Tucked away in that little corridor behind the St. Martin in the Fields Church, GINO might not necessarily be on everybody’s radar. But if you’re into your gelato then this is well worth hunting out.

The Venue
Just across the road from Charing Cross, Adelaide Street is something of a short cut, enabling you to avoid all the madness of Trafalgar Square as you head towards the madness of Leicester Square and beyond. But at least you can now have a pit stop at GINO, an unassuming little gelato store with cute signage, a smattering of seats and a simple décor that’s lit up beautifully by tubs and tubs of colourful gelato glistening behind a glass counter.

The Atmosphere
A few people do end up plonking themselves down to tuck into their gelato, but these are few; this place is more about grabbing something to go rather than whiling away the hours. The cheery and very Italian staff certainly set the right tone though, with smiles on arrival, plenty of helpful advice and an obvious enthusiasm for what they’re selling.

The Food
Having worked with Palmiro Bruschi – one of the big guns in the gelato world – the guys at GINO have obviously been schooled pretty darn well. There’s a clear emphasis on quality, with ingredients that are impeccably sourced and completely natural; so expect Piedmont hazelnuts, pistachios from Bronte, organic British milk and only the finest Belgian chocolate.

Everything is made fresh that day, and the almost obsessive dedication to ensuring things taste as they should extends to the actual flavouring: the tiramisu gelato, for example, begins with combining the actual components of a tiramisu. It might seem a little anal but it does make a difference, with gelatos that are fresh, incredibly smooth and pack some serious flavour.

There are about twenty five on offer each day (including rum & raisin, coffee, black cherry, chocolate chip and a remarkable pistachio option), with plenty of specials either made to order or on rotation (ginger and chocolate, mojito, fig & honey and even Guinness). Prices are pretty good too, with a small cone or tub coming in at £2.95, a medium at £3.80 and a large one at £4.60. Greedy pigs can even take litre tubs away for £17 – and they stay cold for an hour and a half.

The Drink
Surprisingly good coffees offer an alternative to the sweet bits and bobs, but there are plenty of smoothies available too, which are essentially those very tasty gelato flavours mixed with ice cold milk for even easier consumption. These are certainly worth a try, but you might need a caffeine kick too to get you off the sofa seating.

The Last Word
It might not have the gimmicks of similar venues nearby, but GINO really doesn’t need them. This is a great little spot for some of the best gelato in town.

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