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Ecco Gelato
Category: Food Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt [Edit]
3409 Central Ave NEAlbuquerque, NM 87165
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
21 reviews for Ecco Gelato
Review Highlights
"Their espresso is possibly the best in the state."
(in 9 reviews)
"I opted for the blood orange."
(in 3 reviews)
"The Chocolate Lavender was quite good too."
(in 2 reviews)
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21 reviews in English
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Review from Natilee M.
Montgomery, AL
8/24/2010
Affordable and authentic with great variety. The avocado was fresh and light, perfect for a hot day. The baileys irish cream and hazelnut were classics done right.
The fact that they are commited to giving their workers a living wage, recycling, keeping it local and organic when possible, and not putting any filler (powders, syrups, corn syrup, stabilizers, emulsifiers, preservatives, dry mixes etc) in their products make it even better.
If I could direct you to one flavor it would be the ginger. MY GOD the ginger. If you are feeling particularly frisky I recommend the Affogato(two scoops of gelato of your choosing covered in two shots of quality espresso) with ginger and chocolate stracciatella.
Delicious with a kick! Perfect for a treat shared with one or two people before a night out. -
Review from Mio S.
Madison, WI
12/28/2011
I had a kid-size espresso gelato. Not my kind of gelato, I guess.
I wasn't impressed at all - by flavor or texture. Price is reasonable.
It's a nice resting spot when you want to set your butt down after some shopping on nob hill. But I think I'll go to Satellite and order coffee next time. -
Review from Josh C.
Mesa, AZ
9/30/2011
A very good idea in a nice, trendy spot in Albuquerque but we were let down. It's not as though gelato can really be "bad." This certainly wasn't. That said, you come to expect gelato to be characterized by very full, creamy flavor and texture. This just wasn't. Flavors were pretty bland. It covered our needs for "a little something sweet" but can't really recommend too highly.
One highlight was watching a local treat his purchase as though he was deciding on which model of BMW to purchase. Tried virtually every flavor and provided full commentary on each. ALMOST left but was sucked back in by the Blueberry Sorbet. Finally decided to put off his childrens college education by purchasing a kids-size cup. And paid with his credit card!
I'd go back just to try and observe that knucklehead again...... -
Review from Redd S.
Albuquerque, NM
8/14/2011
The ever-changing menu is always stocked with expertly handmade gelato. You can taste everything before making your selection, so you always know you will be satisfied. Try an affogato, gelato "drowned" in an espresso. Always clean and busy, the customer service is sometimes spotty.
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Review from Laura W.
Annandale, VA
7/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
As soon as I saw the blood orange flavour of gelato, I knew that's what I was getting so didn't try any others (though I will be back to do so). It was light and cool, not to sweet, perfect for the hot day. No, it wasn't as intense as I'd hoped for, but I've found intensity to be a bit of a rare thing in my (albeit limited) experience with gelato. It was too hot for a coffee for me, but my boyfriend is a big coffee drinker so we'll definitely return for him to get some. He's been looking for a really good espresso and I've a feeling this will be the place to provide it. Staff was very friendly, prices were reasonable, store is bright and clean and welcoming. Will update this review after our next visit.
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Review from Daisy H.
Was driving through the Nob Hill district during my visit to New Mexico and decided to check this place out. Woah, Strawberry Habanero?! Gotta try it! I wanted a second option so I tried the Chocolate lavender and the Blood orange. I opted for the blood orange. Good choice too because the Strawberry habanero combined with the blood orange created a nice concoction in my mouth--uhhhhmmm.
Although the gelato was pretty good, the texture of the gelato was a little different than what I'm used to. A little on the icy/slushy side, so much so the clerk had a hard time digging into the gelato containers. -
Review from Michael G.
Albuquerque, NM
1/12/2010
Not that there is a whole lot of competition in Albuquerque but this is hands down the best gelato in town.
Tons of flavor options, often with at least two or three wild ones (strawberry habañero for example). As weird as their flavors can get they are always good. They also will always have several great "standards" available.
I've had one or two people tell me that this isn't good gelato, they don't know what they are talking about. Gelato, like coffee, pizza, and mexican food is different all over the world. Gelato comes in many different forms, some are gooey and some are icy. This is of the icy variety, which is particularly enjoyable on a hot summer evening.
Their espresso is possibly the best in the state. Weird for a place like this that doesn't sell much coffee, but it is the best I've had in New Mexico. I own well over $2k of coffee equipment, used to work at a roaster in SF Bay, and my wife used to manage a high end coffee shop there - we know coffee and the espresso here is genuinely good. Albeit good for New Mexico is probably a 6 out of 10 for espresso, but Starbucks espresso is a 2 out of 10 for comparison.
My best tip for this place is to buy a whole pint to take home. It is a huge price savings (by volume) over buying little individual servings. -
Review from Guru T.
San Francisco, CA
3/9/2009
Was told by a local that this a "must go" place. It is unassuming, but the ice-cream is crazy cool! I forget now what I had there, but it was all good.
A great place to watch all the beautiful people of Albuquerque - both inside this place and on the streets outside :-) -
Review from Jack T.
Phoenix, AZ
9/1/2008
I hear this place is a great late-night hangout, which is cool. But I just can't get behind the gelato. It's OK, but it's icy and the flavor isn't nearly as bold as I'd prefer. They get kudos for interesting flavor combinations, though.
It can't hold a candle to any of the gelato places in Phoenix, and I'm sure the places in Phoenix don't even compare to the gelaterias in Italy. -
Review from Diego F.
Evanston, IL
6/29/2011
I have to start by saying that I am from Italy (i.e. born and raised) so I know what I am talking about.
People who made poor reviews about this place complain about a different texture and a different taste from what they are used to. This is EXACTLY the point, gelato is NOT ice-cream. It is handmade with whole milk rather than cream, so that's why it has a different texture; particularly, in the case of fruit flavors, traditionally the only ingredients are water, fruit and sugar (no dairy!), so that's why the texture is more watery. For these reasons gelato has a more DELICATE flavor, sign that it's made with real natural ingredients, not artificial flavors.
Even if the gelato here cannot compete with real Italian gelato, it gets very close and this place deserves 5 stars because it uses local and organic ingredients and the coffee (organic as well) is the best I have had in the US so far (I lived in LA and Chicago, two cities where choices in terms of food are not lacking).
Furthermore this place serves espresso as it should be, i.e. in a ceramic cup with a metal spoon which, besides enhancing the drinking experience, eliminates unnecessary waste of paper cups and stirrers. -
Review from Mark N.
Absecon, NJ
1/28/2011
Decent gelato, but have had better a few places (best I tried was in the historic district of Pensacola, Florida of all places).. Good espresso drinks, good and friendly service, nice ambience, very clean, great location in the middle of the hipster Nob Hill area.. Popular hang out with university students from the nearby University of New Mexico, but you will see all types of people here because it is a nice place to hang out and the gelato and coffee drinks are reasonably priced.. Blood orange is a good flavor.
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Review from Alison M.
Albuquerque, NM
8/17/2010
I really enjoyed this gelato. The staff was very nice and allowed me to sample several different flavors before I decided on my gelato of choice.
The sizes/prices are very reasonable. The kids size was perfect for me.
The Chai gelato was fantastic and I can't wait to have it again. The Chocolate Lavender was quite good too.Listed in: Sugar Havens
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Review from Sharon C.
Albuquerque, NM
3/10/2008
Wonderful gelato!!! I tried the one in Santa Fe several times and was excited to know Albuquerque has an Ecco too! I have had gelato in Italy so I know how it is suppose to taste; this place does a fab job!! The Pistachio is grand. The vanilla tastes like vanilla beans and I always heard that the was to find a great ice cream shop was based on how the vanilla tastes! I love the chocolate hazelnut; everything is so fresh here. Their sorbets are so fresh, you feel like you are biting into a nice piece of cool fruit!
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Review from Timmay S.
Bedford, NH
7/12/2010
This is probably one of if not the best gelato i've ever had. They have fun and interesting flavors which change daily and they never disappoint. Their gelato is nice and light and not too thick and pasty like some places. My favorite is definitely the strawberry habenero, it has a nice sweet flavor with a big kick at the end. Also I have to give props to their banana because it actually tastes like real banana not that fake banana flavor like so many people use
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Review from G M.
Albuquerque, NM
3/11/2008
Man, I can't wait 'til summer when I can eat a lemon/chocolate gelato again. Get it in a pint size and take it home, eat it with a loved one while strolling down the street old-Italian style, have the scooper person put it directly into your mouth and call it a day.
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Review from Michelle A.
Albuquerque, NM
5/16/2009
Yummy! I love me some good Gelato! Try the Lavender or the Makers Mark whiskey. They always have different flavors. Ice cream legally has a minimum of 10 percent fat, gelato is made with a greater proportion of whole milk to cream, so it contains more like five to seven percent fat. You don't feel so guilty indulging here-so go ahead do it!
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Review from Alejandra M.
Washington, DC
3/1/2010
As a young person who grew up in Abq, I only wish that they had been here sooner. A fantastic place because they have the magic blend of class, affordability, and delicious Italian treats. I make a point of coming here every time I'm in town.
The modern decor is one of the things that sells this place over other ice cream or coffee places in town. You're definitely not at a Baskin Robbins. There's great people watching, and you can also sit outside.
The gelato is pretty good, and there's a great range of flavors that they frequently change up. They're also really nice about letting you try out flavors before you pick. The coffee and espresso are also delicious. -
Review from A.eon -.
Los Angeles, CA
1/21/2008
I loved the flavors of lemon/basil and lavender ... and the more traditional ones as well! Mos def this gelato is to die for. The decor is a bit sparse and cold...but then again it is an italian style gelateria and espresso shoppe. I hope people go to Il Vicino then to Ecco for dessert.
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Review from Justin B.
Lancaster, PA
1/8/2009
nice atmosphere. good local coffee. nice staff.
the gelato - great.
interesting flavors - love ginger, lemon, and the mint - all very natural flavors - not overly sweet - great place. -
Review from Molly A.
Albuquerque, NM
12/20/2008
I love this gelato. Just had french vanilla, chocolate hazelnut and root beer sorbet... mmmmm! I also LOVE the affogato- great for a power boost. It's your choice of gelato (I love straciatella) covered in espresso. You can do anything after that. I also love that it's a locally-owned, ethical, friendly business!
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Review from Dominick V.
La Mesa, CA
12/16/2009
Friend of mine in Albuquerque loves this place and I wanted to treat her to it back in February. I don't live anywhere near her so I called to see if they could possibly help me out with getting her the pistachio gelato she loves and they did. Thanks a lot :)
