Bunticha P. - TimeOut Thailand
Photograph: Bunticha P. - TimeOut Thailand
Photograph: Bunticha P. - TimeOut Thailand

Scoop! Bangkok's best 10 gelato spots

From a groundbreaker certified by Italians to a hideout wooing Gen Z

Tita Honghirunkham
Advertising

To stay sane in Bangkok heat during Songkran, you've got options. Shaved ice, juice bars, even the fleeting seasonal flex that is khao chae. But here we are spotlighting a different kind of internationall cool – Italian gelato!

It arrived on the back of Thailand's Italian restaurant boom, settled into the mall food halls and boutique side streets and never left. Gelato is churned slower and served at a slightly warmer temperature than standard ice cream, giving it a denser, creamier texture and a more intense flavour hit – exactly what you want when 40-something-degree heat is trying to end you.

Here are ten spots across Bangkok and the greater metro area with the greatest scoops.

  • Shopping
  • Department stores
  • Phloen Chit

What is it? A sleek, modern gelateria with a serious Italian pedigree, doing business at some of the city's most-visited malls.

Why we love it: Albero is the first gelato shop in Thailand to receive certification from Ospitalità Italiana, a quality kitemark backed by ISNART, the Italian government’s tourism research body. It is a genuine stamp of authenticity, not just marketing copy. That said, the flavours never feel stuck in tradition. Classic Italian technique meets a more contemporary sensibility, which keeps things interesting well past the first visit.

Time Out tip: With locations at Central Embassy, EmQuartier and CentralWorld, it's one of the most accessible options on this list – handy for a between-errands scoop when the BTS heat hits.

Branches at Central Embassy, EmQuartier and CentralWorld. Find current hours and locations on Instagram @albero.th.

  • Cafés
  • Watthana

What is it? A Sukhumvit 49 all-day Italian cafe with a dedicated gelateria zone and a pedigree that goes all the way to the Quirinal Palace in Rome.

Why we love it: The shop is run by Commendatore Enzo Peroni, who was recently decorated by the President of Italy – so the credentials are in order. Inside, the space splits into two zones: Per Tutti for full Italian meals, and the Gelateria for dessert. The flavour menu swings from classic vanilla and pistachio to red wine and beer gelato, which sounds gimmicky but reportedly works.

Time Out tip: If you're curious about the more unusual flavours, the beer and red wine options are the ones worth trying first – they're the house originals, not seasonal specials.

Café Buongiorno Gelateria, Sukhumvit Soi 49, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana.

Advertising
  • Cafés
  • Convent

What is it? A Gen-Z-coded gelateria with irreverent flavour names, a cheeky origin story and packaging that regularly ends up on Instagram.

Why we love it: The shop's name comes from the owner launching the business without telling their father – which sets the tone for everything that follows. Flavours include Naughty Habibi (dark chocolate Dubai-style), Kyoto Hentai (matcha yuzu kitta) and Pickle Me Deeper (pickled cucumber, the name speaks for itself). It's playful without being exhausting, and the gelato itself holds up beyond the joke.

Time Out tip: The packaging and cup designs are genuinely worth paying attention to – several have become unofficial memes in Bangkok's food community.

2/3 Convent Rd, Si Lom, Bang Rak. Open daily, 11am-10pm. Find out more on Instagram @daddy.dont.know.

  • Italian
  • Asok

What is it? A pastel-blue shopfront that looks transplanted from a Florentine side street, with an open kitchen so you can watch the gelato being made in real time.

Why we love it: The setting does a lot of the work here – the large glass windows and soft blue canopy create the kind of photo moment that stops foot traffic – but the gelato itself justifies the visit alone. The shop sources premium ingredients and focuses on a smooth, chewy-creamy texture that's noticeably different from the fluffier, more air-incorporated commercial ones.

Time Out tip: The open-kitchen window is a genuine draw – watch the production process while you wait, which also helps you make a more informed flavour choice.

53/1–2 Soi Sukhumvit 39, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana. Find current hours on Instagram @gelatoandcobkk.

Advertising
  • Cafés
  • Chula-Samyan

What is it? A stripped-back gelateria built on the principle that great gelato doesn't need to be complicated – plus workshops if you want to learn the craft yourself.

Why we love it: "Elementary" is the concept, not a description of quality. The shop keeps the menu focused and the process honest, letting the gelato speak for itself. The real differentiator is the Gelato Fundamental workshop, which invites customers to make their own batch from scratch – a great option for a date or a group outing that doesn't involve a rooftop bar.

Time Out tip: Book the workshop in advance rather than turning up and hoping – it fills up, especially on weekends.

Block 28, Soi Chula 7, Wang Mai, Pathum Wan. Open Mon-Fri, 12pm-9:30pm; Sat-Sun, 12pm-10pm. Find out more on Instagram @gelato.elementary.

  • Ice cream parlors
  • Charoenkrung

What is it? A sunny Bang Rak institution, all cheerful interiors and a 60-flavour line-up.

Why we love it: Sixty flavours is a serious commitment and Gelato Finale follows through on it. The shop is hard to miss from the outside – a bold yellow facade and cartoon-illustrated windows. 

Time Out tip: If you're overwhelmed by the options (and you will be), ask for a taste before committing!

20–26 Soi Charoen Krung 46, Bang Rak. Open Tue-Sun, 10.30am-9.30pm. Find out more on Instagram @gelatofinale.

Advertising
  • Cafés
  • Nonthaburi
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended

What is it? A Nonthaburi-based gelateria that's made it into the city proper with a Siam Paragon branch – and a menu that takes the ‘More’ in its name seriously.

Why we love it: The coffee here is as considered as the gelato, which immediately sets Grazia apart from single-track dessert shops. The signature Grazia Semi-freddo – a gelato cake with a soft cream centre – is the standout menu item, with an exclusive Gelato Bar available only at the Siam Paragon branch. 

Time Out tip: The Siam Paragon branch has the widest menu, with a few exclusives you will not find elsewhere – the pistachio is the one to try if you are riding the Dubai chocolate wave.

G/F (North Zone), Siam Paragon, 991 Rama I Rd, Pathum Wan. Find current hours on Instagram @grazia.gelatocoffeeandmore.

  • Italian
  • Yaowarat

What is it? A hideout-ish Yaowarat gelateria making small-batch, fresh-churned gelato that changes its menu every Saturday.

Why we love it: Deliberately off the main drag on a narrow Chinatown street – so Hey Gelato has the feel of a secret that's been let out of the bag. Everything is made in small batches and churned fresh daily. The Saturday menu rotation keeps regulars coming back and the shop also does sorbet and sorbetto (a hybrid sorbet-gelato) for anyone wanting something lighter.

Time Out tip: Go on a Saturday if you can – the weekly new flavours are when the team is most excited.

21 Plaeng Nam Rd, Samphanthawong, Chinatown. Find current hours on Instagram @hey.gelato.

Advertising
  • Shopping
  • Department stores
  • Siam

What is it? A precision-focused gelateria run by a maker trained overseas for five years, using equipment that includes a century-old Italian churner.

Why we love it: Owner Krit Sripoomseth trained with specialists abroad for more than five years before opening and his Classic Refined style – calm, controlled, technically immaculate – is the result of that investment. The machine he uses is more than 100 years old and belongs to a tradition of Italian gelato-making that's rare today. 

Time Out tip: If you've only ever had gelato at a mall counter, Parameter is the one that will raise the bar.

G/F (Gourmet Eats), Siam Paragon, 991 Rama I Rd, Pathum Wan. Open daily, 10am-10pm. Find out more on Instagram @parameterthailand.

  • Nakhon Pathom

What is it? A brand-new homemade gelateria in Salaya with a distinctive mascot and an Affogato made with nitro cold brew.

Why we love it: Scoops & Spokes only launched in late 2024, which makes it the youngest shop on this list by some margin – but it's already found a clear identity. The gelato is labelled ‘heart-made’ rather than homemade, which is a bit earnest but accurate: the care in the product is obvious. The Affogato with nitro cold brew is the sleeper hit on the menu and the caramel toast pairing is worth ordering alongside it.

Time Out tip: It's in Salaya, so it's a deliberate trip from central Bangkok – pair it with a visit to Mahidol University's weekend market nearby to make the journey worthwhile.

Salaya, Nakhon Pathom. Find the address and current hours on Instagram @scoopsandspokes_th.

Recommended
    Latest news
      Advertising