Gelateria Toscana Review: This EPCOT Sweet Spot Shouldn’t be a Secret

A super sweet day is incoming, and EPCOT’s resident gelato shop is here to help you make the most of it.

March 24, Gelateria Toscana at the Italy Pavilion will be celebrating European Artisanal Gelato Day, and you are all invited.

But before I go any further, let’s get one thing straight: gelato and ice cream are not the same thing. Most notably, gelato has twice the sugar of American ice cream. So I am not comparing this dessert option to the dole whip found at Magic Kingdom or the BoardWalk Ice Cream parlor Ample Hills Creamery, and another visit to Vivoli il Gelato at Disney Springs is needed before a proper comparison can be made. But when compared to Disney Park options, this Gelateria is in a league of its own, and what better reason to visit it than on Artisanal Gelato Day? 

First opening in May 2021, Gelateria Toscana sits on the American Adventure side of Italy and offers a wide array of original gelato and Italian sorbet flavors in your choice of a cup or waffle cone, as well as special creations found nowhere else on Walt Disney World Resort property. And on March 18, we got a chance to try some.

We start off with the gelato itself. Smooth, creamy, and served in a perfect portion size, the tasty treat is the perfect way to cool off halfway through your World Showcase trek under the hot Florida sun. When asked which flavor I wanted, I told them to surprise me, and they came back with Cookies and Creme. I was not disappointed.

Related: Frustrations in Planning a Trip to Walt Disney World Right Now

Next was Tiramisu, another Italian staple on par with gelato. A problem that I have found with tiramisu is that it can have an overbearing coffee or rum taste, and it can get dried out. Gelateria Toscana’s tiramisu had none of those problems. It was perfectly balanced and probably my favorite thing I tried. But that was a tough call because everything was delicious.

Gelateria Toscana offers so much more than just gelato, and their “creations” proved that. I sampled three of their “creations”: Their Zeppole, Coppa del Nonno–both of which are topped with delicious whipped cream–, and their seven-layer cake in honor of Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary Celebration.

The Zeppole are ricotta cheese donuts that are warm and soft and come perfect for sharing. The cookie-topped Coppa del Nonno is perfect for chocolate lovers features a combination of vanilla, chocolate, cookies and cream, and chocolate sauce. And the seven-layer cake has a very in-your-face flavor that’s primarily blueberry and lemon and topped with chocolate ganache and gold dust. That is not meant in a bad way, but it is not for everyone.

Then there are also drinks. Gelateria Toscana offered a frozen sangria, and an Italian margarita infused with limoncello. The margarita is incredibly smooth, and the frozen sangria still allows you to taste the fruits and seasonings of a traditional glass of sangria. The days are getting longer and hotter, and these two drinks stand ready to give any Disney Fanatic an instant cool-down.

Gelateria Toscana has become one of my favorite spots on World Showcase. I will be returning there soon, and I hope you all take some time on your next Disney vacation to check it out. (Please keep in mind that all Guests still need a theme park reservation before visiting any Disney Park in Florida.)

Meanwhile, all of EPCOT is celebrating its annual international Flower and Garden Festival.