Paciugo

I went there the other day in teh middle of the day and they were closed. Just a sign that said closed… so if you know they are still open or re opening I really want to know. I never did a review about them, bit… they were wonderful.
I am not so big on odd flavors… salt and olive oil or pepper and talcum powder… I do not think most of their flavors are weird. A lot of interesting fruit flavors, mango, pineapple… it changes as the stuff is made there on premises.
My particular favorites… Italian Wedding Cake. yes it tastes like a wedding cake from my childhood… Rocky Road… what else can I say? Pistacio… that make a great pistacio! Strawberry, obviously this will be a favorite… Tira Misu nice ex[resso lady finger… bit about trexture almost!
If they are closed. I seriously hope that someone hires that girl behind the counter. It seemed that she was making gelato, caffee drinks and helping people alone… who has a girl alone in a store!!! That said, she was always in a good mood and seemed happy to see people!

This goes for all their locations. This place is a preview to heaven.

What a great find in Forest Park. Very innovative flavors. The gelato was fantastic. Prices are very reasonable for gelato, and they let you mix several flavors into one cup or cone so you can try more of their creations. This is a great place to take the family. May be the best ice cream/​gelato place in the western suburbs.

All gelatos are not created equally… And given the cost I expect top quality every time, everywhere I go. I have visited this gelato vendor in the past; but, it was a really long time ago. Since my last visit, I have gone to another gelato place about 5 miles to the north and found their gelatos very pleasing and the atmosphere, comfortable.
My husband and I were looking for a refreshing treat for the two of us, so I thought, ‘It’s been a while since we’ve gone to Paciugo — how about a visit?‘
I was disappointed. I thought, ‘A gelatos, a gelato, is a gelato!’ Wrong, especially since I’ve experienced something different and superior.
I felt like I had to to get four flavors, but I guess I didn’t have. Still, our server stated, «you get four», kind of dryly, so I felt like I had no choice as none other was offered.
The flavors I chose weren’t overwhelmingly tasty or creamy — you’d think with four I’d hit a ringer, although the black cherry was good, but on the bottom and thus flavored with the others.
They must have gone through some changes since my last visit, (it was at least a year ago), because I remember the gelatos creamier, and the staff happier that we were there. Perhaps we hit them on a bad day.

In this frozen dessert emporium your taste buds will be delighted. I just went there with my wife. We got the medium serving. It was too much. Not the cost, the amount. The servers are generous with the scoops of gelato, sorbet, ices, etc. The choice of flavors is almost overwhelming, but we managed. They range from the always refreshing Italian lemon ice to a jalapeño chocolate. Challenge your taste buds try this place. The only negative is the seating area is not very spacious nor comfortable. So, don’t sit walk along the street looking at the interesting stores and people.

Uhm… it smells like wet dog in here…
Overlooking that I love this place. They have a super selection of delicious gelatto and many rotating flavors so there is always something exciting to try. And try away you will. Taste all the flavors you like before you buy.

My niece and nephew love Paciugo, and now I do too.
The prices are very reasonable (under $ 4 for a sky-​high mix of three flavors!) and the flavors entice and deliver. I tried the lemon poppy seed which had real chunks of cake throughout, the cream cheese pecan praline (it’s acceptable to sin in heaven, yes?) and the Panna Cotta wedding cake.
Oh man, I nailed the perfect DIY parfait. Aces!
Besides the insane flavor line-​up, I love that this gelato is creamy and evenly silky — no grainy, icy gelato here! The shop is polished and pristine and the staff is very accommodating… they’re offering free gelato for children on Tuesdays with an adult purchase through the end of August so hurry in!

What I love? Trying new things. Like pepper, sea salt caramel, rose, and lavender flavored «ice-​cream.» I say ice-​cream because that’s what it was to me. Paciugo was my first taste of gelato and now I love it.
It’s cool that Paciugo’s small (which is what I almost always get) holds three flavors — perfect for someone like me who likes lots of tastes.
Another thing that I love about Paciugo is the hours. It’s open super late, which is terrific.
Their employees are great. They are very friendly and willingly give free samples, each with a different spoon.
Spoons. Now that’s an area that’s a little weird. The spoons are very small and flat (not rounded like a normal spoon). They force me to take super tiny baby bites so that I truly savor each moment.
The space has some large, comfy furniture as well as small tables. It’s pretty roomy, but still doesn’t seem to manage a good crowd of people who want to «dine in.» The best thing about the space is that it’s super clean. Almost sterile clean. I like that.
Oh — and in case you’re worried that they only have weird flavors, they don’t. They still have the regular tried and true favorites.

Yes yes its a chain, but I don’t see that as a legit reason for giving them a low score, even though I also tend to avoid the chains as well.
I liked the large and unique selection that you don’t see in most places. Prices were a little high and I wished they had pint and quart sizes. I vied for the piccolo size, which was a Styrofoam container of about a pint plus a third for $ 9.99 and you got to pick three flavors in it.
I got the Mediterranean sea salt caramel, French vanilla bean, and rocky road. They were all pretty good, considering I’ve had a lot worse in the suburbs.

Amazing ice cream, frozen yogurt and gelatto! Open late, we walked here for some much needed cool dessert on a ridiculously hot day. Nicely labeled, all of the food looks so delicious in the case, that I couldn’t wait for my turn. Luckily we were helped as soon as we walked in and I ordered the Black Cherry Swirl ice cream in a cup.
WOW. It was smooth and had chunks of cherries amongst the cherry swirls and creamy ice cream. It all tasted like a slice of cheese cake, but better since it was ice cold and not as heavy.
I also tasted pistachio (also creamy and delicious) and the chocolate truffle (really rich). They also have a cooler with beverages, including coke, bottled water and S. Pellegrino.
Will definitely be returning the next time I’m in Forest Park.

4 stars for gelato only. Very unfriendly staff. I’ve seen this on another persons review. If this is a family owned business. It’s time to outsource for better employees
The café coffee gelato was amazing. I would go back but hope the nonverbal rude staff is banished back to meanville forever.

One of the things my husband and I missed about Italy was the gelato. However, now that we found Paciugo, we don’t have to miss it anymore!
They have an amazing selection of flavors that ranges from your typical flavors (e.g., stracciatella) to the more exotic. And because you can get 3 or more flavors in one cup, you don’t have to decide on just one.
Some of our favorites: panna cotta wedding cake; extra extra dark chocolate, sea salt carmel and of course stracciatella.
Paciugo is truly a gem!

Really, really good gelato– and if you are a local, you are lucky enough to have a lot of choices in the gelato department.
Here’s what I liked best– besides the very good gelato: they have a great selection… and you can get 3 or 4 kinds in a cup!!! Hooray, now you only have to narrow it down to 3 or 4! (Which is still hard to do, they look so good!)
Downside? Is it a chain? I think it might be. I tend to idealistically want everything to be all local and artisan-​y.

After many, many aborted attempts to transition from mole overload at New Rebozo to gelato overload at Paciugo (one of them aborted by Paco himself and complimentary tres leches), we finally made it out of NR without getting flan, and hiked over to Paciugo.
Accompanied by Mike S (who has apparently been here about 50 times already) and Sue T, we each got the small/​3 flavor combo, which is still a healthy amount of gelato. Mine was a combo of some favorites and some unusual flavors — the pistachio, which is a sort of baseline for me, and then the olive oil + black pepper, and the sea salt and Mediterranean caramel.
Everything was amazing — more than any place I’ve been before, all of the gelato had «flavor particles» — ground pistachio, flecks of black peppercorn, and little veins of caramel. The pistachio was good — pretty standard when compared to other pistachio I’ve had. Maybe a little bit towards an icy texture, and lighter than usual — not super creamy. The olive oil and black pepper was great — I love the light olive taste in the sweet gelato base with a good amount of fresh ground pepper for spice. But the sea salt caramel knocked my socks off. Legitimately salty, very salty, but not too much, and with plenty of buttery caramel… I could eat buckets of that. Simply amazing.
But it’s not 5 stars because I think I have had «creamier» gelato, and I have had gelato with less of an icy texture. I’m no expert — so maybe that’s good — I can’t pull the elitist «I’ve had it in Italy, so this is crap, hur hur» stuff. That might be true, but I don’t have that yardstick, so I feel like maybe I’m less biased. I will certainly be back — they didn’t have any flavors with bacon when I was in, so now I have to return. Nuts.

They are very nice about letting you try before you buy, and then you can get three different flavors in your cup. Everything I tried was dee-​lish. The hazelnut was a caloric mouth orgasm. It was scary how badly I wanted to eat a gallon of it.
I was sad to find out they were a chain. Ah well waddya gonna do. That is why I give only the 3 stars.
They have sorbets for those avoiding dairy.

Best. Gelato. Ever.
Even better than Italy! Please go here so they stay busy and stay open!

I really enjoyed Paciugo! There have a great variety of flavors and all that I tried were delicious in their own way. I ended up having Chocolate Orange Saffron, Pistacio Almond, and Tiramisu.
3 sizes allow you to try your favorite 3, 4, or 5 flavors at once.
Paciugo was featured on the Food Network for their bacon topped gelato. Actually, it is quite good indeed!
Will definitely be back!
Well done Paciugo!

Oh Paciugo (drooling like Homer Simpson), you are what dreams are made of on a hot summer day. I love your rich creamy ways and your bizarre flavors… black pepper and olive oil… caramel sea salt… Bailey’s and cream… coconut. I appreciate the non-​dairy options you offer as well, lemonade and raspberry sorbet. I love that you let me taste all 30 flavors before I make up my mind and how I can get several flavors in one serving at no extra charge.
I hate you for interfering with my good intentions to diet and how you somehow draw me in whenever I walk my dog or bike ride within a one block radius. It’s okay. I forgive you because you are sooo worth it!
Oh, I also love how I keep finding coupons for you in my Clipper mag. Thanks for providing me with happiness in a cup or cone!

Very friendly service, but there are superior gelato options, especially in this area.
Ok, so I might be a snob with gelato since I lived in Italy and I’m of Italian descent, but I’ve had gelato from many places in Chicago, including Tom and Wendees and Lezza.
Thus, Paciugo is good, but it’s also a very expansive chain (according. to its website, Paciugo is pretty popular in malls in Texas). In my opinion, it’s a Jimmy John’s of gelato: good sandwiches, but not as great as your corner deli’s.
Paciugo is in a great location in the hot downtown area of Forest Park and it’s convenient for both city and suburban dwellers due to its proximity to the Blue line and I290, but it’s average-​tasting at best. I had the panna cotta-​flavor, and it really didn’t have much of a taste to begin with. My friend had the fondant chocolate-​flavor and he also said that wasn’t extraordinary, either. The texture was also more like soft-​serve ice cream than genuine gelato. The prices are also pretty high, too.
If you really want excellent gelato, travel a mile straight north to Massa on North ave or a mile east to Berwyn to Gelato Uno on Roosevelt. Those places are authentic and flavorful.

There never seem to be many people in here, but I sure hope they stick around! We do tend to go at odd times, so maybe that’s it.
Anyway, they have so many great flavors, and they change several of them out regularly so there is always something new. Some of their more interesting flavors are olive oil & black pepper, violet, lavender. They have sorbet as well as gelato. You can get multiple flavors in your dish, and they offer tastes before you order.
Go — and go now so they stay in business!