Gelato is one of those words that gets used loosely. At St. Louis it means something specific: a denser, more intensely flavoured frozen dessert, churned slowly and made fresh every single day at our BGC and Alabang branches. Here's what that actually involves — and why it tastes the way it does.
What is the difference between gelato and ice cream?
They start from the same family but diverge in three ways. First, fat: gelato uses more milk and less cream than ice cream, so it carries less butterfat. Second, air: ice cream is churned fast and whipped full of air (the industry calls it "overrun"), often doubling in volume. Gelato is churned slowly with far less air, which makes it denser and silkier. Third, temperature: gelato is served a little warmer than ice cream, so it's softer on the spoon and the flavours read more clearly on your palate. Less fat coating your tongue and less air diluting each bite means the actual flavour — pistachio, salted caramel, ube — comes through louder.
How does St. Louis make its gelato?
We make it in small batches, fresh daily, rather than shipping in tubs. A good base is everything: get the balance of milk, sugars, and stabiliser right and the texture takes care of itself. From there it's about ingredients — premium local produce where it's best (Philippine mangoes, ube, calamansi) and imported where tradition demands it (Sicilian pistachio, Belgian chocolate, Biscoff). We churn slowly, freeze fast, and rotate flavours so what's in the cabinet is what was made that morning.
Which flavours should you try first?
We run a deep rotation — Chocolate Noir, French Vanilla, Wild Strawberry, Pistachio, Tiramisu, Salted Caramel, Cookie Dough, Ube & Keso, Biscoff, Matcha, Ferrero, and more. If it's your first visit, a classic pairing like Pistachio with Chocolate Noir is hard to beat. Feeling adventurous? Ube & Keso is the local hero, and Salted Caramel is the one people come back for. Ask our staff what was churned that morning — that's always the best answer.
The best ways to order it
Straight scoops in a cup or waffle cone are the purist's choice. But gelato also anchors some of our signature creations: the Ice Cream Croissant (two scoops sandwiched in a Kiji Bakehouse croissant), Amalia's Super Sundae, and the Classic Affogato — a scoop drowned in a hot shot of espresso. You'll find the full line-up on our menu.
Where can you try it?
Fresh gelato is scooped daily at both St. Louis branches — BGC, at Bonifacio High Street Central, and Alabang, at Molito Lifestyle Center. Hosting an event? We also bring the gelato to you with our cart hire service.