Nestled on Prospect Street between The Spot and Joses, one will find Gelateria Frizzante, a haven for gelato lovers that often goes overlooked. Opening in November of 2005, Gelateria Frizzante has experienced a lot of positive feedback, but has gone largely overlooked by the denizens of La Jolla. “People just don’t seem to notice us,” says Paige Newburn, a cashier at the establishment, “but they’re missing out.”

Indeed, the fairly small establishment isn’t flashy, but once inside, the environment is fairly comfortable. Pictures of the Parthenon, various Gothic churches and other European architectural wonders adorn the walls, as well as collages by Patricia Kessler. The historic La Valencia Hotel is a stone’s throw away and the Pacific Ocean is virtually their front yard.

Guests can indulge in any of the 40 flavors on a daily basis, ranging from 24 milk-based gelato to 14 fruit flavored varieties, and nurse an espresso in the quiet atmosphere. Their most popular flavors for kids are vanilla and chocolate gelato and lemon and strawberry sorbet. For the “adults who act like kids”, their most popular flavors are vanilla with strawberries, mango, blueberry, chocolates and tiramisu. All flavors can be purchased in one of three sizes; Piccolo, Medio and Grande, ranging from $3.75 for one to two flavors, or $6.50 for two to three.

The fruit gelato, actually sorbetto, is water-based and is made with 30% whole fruit or fruit puree. This sorbetto is made with natural flavors, water, sugar, emulsifiers and various stabilizers. All of the gelato and sorbetto is made on-site by the staff. The milk-based gelatos are made using the same ingredients, only substituting milk for water and the chocolate gelatos are made from Pernigotti chocolate imported straight from Italy.

Specialty flavors are offered at Gelateria Frizzante, for the fall season, a pumpkin blend is available, and a special egg nog blend is being tested this winter.

The gelato served here not only tastes great, it’s also a bit healthier than most cold treats. Comparing between the product’s recipe and carton of Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream, a 110 gram serving of Frizzantes’s vanilla gelato contains 139 calories compared to the 200 in a 85 gram serving of Ben and Jerry’s vanilla. The news get even better for chocolate lovers as a 100 gram serving of the chocolate gelato contains 143 calories compared to the 230 of Ben and Jerry’s.

Various coffee drinks are available. An espresso will cost about two dollars while and Americano will run 50 cents higher. Lattes, with or without vanilla, and mochas are in the three dollar range. Special daily brews are offered on a weekly basis, sporting the delicious Zoka Coffee Roaster from Brazil.

Gelateria Frizzante is open unti 11pm daily and is located at 1025 Prospect Street in La Jolla and 435 Island Avenue in the Gaslamp District. The phone numbers are 858-454-5798 and 619-876-4203, respectively. Management can be contacted at frizzante@sbcglobal.net