On a sunny cold Sunday I was downtown with my sister and her kids. We had finished our dim sum lunch and we were walking around the Byward Market area when my sister said she was going to take us to her favourite gelato joint downtown.

She took us to Piccolo Grande. It was about 3 pm on a cold Sunday so the place pretty deserted. Hmmm.... There may have been 12 to 15 flavours to choose from.... more

One of my favorite places in Ottawa. The staff was friendly and the gelato was excellent. We also had coffee and it was just as good. Worth the visit and Murray Street is my favorite street in Ottawa.

Great Gelato

I just stopped in for a quick coffee and seeing the great selection of gelatos I decided to have one of those as well. The Mocha coffee was unimpressive but the Peanut Butter Gelato was thoroughly enjoyed! The business is clean and they even have some comfy little couches you can sit on. The downside is that those two things... more

Good flavours but more needed

Pros
- Flavours are good. I had mango and chocolate chocolate chunk.
- Some indoor seating is available
- Quick service
- Portion size is good
Cons
- Not enough selection. Much less compared to sugar mountain store near George . One cooler unit has nothing in it. Maybe they had technical issues
- outdoor seating would be nice -... more

Excellent ice cream

Fantastic little ice cream shop in an old stone building on a quieter street in the market. Huge selection definitely worth a visit.

excellent quality and variety of flavours

Piccolo Grande has a huge selection of gelato flavours and lots of different options. They have a variety of fruit flavours, and tons of different chocolate options (chocolate mint, ginger, peanut butter, caramel etc). for chocolate lovers. A little pricey but quality gelato and the lady gave us huge scoops, the peanut butter and chocolate is to die for!

Best gelato in Ottawa

A “must go” when you are in the Market. Excellent variety of flavors. A very good option for a desert after a good lunch or dinner.

This is the best gelato establishment in Ottawa. Having been to many different ice cream and gelato establishments in many countries, I have to say that we are lucky that we have a place of this quality in Ottawa.

Good gelato

What we loved about this gelateria is that it's a few streets away from all the chaos of Byward market. Their ice cream was very good, with a nice variety of flavors. The only disadvantage is that they have no tables outside. Too bad cause when we went it was 23 degrees outside! I would still go back. Worth the... more

I'm only giving 4 stars just in case that my joy in this gelato was overrated because I haven't had any sort of dairy in a long time! Piccolo Grande was an awesome welcome back to the world of dairy! I got the bourbon vanilla and the coconut, neither which disappointed! The gentleman behind the counter loved to talk about their gelato and gave us a mini science lesson on how gelato has less air... more

Creamy gelato, Yum

This place rocks, must be 50 flavours so something for everyone .best visited on a hot day , great way to cool off. Only negative, they are sometimes out of pistachio . Sure it's popular,then order more of it. But that's just an excuse to try a new flavour .

Grabbed some gelatos here today - Chocolate Chocolate Chunk for all us. (Yes, our family likes chocolate.)
Cute décor - but in need of a refresh. (Starting to look very worn.)
Staff were fine.
Gelato was good - but somehow not quite cold enough, so when we went outside, we had a very bad problem with melting! (It wasn't that hot out.) Maybe this was a specific problem today, or just with that... more

Mmmm, Gelato!

What more do I have to say? Good selection, tasty, fresh. Not cheap though. $5 for a medium cup!

I had the banana chocolate chunk (reminds me of chunky monkey). Not tooo sweet which was good.

Makes for a great treat!

Delicious and refreshing

Best gelato I've ever had-. If you normally have lemon, try the passionfruit, it's to die for. The staff was very welcoming. Every flavour sampled was true. Wish we ad one of tese in Toronto

Hit the spot

We were walking around the byward market and came across this great gelato cafe. We are happy they had a sign on the sidewalk because it is hidden in a beautiful stone building. I had the orange and chocolate gelato and it was smooth aand delicious . Would definitely return.

Touristy gelato in Ottawa

I've been looking for good gelato places in Ottawa. Came across this one, but came away a bit disappointed. There were long lines, but they did move fairly fast. Lots of variety, but a crazy pricing system. Kids can get two flavours in a picollo cup, but they cost the adult 1$ more if they want the same! Their competitors... more

Delightfully delicious

I have walked by the Bank Street location so many times, but finally decided to step inside today. The owners are so very welcoming, and the food is both tasty and filling. The gelato made for an excellent dessert.

Yummy

Great flavors, very tasty - really like the maple, pistachio, and stawberry&cream flavors. Very nice staff!

superb

dark chocolate and raspberry gelatos hit the spot! bursting with flavour! great on a hot summer day or any day, really!

Excellent

Fantastic gelato!!! The flavors are amazing. I highly recommend that if you are visiting Ottawa you hit up Piccolo Grande. :)

Best Gelato in Byward

Great place to stop on a hot summers day. Lots of variety of ice cream and sorbet. Ask to test a small sample before ordering. The four of us had eight different kinds. All were great.

Summer treat

Love how quickly we are served (as the line ups can be long) & the multitude of delicious flavors available. Obviously staff are well trained & there are enough staff to handle the crowds.

more than a friend

I stopped into this place on Bank Street in the late summer. The man assisted me. We chatted about the spots new ownership. I was given fresh coffee and bowl of satisfying homemade soup. Of course the homemade ice cream was "cest delicieux". and decor new and simple.Now a bank street mainstay.

Best thing this side of the pond

Refreshing, delicious and inventive! The flavours were fabulous and the portions were hardy, for the price! We went a few times after our dinners! I highly recommend walnut, nutmeg, and mochaccino flavours! (separately or together :p)

This Piccolo Grande is a pretty cool place in an older building. In the summer time expect a lineup but it's usually worth it for any half decent gelato. Come here for a date or to cool off when the weather is hot.

The prices are on par for Ottawa and I've only tried the fruit flavoured gelatos here. Some tasty ones and some ok ones.

The seating situation sucks here so I'd recommend you walk... more

It's a hot summer day and you're craving a nice cold tasty treat. What better than a nice cup or cone of tasty gelato.

They have a great selection (I'd say just over 25 flavours) that vary every day. You can pick either a cup or cone, and they come in 3 sizes. My drool-worthy favorites are definitely the Bourbon vanilla, raspberry, as well as lemon. The prices are fair and you get a good bang... more

Gelato- nice dessert option

Went downtown Ottawa tonight on the 1st evening of autumn after a short bike ride. Stopped in here for dessert after supper. Old stone Heritage building in the Byward market- close to lots of pubs and eating establishments.
They have to have over 45 flavours to offer- 3 types of cones or in a cup. Samples - just ask for... more

If you know you like gelato, this is the place. A zillion favours and consistently good service. Centrally located but a bit hidden. Very little seating but lots nearby. If you don't know gelato and go expecting ice cream, don't. Gelato uses milk not cream. Not as rich but often much sweeter.

When you taste the best, you know this one ain't... even close

I love gelato. I love fine dining.
I used to think that Piccolo Grande was the best. That was 10 years ago. Roughly 5 years ago, something changed. The texture is not the same. The taste is not the same. I was recently in Greenville, SC and visited Luna Rosa Gelato Cafe, which is rated the best restaurant in Greenville.... more

The chocolates here are so good! I went for an afternoon coffee here with my Mom when she was visiting and we got a chocolate to go along with our coffee. I got butter cream and it was delicious. The coffee was ok, but I probably should have gone with an espresso or something.

The owner served us and she was so sweet. We took forever to decide what chocolates we wanted, but she waited... more

Best gilato ever. Especially the Rum and Raisin

This is the best gilato I have ever tasted. Period. The chocolate chocolate is amazing. The rum and raisin perfect. What more can I say? Go there! It is better than anything in Italy or elsewhere.

great gelato in the market

delicious gelato... their waffles cones are hand created and their new lunch special are great at a reasonable price.... but just for the gelato alone is worth the visit!... great decor too!...**

This is a delicious little spot in the heart of the ByWard Market. If you're hankering for a treat in the market, but not a full fledged meal, this may be an ideal place to go. They have a huge selection of gelato, sorbet, milkshakes and sherbet all year round. The prices are average for a gelato bar in the market, although I still think it's pricey for the amount you get. They also have a... more

Piccolo Grande is a super fun happy place just outside the Byward Market. It is a gelateria, selling yummy gelato ice cream. But wait, there's more! Piccolo Grande also sells gourmet coffees, soup and vintage candies, such as Pixy Stix and those candy necklaces. Last year they also sold lollipops with scorpions in them. But, last time I was there the scorpion pops were absent. And, for the... more

Great ice cream. The best in Ottawa

Great ice cream. The best in Ottawa.

The BEST Gelato

You cannot find better Gelato outside of Italy.