Bobboi Natural Gelato

The service, flavors, and location are all perfect.
My newly discovered obsession here is the pistachio! I’m usually not a huge fan of pistachio, but Bobboi absolutely nailed it. It tasted authentic with just the right hint of saltiness.
Notable mentions include the Julian apple pie (very sweet!), tiramisu, and stracciatella.
Out of all the different flavors I’ve sampled here over the years, I’ve never been disappointed. Definitely my favorite gelato spot in SD!

We had dessert at lunch but couldn’t resist the delicious ice cream as we walked by!
The girl at the counter was super patient with us and our tasting requests and helped us make our final difficult decision.
We settled on the Rosewater and Honey paired with Mediterraneo (Pistachio, Almond and … One other kind of nut). No regrets!

The first time I’d passed this place, I wasn’t terribly interested. Obviously, gelato always sounds tasty, but I’ve been skeptical of gelato places ever since I had the real thing in Italy. I was walking by them to La Jolla Cove and they were handing out samples, which I obviously tried. It was pretty good and I made a mental note to come back and try them the next time I was in town.
A couple weeks pass and I found out that they’re actually on the Unilocal Top 100! This became the sole reason why I detoured out to the area the next time I was in San Diego, and boy do they deserve their spot there.
I walked in and was pretty much the only person in the shop. The guy behind the counter was really accommodating and encouraged me to try as many flavors as I liked. I tried the dairy-​free chocolate sorbet (which was the richest, creamiest chocolate I’ve ever had that didn’t have milk in it, for those of you who are lactose intolerant!), and loved it. I asked him what he recommended to go with it, and he said the Mediterraneo, a super nutty flavor. That combination was amazing!
The second time I came by with a friend, I tried the tiramisu, and boy was that one tasty as well. I loved asking them for pairing recommendations. The workers there really seem to know their stuff. My friend got the apple pie, which is flavored from a local apple pie shop and I’d definitely recommend that as well!
All in all, I love this place, and I’ll definitely be back.

There is just something about this place. Maybe because right outside is a beautiful view of La Jolla with ocean views. Maybe… it’s right next door to Italian Food (which is my favorite food in the world.). Maybe, its how cutsey this place looks from the outside and the inside. or maybe.just maybe this place’s «natural» gelato is finally just that… natural gelato and so damn good.
Quaint little shop with a few tables inside and a super small cutesy patio outside. Tip: If you are to-​going the gelato make sure to let them know. They won’t charge you sales tax :)
They feature «Today’s» flavors which can be found on their website. or by giving them a ring. or by surprise when you get there like I did:
Cool Fact: Their Gelato is made fresh everyday on premises with organic California milk, organic sugar, organic fresh organic fruit. yesss!!!
They have your typical yummy flavors like sea salted caramel, chocolate some fruit ones and them some interesting ones like Tiramisu, Blood Orange & Julian Apple Pie. I got the Julian Apple pie and fell in love. because well I am in love with Julian Apple Pie. It tasted JUST like Julian Apple Pie without all the fat, sugar, and crust. I did imagine crust inside the gelato, but forgive me I am a dessert lover. However, the gelato did justice as it was just creamy perfection.
Now Now… the prices are a bit on the «steepier» side. About $ 4.50 for a small one scoop. One flavor for a cone, two flavors if you are getting a cup. Choose wisely.

Winter 2016 — El Nino is creating havoc to the weather with more rain than you have seen in the last 4 years along with frosty nights and mornings. Add that to the sound of waves crashing as you stand outside the street in front of the shop and a full bladder are all conditions that make any one not want to indulge in cold substances. But that I did, after sampling the Meyer Lemon + Mint.
It was the perfect finish/​palate cleanser after an extremely greasy corn on the cob + chicken sandwich dinner from Promiscuous Fork .
You can actually taste the meyer lemon and mint. I mean really taste that it is Meyer Lemon. Past «meyer lemon» flavors would taste sorta lemony or overwhelmingly of sugar but this gelato had the right balance of tart and sweetness. Even the hint of mint was just right.
Apparently ingredients are organic and locally sourced. Other flavors sampled:
Mediterraneo — hazelnut, almond, and pistachio
John’s (?) Local Apple Pie
Up in the Bay Area, Tinpot creamery (locally sourced somewhat organic ice cream) would set you back $ 4.50 for a small scoop but I’d pick this place anytime. So please open a branch in the bay area too!
FYI, I am not a big fan of overly sweet ice cream/​gelato so this place is thumbs up for me.

If I lived in La Jolla, or in SD for that matter I would be here everyday! But, I live in LA secretly hoping to live in the SD area and I absolutely love this place! We stumbled upon it one random day we were at the beach watching the seals and taking in the scenery when we decided to walk the town. They were offering some samples and from that moment on I was hooked and in love!
Yes. the prices are little expensive, but it’s an organic shop. With fresh and delicious ingredients! So I pay the money! My fave are the watermelon, mango and lemon basil!!! Ahhhh I can go on and on about how delicious this place is but honestly just try it!!!
Every time we come to SD we make a stop here and sit outside and just enjoy the beautiful scenery, thanks for the great gelato and memories Bobboi!

I’ll keep this short – this is the best place in San Diego (or maybe planet Earth) for gelato. Everything about it is perfect.
You must get these flavors: Charcoal Vanilla and/​or Pistachio
Please do yourself a favor, go out of your way, and get yourself a tasty treat!

Word must be getting around town. This place was packed on New Year’s day.
$ 4.25 small– up to 2 flavors
$ 5.50 medium– up to 2 flavors
$ 7 large– up to 3 flavors
The sizes do run smaller here. The large is probably another place’s medium. But the gelato is so rich and well made that it’s worth it.
— Dark chocolate sorbet– no dairy, really dark and delicious
— Oregon trail mix– cashew milk base, tasted like a chocolate trail mix
— Kibana (kiwi and banana) — very banana-​y with real kiwi fruit seeds
— Moka– strong espresso flavor
— Pistachio della California– loaded with real pistachios and strong flavor
— Pistachio with sour cherries– really liked this one, a nice twist on an old favorite
— Mediterraneo– hazelnut, almond, and pistachio, but the hazelnut dominates
— Chocolate and cherry– pretty good, but the chocolate is too milk chocolate in flavor for me
— Panettone– actually tastes like panettone with that raisin-​y flavor
— Charcoal Vanilla– didn’t try, but is a beautiful color. The lady said that it tastes like regular vanilla though, but just is a different color.
Great service. The staff don’t get all annoyed when you ask for tons of samples.
Credit cards accepted. No minimum required.

How have I not tried Bobboi before? My family and I opted for gelato for dessert one night after dinner and when looking for gelato places, Bobboi came up as being the best… and they really are! It was a colder evening, so there wasn’t anyone in the store. We tried almost all of the flavors and the guy helping us didn’t mind dishing out the various samples. They really were all so good. I ended up getting the salted caramel and the rosewater & honey. I probably should have gotten the charcoal vanilla with it, but it was still really good. The flavors on their own can be pretty strong (especially the ones without milk), but man are they good! My husband really loved his gelato, I mean, really loved it.
We will definitely be back to try their other flavors. They do offer a loyalty program, so if you pay using your card, make sure to keep that receipt so you get credit.

All natural gelato– nothing artificial! The staff was very friendly and let us try any of the flavors. After trying like 4 flavors, I got half mango and half charcoal vanilla. There’s activated carbon in the vanilla, which explains the color!
Honestly the gelato here is better than some that I’ve had in Italy. You can just taste how natural it is, and it isn’t too sweet. It’s smooth, creamy, and just overall amazing.
I’ll definitely be back when I am in the area!

Amazing! All flavors are delicious. The only trouble was narrowing it down to just two. You can’t go wrong with this place.

I’ve definitely had my fair share of gelato, and I’m convinced that this is as good as it gets in California (or maybe even in the United States). I came here on a Thursday night with a couple friends and the place was fairly empty. After sampling maybe one too many flavors, I decided to go for a medium cup with dark chocolate sorbet and mediterraneo (pistachios, hazelnut, and almond).
The gelato was AMAZING. The texture was unbelievably smooth and the flavors were bold yet still natural. Both flavors were delicious, but I have to say that the dark chocolate sorbet was definitely my favorite. Overall, I’d highly highly recommend this place if you love gelato! The only gelato places I’ve tried that are slightly better than this one are in London and Italy, which I think says a lot. The prices here are a bit steeper than other places, but I think it’s well worth it.

WOW, heaven in your mouth!
This little gem is located in downtown La Jolla so parking can get a bit tricky (all street parking). The flavors here are so unique and it is very refreshing. The place itself is pretty small and there’s only a handful of tables inside and outside.
You can have your option of cone or cup. You have a choice of piccolo (up to 2 flavors) for $ 4.25, medio (up to 2 flavors) for $ 5.50, and Grande (up to 3 flavors) for $ 7. It’s definitely a bit pricey for gelato but it is TOTALLY worth it.
The workers here are all very friendly and answered all of our questions. You can also ask them for tastes if you are curious or unsure about some of the flavors, especially since the flavors are so different than the norm.
Warning though: It is very addicting. :)

Great spot to get gelato in La Jolla cove. Its good; however, its not at all comparable to real italian gelato.
I find the portion was a bit small for the price. They have tables for you to sit and enjoy your gelato

After seeing this place on my friends’ Instagram, I knew I had to try it out!
It is located in the heart, & extremely touristy area, of La Jolla. Because of that, parking is horrible but once you see the long line at the entrance of the store, you know that it will be worth it! Their gelato is homemade & I had:
Charcoal Vanilla — I was fascinated with the grey ice cream that everyone was eating & found out this is what it was. The sample got me hooked & this is hands down, the best vanilla gelato I have ever had!
Mediterraneo = Hazelnut, almond, & pistachio — Delicious with tiny bites of nuts!
Coconut — Refreshing!
Cash for anything under $ 10.

I had bookmarked this place the same day I bookmarked Phil’s BBQ so our plan was to hit up the hot spots in SD.
Getting to this location was a bit of a journey. We had to pass through numerous traffic circles. Something that’s really not common in other cities around SoCal. We eventually made it thank goodness.
Anyway, Bobboi Natural Gelato is a gelato place located next to La Jolla Cove Salon & Spa. Bobboi Natural Gelato was voted #8 in Unilocal’s 100 Best-​Reviewed Places to eat in America. They make their gelato with organic ingredients. They have a variety of flavors and all of which seem to be a bit unique. You can choose up to two flavors. You can get it served in a cup or cone. Their sizes are piccolo (small) $ 4.25, medio (medium) $ 5.50, and grande (large) $ 7.00. They do have an affogato special which is $ 4.50.
I just stuck with one flavor and ordered chocolate milk gelato which consists of valrhona chocolate and cocoa. So it was two scoops of chocolate milk gelato. And wow, it was really good! Super rich in chocolate flavor, it was just like having chocolate milk except in gelato form. It was thick in consistency and super creamy. Great texture. Each time I scooped up the gelato, it would slowly curve up the spoon.
Service was great! The ice cream server was outrageously nice and upbeat. Also offered samples and explained to us some of the flavors that they had on the menu.
There is a small seating area as well as some seating outside. There’s also balcony seating where you can see a great view of La Jolla Cove.
Parking is tremendously difficult to find. We were determined so we eventually found a spot across the street on another block nearby.
Overall, fantastic gelato with great service! Will be back to try other gelato flavors when I’m in the area!

No visit to La Jolla is complete without a visit to this out-​of-​this-​world gelato shop. I had to come back here again to make sure the gelato I had from few months ago wasn’t just a dream.
Expect HORRIBLE parking situation and you will probably need to park at least 3+ blocks away from the gelato shop (try to drive around Silverado St or Kline St).
All ingredients are organic (from sugar, milk, and fruits), seasonal, and local. Super friendly service and I was able to try three samples this time. I also noticed two new flavors (Valencia Orange and Rosewater & Honey).
***
Pineapple & basil + charcoal vanilla (piccolo — Italian for «small», $ 4.25): Both flavors had amazing texture with top-​notch quality. Personally I liked charcoal vanilla (the best vanilla I’ve had) over pineapple & basil because I just don’t like basil.
***
There’s no denying it … Bobboi Natural Gelato is the best gelato shop in the Southern California.

Bobboi Natural Gelato is #8 on Unilocal’s Top 100 Places to Eat in the U.S. for 2015. Being so close to home and one of my favorite sweet treats, it was a definite «must try». Trust the Unilocal reviews, it’s a five star gelato place for a reason.
For one, it’s located in La Jolla. You can grab your gelato and stroll down to Ellen Browning Scripps Park in less than 10 minutes. The shop is clean, bright, airy, and super cute! Succulents line the windows where you can view a line of palm trees, the menu chalkboard is colorful and highlights the day’s flavors, and there is indoor and outdoor patio seating prime for people watching.
Yes the line can get long, but it moves surprisingly fast thanks to the multiple employees at the counter who are trained on both the gelato line and the cash register. The same employee offered us samples, scooped our ice cream, and rang up our total bill — a smooth transaction from order to payment, just like their gelato.
I sampled the pineapple&basil (super fresh and not too sweet) and the grape&blue cheese (or was it grape&goat cheese…-either way, it was surprisingly delicious!). The only reason why I didn’t go with these flavors for my actual order, is because I wanted to try other flavors. I decided on a Piccollo size with Bacio (chocolate&hazelnut) and Pistacchio (advertised on the menu as organic and local). The employee still asked if I wanted to sample the flavors before he scooped it up — I appreciate how generous and patient they are in regards to samples — but it wasn’t needed. Given the quality of the other two flavors I tried, I knew I would like my usual ice cream order. I wasn’t wrong — it was a perfect combo!
I don’t think you can go wrong with any of the flavors Bobboi offers. Even for those who follow a dairy-​free diet, you have plenty of options to choose from. It was so great, that we decided to take a pound of ice cream to go (flavors: charcoal vanilla, chocolate milk, and lemon&fresh mint).
p. s. the prices: piccolo $ 4.25, medio $ 5.50, grande $ 7.00. May seem a bit steep for ice cream, but the quality is totally worth it. Treat yo’self and head to Bobboi!

Amazing little gelato shop in La Jolla. Just look at the reviews. It’s seriously THAT good. Be patient, because the line can get packed fast. Be sure to try the various flavored, because you’ll be blown away when you least expect it (I’m looking at you, charcoal vanilla & rosewater).
Their ingredients are always local and they have plenty of dairy free options. Sit down and enjoy the awesome little army of succulents.

We happened to stumble to this cute gelato shop when we came to La Jolla. I am not normally a fan of gelato. This place changed my mind. Not sure if I am still a huge fan of gelato but I am a fan of Bobboi. The line did quickly get long but they work quick to help everyone in line without compromising the customer service.
I had two flavors pistachio and pineapple & basil.