Café Gelato Review: Bellagio’s Sweet Summer Escape From the Vegas Heat

^{Café Gelato's welcoming entrance greets guests just across from the pool deck. (Photo: Christina Bradfield / Casinos.com)}

Café Gelato, tucked inside the Bellagio has been offering authentic Italian gelato and casual café fare to Strip visitors for more than two decades. It's open daily from roughly 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with breakfast served well into the afternoon. 

I love meeting up with friends or professional colleagues for lunch or coffee here, since there’s an abundance of seating. It operates with a counter-service model with both indoor and balcony seating, so you can walk up anytime and grab a table.

The space has warm wood tones and glass gelato cases reminiscent of old-school ice cream parlors, with a bougie, upscale twist that reminds you that you’re still on the Strip. I enjoy coming here to cool off from Vegas’s three-digit temperatures in summer and to enjoy their caprese sandwiches with some ice-cold water.

A Little Something for Everyone

The café is located inside the resort across from the pool entrance, not too far from the Bellagio Buffet. You’ll pass Bellagio’s poker room on the way, so this is an easy stop option for anyone wanting to take a moment away from the table without leaving the building. It's also a lighter and quicker option than committing to a full sit-down meal if you're spending the day roaming the casino floor. Using the walkway from the North Valet off of Flamingo is my usual go-to for a quick walk there. 

Right outside Café Gelato, lunch comes with a balcony and a scenic view of Bellagio's Mediterranean-style pool courtyard. (Photo: Christina Bradfield / Casinos.com)

When it cools down, check out the balcony right outside with a beautiful view overlooking the resort pool. Bellagio’s pool is especially beautiful, spanning five courtyards with private cabanas and lush gardens. It’s reminiscent of Espresso Café at the Encore with a similar view nearby, but Bellagio’s view definitely has a larger scope. It’s a nice view when the weather is cooler, but I love eating inside with the current triple-digit Vegas heat.

Café Gelato's interior nails the old-school ice cream parlor vibe, with a more colorful and modern twist. (Photo: Christina Bradfield / Casinos.com)

You’ll see families with children there, laughing together over food and grabbing a quiet moment in between shopping and going to the pool. Professional-looking Bellagio employees in suits are also a frequent sight, along with people in robes that I like to think are coming from the spa, and conventioneers with swinging name badges around their necks.

Will a Parfait Help With This Heat?

Check out Café Gelato’s menu, and you’ll see it sits in the moderate-to-upscale range for a Strip quick-service spot. It’s not as expensive as a sit-down meal at a Bellagio restaurant, but you're also not getting cheap food at a low price. Expect to spend around $15- $20 per person for a meal, more if you add gelato.

During my visit to Café Gelato, one of my professional colleagues ordered a parfait with yogurt, granola, and mixed berries, like he does every time we meet. For only $13, it’s a moderate price for a healthy breakfast on the Strip. The most expensive thing on their breakfast menu is Italian egg bites, filled with Italian sausage, broccolini, and cherry tomatoes for $15.

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^{Café Gelato offers grab-and-go sandwiches, wraps, salads, parfaits, and other quick meal options. So many options, so little time. (Photos: Christina Bradfield / Casinos.com)}

They have a variety of sandwiches available, from an olive caprese sandwich to a fig and prosciutto one (though they dropped my beloved chicken caprese from the menu). Both come in at $19, the highest price point for their sandwich menu.

If you’re feeling like getting a salad, they have three options: an Amalfi melon Salad, a Cobb salad, and a chicken Caesar salad that are all $19.

The Star of the Menu

The gelato is the main attraction for many, hence the name.  They offer 13 flavors of gelato and two sizes: small ($7.95) and large ($9.50). Flavors range from banana toffee to vanilla, and you can even get a gelato sundae for $10.95. Sorbet and sherbet flavors are also available for someone wanting a lighter or dairy-free option.

The gelato case, the true main attraction at this café. There is features a rotating selection of house-made flavors throughout the day. (Photo: Christina Bradfield / Casinos.com)

I feel like I’m on vacation whenever I visit this café, which is a hard feeling to come by when you’re a local and at a Las Vegas casino.  It’s a relaxed way to catch up with friends and coworkers and also one of Bellagio's better options for quick eats. 

Whether you're heading to the pool, the casino floor, or a convention session, it's an easy place to grab breakfast, lunch, or dessert without committing to a full sit-down meal. You don’t feel like you’re on the Strip, but on a luxury time out from life. Now, we just need to get that chicken caprese back on the menu…