la copa loca

As you might have gathered from a previous post, I like ice cream. So, I was intrigued when Elaine mentioned that there was a gelato place at 22nd and Capp in the Mission. I don’t think that I was the only skeptic last night, but I am very happy we took Elaine’s advice and headed over to La Copa Loca.

La Copa Loca is the perfect neighborhood ice cream store. It’s small, charming, authentic and a wonderful if not surprising addition to the Mission. Mauro Pislor opened it last summer and he has been making his sorbet and gelati fresh every day since. His recipes and base ingredients are imported from his hometown in Italy. His purées are from the freshest fruit he can find.

In the photo you see about 15 of their 30 or so flavors as well as our friendly server who gave us many samples. Front and center are kiwi and mango sorbets, and on top of the case are my two scoops of mango sorbet and banana gelato and Brad’s yogurt gelato. And yes, the yogurt tastes exactly like a fine plain yogurt.

The sorbets are intensely flavored and unusual like the blood orange sorbet that Lisette enjoyed. The gelati are rich and ultra-smooth as one might expect from flavors made fresh that morning in the traditional style. If you happen to be near the Mission, especially one of the warm afternoons that I am hoping we will have more of soon, head over to La Copa Loca.

La Copa Loca: 3150 22nd Street, San Francisco, CA (415) 401-7424

Other ice cream places I want to try in the City:
Gelateria Naia, 451 Castro St., San Francisco; (415) 864-6670
Belgano, 3901 24th St., San Francisco; (415) 647-4266
Polly Ann Ice Cream, 3138 Noriega, San Francisco; (415) 664-2472