gelato please. May I have some? I have been very patient. It’s ok if you need more time, I can wait if you need me to. I’ve never had gelato before.»
The owner looked over to the gelato case which was still empty and back at me. I was about to apologize when he said, «Sure, do you know what flavor you would like?»
«No sir. I have never had gelato before. But yours looked very good. May I try a few flavors?»
The owner happily obliged, going back and forth to the freezer and returning with spoons of the requested flavors. Finally my nephew selected his flavor and placed his order.
The owner then introduced himself to me and said, «I am honored that your first taste of gelato will come from my shop.» He tried not to charge us, but of course I insisted (and included a tip!).
My nephew was ecstatic. The smile on his face as he tasted gelato was priceless. He loved it! Said it tasted like «extra tasty ice cream»! ;-)
This spot is FIVE STARS on Service alone!!! Great spot! And yes, the gelato was good too!

Very authentic and smooth & yummy! I got the dulce leche and pistachio!

Pizza made on the spot while you wait! Even if it’s a slice of pizza! Now that is service and dedication.
The girl who makes the pizzas was very friendly and down to earth.
Excellent pizzas. I had a margarita slice and my mom had sausage and my Hubby had the one with garlic, I think it was called Napolitana. Great pizza, super cheap.
They also sell gelato here, although it seemed more like ice cream.
It’s a hidden storefront, very tiny sign and door entry but if you find it you can have some good, on the spot cooked food that is inexpensive compared to all the restaurants in Armand’s Circle.
Winner!