Tasting Italian Ice Cream in Niagara Falls (Ontario)

Its quite something, going from looking at alligators in the Florida everglades one week, to throwing stones that glide on the ice of a frozen river in Ontario the next. So is my good fortune, I guess.

After a sort of late night out in Niagara Falls, the morning rejuvenation desperately needed to include a coffee shop. After our GPS guiding us to a long closed establishment, we wound up at Italian Ice Cream on Victoria Avenue.

This place is but a hundred feet or so from the sign which reads "Clifton Hill, Tourist Area," but the change to a main street like hometown feel from the Disney World like Clifton Hill is noticeable.

Italian Ice Cream offers gelato, ice cream, coffee (including the obligatory Italian favorites: espressos cappuccinos lattes etc) and a bar (which, unlike Italian coffee "bars", serves alcohol).

I order an espresso macchiato, which comes out to the highly reasonable total of $1.90 Canadian. It is excellent (pictured). My friend orders a regular coffee at the also reasonable cost of $1.65. That coffee comes out disappointing, a Folgers like mediocrity, despite being from a fresh brew. Being served in a glass coffee mug is always a plus, though.

Italian Ice Cream has a sort of main street family diner feel. Pop radio plays quietly. Its not an atmosphere for sitting and working on a macbook, if you know what I mean. Its more so a family friendly ice cream shoppe with drinks and espressos for the weary and stressed parents.

An original aspect of Italian Ice Cream is the interesting cross promotion of a wedding photography business/showcase. Apparently the Italian family who owns the coffee shop has a knack for photography in their genes. For those of you interesting in perusing sample photography over some Italian gelato, meet your insanely specific match.

What's nice about italian ice cream, though nothing makes it fantastic or outstanding, is the vestiges of Italian hospitality. It is a welcome respite from the gimmicky and overpriced tourist contraptions but a few minutes walk down the road. If you want a decent espresso, with ice cream for your kids at a reasonable price, Italian Ice Cream isn't a bad bet. Just don't expect a hipster hangout a la the coffee shops of NY or Boston.