Finding original Italian ice cream (more correctly I should say “gelato“) is always a challenge in Asia. For this reason Gelato Mammamia immediately stands out as an authentic experience that has no comparison elsewhere in Tokyo.
The visit
I easily reached my destination following Google Maps. The ice cream parlor is located just a short walk from Ueno Hirokoji station. It is not a cafe, it is more like a kiosk and there is no indoor seating.
The display featured both traditional flavors and more exotic ones. We spoke to Andrea, the owner and master gelataio, who personally makes the gelato from scratch working with the machines inside the parlor that can be seen from the street.
Andrea shared that over the past 3 years or so he experimented with over 150 flavors, building on local quality ingredients. Recently he was the first in Tokyo to offer a red chocolate flavor
All the flavors available were very tempting. I settled for a classic, lemon, and for a red shiso. Shiso is a perennial plant that has multiple uses in the culinary Japanese tradition. Its leaves are used to serve sashimi and during the summer a red shiso drink is very popular. This juice was the starting point to obtain the shiso sorbet on offer. I enjoyed the two flavors as very refreshing. The lemon was made from top class ingredients and the flavor was very distinctive.
The gelato is made according to the Italian artisan tradition with no artificial flavors, artificial colors, corn syrup, animal gelatins and other chemical additives so often found in ice cream nowadays.
The check
I enjoyed the payment system: the parlor is equipped with a ticket machine (similar to those found in some ramen joints). I found this system very practical because it avoids the gelataio inside to handle banknotes and coins with all the unpleasant consequences.
The ticket for a cup with two flavors was 450 yen (around 4 USD), a very reasonable price given the quality and also the generous amount of gelato poured into the cup.
For those who like authentic Italian artisan gelato Mammaia is a must-go destination. I will certainly come back in my future trips to Tokyo.
Where in Tokyo:
3-42-11 Yushima, Bunkyo 113-0034, Tokyo
In Japanese: 3-42-11, 文京区, 湯島 (a short walk from Ueno Hirokoji station)
Check their Facebook page for the latest.
Currently open daily in the afternoon (2-7pm), except on Mondays.