Nonna Marie’s Gelato

09/17/2026

This is how we do it…..right here in Hilton Head! Just like your time abroad. We offer EVERY one of these. If you haven’t tried our Brioche con Gelato it is a MUST! It is from my hometown and we are so delighted to serve it here to you. Please come enjoy us nightly 5-10pm Monday thru Saturday.
Nonna Marie’s Gelato | Village at Wexford

Ordering gelato in Italy is easy once you know the few words that really matter.

The first thing to know is that Italian gelato is usually ordered by size and by the number of flavors. So instead of only pointing and choosing flavors, you will often hear people asking for a piccolo, medio or grande, and then saying whether they want one, two or three gusti.

If you want it in a cone, ask for un cono. If you prefer a cup, ask for una coppetta. Then you choose your flavors. If you want two, you can simply say due gusti per favore. If you want three, tre gusti per favore.

One useful phrase is al gusto di…, which means “flavored with” or “in the flavor of.” So if you want lemon, pistachio or chocolate, you can say al gusto di limone, pistacchio or cioccolato.

You will also see a few extras and variations that are worth knowing. Con panna means with whipped cream. Affogato is gelato served with espresso. In Sicily, granita is a different thing altogether, more icy than creamy, and brioche con gelato is a classic order, especially in the south.

If you do not want milk-based gelato, look for fruit flavors or ask for something senza latte. And if you want to take it away, da asporto is the phrase to remember.

Like coffee, gelato in Italy feels simple at first, but once you understand the language, the whole experience becomes much easier and much more fun.

What are you choosing first: cup or cone?

09/13/2026

We handcraft ALL of these classics! Come give us a try…open nightly 5-10pm Mon-Saturday. We also offer, espresso drinks, teas, other desserts like tiramisu, cheesecake, cannoli, Italian cookies & pastries. Come experience the ultimate in fine desserts 🍨 🥮 ☕️

Italy’s Gelato Is More Than Pistachio and Chocolate

Choosing gelato in Italy can be surprisingly difficult, especially when you are standing in front of a counter with twenty different flavors and only enough room for two or three.

The classics are a good place to start.

Pistacchio is one of the most famous, but a good pistachio gelato should taste nutty rather than extremely sweet. The color is usually more muted green than bright fluorescent green.

Stracciatella is another essential flavor. It starts with creamy fior di latte gelato and adds thin shards of chocolate that crack as you eat them. Simple, but incredibly good when it is made properly.

Nocciola is hazelnut, a flavor especially associated with Piedmont, where some of Italy’s most prized hazelnuts are grown. If you like chocolate and hazelnut together, try gianduia or bacio.

Fior di latte may look plain, but do not ignore it. It is essentially a pure milk-flavored gelato, and because there are very few ingredients to hide behind, it can tell you a lot about the quality of a gelateria.

Crema is richer, traditionally made with ingredients such as milk, eggs and sugar, while zabaglione takes things further with the flavor of egg yolks and Marsala wine.

For something refreshing during an Italian summer, limone, fragola and melone are excellent choices. Fruit flavors are often among the easiest ways to notice seasonal ingredients, especially when the gelateria is making them from fresh fruit.

Amarena is completely different. The combination of creamy gelato and slightly sour cherries gives you that perfect sweet-and-tart contrast.

Then there is caffè, which tastes like Italy in gelato form, and mandorla, a delicate almond flavor you will often encounter more frequently as you travel south.

One small tip when choosing a gelateria: beautiful mountains of gelato piled impossibly high above the containers are not always a sign of quality. Many excellent gelaterie keep their gelato lower in the tubs, and some traditional shops even store it inside covered metal containers called pozzetti.

And if the pistachio is glowing bright green, I would probably keep walking.

The best part is that you do not need to choose only one flavor.

Two flavors in the same cup or cone is completely normal, which means Italy gives you a very good excuse to keep experimenting.

Which one are you ordering first?

08/31/2026

Fleur de Sel 🌊 🧂 Toffee in Salty Blue Corn 🌽 Cone
Nonna Marie’s Gelato & Coffee Bar
Hilton Head’s BEST Dessert, homemade gelato, espresso/coffee/tea, Italian pastries & cookies
Nonna Marie’s Gelato & Coffee Bar

08/31/2026

Hi September! Open Nightly Mon-Sat 5-10pm
Nonna Marie’s Gelato & Coffee Bar
Hilton Head Island, SC
pannacotta

08/10/2026

Summer isn’t over yet….bring on the LIMONCELLO @
Nonna Marie’s Gelato & Coffee Bar
5-10pm nightly
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

07/19/2026

Nonna Marie’s Gelato & Coffee Bar | Hilton Head Island
OPEN TODAY, SUNDAY 5-10pm on National Ice Cream Day!

07/04/2026

07/04/2026

OPEN TODAY 2-7pm
Nonna Marie’s Gelato & Coffee Bar

06/27/2026

Gelato & Italian Cookies & Pastry is always a good idea!
Nonna Marie’s Gelato & Coffee Bar
Open nightly 5-10pm