Although it's true that gelato (ice cream) is sold pretty much everywhere in Rome, there's gelato and then there's gelato. A movement toward artisanal gelato has revitalized the local scene, and Italy now certifies select shops as Gelaterie Artigianale. These establishments use only fresh ingredients and no artificial colors, flavors or thickeners. Note that you'll see lots of places, particularly in the touristed Centro Storico, using the word "artigianale" as a marketing ploy without being certified at all. It's very much worth the effort to seek out great gelato. This list isn't exhaustive but attempts to include many gelaterie Romans agree are tops, whether they be artigianale or just generally excellent. If you're uncertain, more clues a gelateria is superior include stickers or certificates displayed from Gambero Rosso -- Italy's revered food guide -- and/or other food-rating publications.

Gelaterie offer ice cream in both cones and cups of different sizes. Order politely by saying something like, "Vorrei una copetta di tre euro, per favore" (" I would like a three-euro cup, please.") The great news is you can then usually pick three different flavors -- tell the server your first choice, then listen to hear him or her ask, "Poi?" ("Next?") for the next flavor. At the end you will usually be asked, "Con panna?" or simply, "Panna?" -- "Whipped cream?"

Other treats often offered at gelaterie include sorbetto (sorbet), granita (flavored shaved ice, wonderfully refreshing in the hot, humid Roman summer), and granita di caffe (coffee-flavored shaved ice, layered into a cup with plenty of panna). In winter you may also find cioccolato caldo (hot chocolate almost as rich as the French version). Be aware that some gelaterie close for the winter during January; others close for the August holidays.

Romans (and Italians) are very discerning when it comes to gelato. New gelaterie come on the scene regularly, and the current trend is for creative new flavor combinations you'll be hard-pressed to find anywhere else.

IN THE CENTRO STORICO (historic center) -- Piazza Navona, Pantheon, etc.

Gelateria del Teatro - Via di San Simone, 70, just off the pedestrianized Via dei Coronari, between Piazza Navona and the Lungotevere Marzio. This newish place is a gelateria artigianale, using carefully sourced ingredients including almonds from Bari and pistachios from Sicily. The picturesque antiques-district location offers outdoor seating in a tiny alley; the gelato itself is heavenly and includes several flavors of chocolate ranging from latte (milk) to puro -- reputedly 70% chocolate. Other choices include cassata and tiramisu flavors plus caramel-pear and ricotta-fig-almond.

Giolitti - Via Uffici del Vicario 40, close to the Pantheon and to Montecitorio. This is a very old establishment -- it opened in 1900 -- and is often voted best ice cream in local polls. When First Lady Michelle Obama took her daughters out for ice cream during the G8 Summit, this is where they went. The high-ceilinged interior recalls the turn of the last century, with mirrors and marble and table seating; the staff are friendly and the selection vast. Try the crema marrone (chestnut), which was a favourite of Pope John Paul II, who sent his driver to pick up a tub whenever he was in the mood.

Alberto Pica - Via della Seggiola 12, on the edge of the Ghetto not far from Torre Argentia and Campo de' Fiori. Mr. Pica happens to be the president of the Associazione Italiana Gelatieri, the body which certifies gelaterie as "artigianale," but the best reasons to visit are in the glass display case of this small, old-school gelateria: the fruit flavors here (particularly the apricot and wild strawberry) are wonderful. The riso (rice) gelatos are also reliable. Just outside, a shady, leafy sitting area offers table service (surcharge applies); generous sundaes, served with whipped cream, arrive in footed metal dishes. 

San Crispino - Via della Panetteria 42, very close to the Trevi Fountain, is consistently good. Opens at 11 am. A rave review ten years ago in the New York Times raised this gelateria's profile and it remains wildly popular with tourists; there are often lines out the door. Inside, the gelatos are stored in stainless steel bins with lids -- they take ice cream very seriously here and won't serve it to you in a cone, claiming the taste of the cone interferes with the taste of the gelato. In general, flavors are creamier and more ice-cream like than some gelatos; the. signature flavor is crema with honey. Servings are small and there is a 2 euro surcharge to sit at the tables in the back.

Della Palma - 20/23 Via della Maddalena, near the Pantheon -  the Baskin Robbins of Rome, with countless flavors and varieties (lots of soy choices, frozen yogurt, etc.)

TERMINI STATION Area

Fassi - Via Principe Eugenio, 65, off Piazza Vittorio. Fassi (a.k.a. Il Palazzo del Freddo) first opened in 1880 and claims to be the oldest and largest gelateria in Italy. The shop is worth a visit: the ice cream is still made the traditional way, prices are low and servings are generous, and the place is decorated with memorabilia that includes a copy of the original WWII-era sign proclaiming the premises for the sole use of American service personnel! Enjoy the excellent gelato at one of the many tables (without paying a surcharge), surrounded by locals; there's also outdoor seating in a rear courtyard. Also features fruit ice and novelties like micione (ice cream sandwiches that will make you "lick your whiskers.") 

IN TRASTEVERE (across the Tiber from the Centro Storico)

Fior di Luna - Via della Lungaretta, 96. In the heart of Trastevere, the hip, picturesque shopping and nightclubbing district just across the Tiber from Rome proper, this popular artisinal gelateria relies on organic and fair-trade ingredients to produce its intensely-flavored treats. It also offers gelatos made without added sugar, sorbets, frozen yogurt, granite and chocolates. The vanilla and chocolate flavors are truly excellent. Note: Fior di Luna is thoroughly committed to fresh, seasonal fruits, which means no strawberry gelato in winter -- though the cioccolato caldo makes up for that.

Da Checco - Via Benedetta 7, behind Piazza Trilussa, in Trastevere. This bar-pasticceria-gelateria belongs to the Porcellis, who for three generations have operated their restaurant -- Checco er Carettiere -- next door at 10 - 13 Via Benedetta. Their delicious and genuine gelato, made in-house from fresh ingredients, is a reliable option if you're in Trastevere, while their granita di caffe is up there with the best in the city.

IN THE VATICAN AREA (and north into the Prati shopping district and beyond)

Pellacchia has closed.

Gelarmony - Via Marcantonio Colonna, 34 (just north of Piazza Cola di Rienzo) - Sicilian gelato is often considered the best in Italy, and that's what this gelateria makes. The sixty flavors include an outstanding coconut, citrusy "Vitamine Etna" and a wide variety of intensely-flavored fruit gelatos, plus soy gelato and frozen yogurts. Granita is worth the trip alone; locals cite the mandorla (almond) flavor as one of the best. Crowds jam the sidewalk on hot summer nights -- it's a lively, friendly scene. Also offers cannoli, cassata siciliana (a ricotta-cake dessert) and the Sicilian tradition of gelato served in a warm brioche bun.

Al Settimo Gelo - Via Vodice 21a, in the Piazza Mazzini neighborhood north of Prati. Many consider this the best gelato in Rome; it's been singled out for repeated honors from food critics and the Gambero Rosso and draws ice cream-loving Romans from all over the city. Not only is this gelato artigianale, it's also organic. The extra-friendly staff -- who roast and grind top-quality nuts in-house  -- are patient with non-Italian speakers. Flavors include visciole (sour cherry), iraniano (with rose-water, almonds and saffron), greco (with yogurt, honey and pine-nuts) and several varieties of chocolate including one with peperoncini (hot peppers). Closed August.

Antonini - Via Sabotino 21-29. A favorite with locals, Antonini has one of the best selections of pastries in Rome, and their Zabaione gelato is simply the best you can find in Rome!

Gelateria dei Gracchi - Via dei Gracchi 272 (original branch in quartiere Nomentana, on Viale de Regina Margherita, 212) offers truly exceptional gelato, with gourmet flavors such as dark chocolate with Grand Marnier, or ricotta and pear, or pine nut - as well as favorites like gianduia (chocolate hazelnut) or straciatella (cream with streaks of chocolate). The nuts for the hazelnut, almond and pistachio varieties are roasted and ground on site. Dei Gracchi is an artisinal gelateria, which means everything is made from fresh, natural ingredients. This branch is one block up from the Piazza Cola di Rienzo, right around the corner from Gelarmony.

Fatamorgana - Via Giovanni Bettolo 7. See listing under "Other."

Il Mio Gelato Naturale - Via Romeo Rodriguez Pereira 170, in the Balduina neighborhood. This might be Rome's most perfectionist gelateria. Most ingredients are organic; all are high-end. Coffee gelato? The friendy owner makes it (in tiny batches) with Jamaican Blue Mountain. Vanilla with cognac? The cognac is Hine, from France -- the 1957 vintage. Depending on the variety, chocolate gelato may be made with Chuao, Amadei, or Domori chocolates. If you want more information and can read Italian, check the web site: it offers 55 (!) pages of information on chocolate alone. Mind-blowingly intense flavors justify the higher prices and the extra effort of getting here. Closed Tuesdays.

OTHER (south-east of the Centro Storico)

Mela e Cannella - Via Oderisi da Gubbio, 71, in the Marconi neighborhood. The chocolate gelato (made with Belgian chocolate) at this new-ish artisinal gelateria is easily some of the best in the city and locals come from around Rome for a fix. The mandorla, starring almonds from Puglia and Sicily, is equally dreamy. Try the namesake flavor: apple and cinnamon; other standouts include pistachio, crema al vino porto (cream of port wine) and malaga (rum and raisin).Young, friendly, enthusiastic staff.

Fatamorgana - Via Ostiense 36E, on the far edge of the trendy Testaccio neighborhood, not far from the Piramide Metro station; also locations at Via di Lago di Lesina 9/11 (in Nemorense) and Via G. Bettolo 7 (Prati) The Gambero Rosso stamp of approval is a giveaway that this unpretentious spot offers some of the best gelato in the city. A big selection of all-natural, creative flavors like "Kentucky" (chocolate with tobacco), "Estasi" ("Ecstasy" -- chocolate with hazelnut and rum) or an unexpected blend of fennel, licorice and honey will have you weak at the knees; contrary to popular wisdom that a gelateria can be good at either cream or fruit flavors, Fatamorgana excels at both.